Cup vs. Hand vs. Hunt

[seanUTD]

So I guess I should consider myself lucky but my 4 month old Cham no cup feeds, hand feeds, and is able to hunt for crickets who are stragglers on the side o the cage... Should I stop one of them to keep him from getting used to it? Why way should I mainly feed him? I will add that getting him to hand feed was ultra hard but it's helping him to trust me

 

[zookyprr]

Fedding Mothers Day present

I would also be interest in know about the best way to feed my Meller Chameleon. It has eaten pinkies, which I have not witnessed, and some superworms that I had to assist it in eating by placing it in its mouth when it was trying to drink the droplets from being misted. I have it in a 30" by 18" X 18" bird cage. He seems to be doing fine. I have had it for a week. What a wonderful Mothers day present. It is allowed to free roam in our day room that gets very warm and has several hanging plants. I place him on the macrame hangers and he climbs up and rests on the plant hanger or on the upper wood trim in the room. I have tried the bowl but I have only noticed the pinkie rats where gone. He does not seem to eat the superworms, meal worms or wax worms out of the bowl. What can I do??

Sincerely, Mom zookyprr

 

[JackP308]

I feed all of those way. Maybe me and the chameleons just like to change things up. My hand feeding just consist of placing crickets on screen and cham tagging them


As to the above post. Try feeding crickets, worms, and other various feeders. Pinkys in a dish not the best feeding option at all. Lots of info on diets and food in the food section.

 

[Carlton]

I have tried the bowl but I have only noticed the pinkie rats where gone. He does not seem to eat the superworms, meal worms or wax worms out of the bowl. What can I do??

Sincerely, Mom zookyprr

You should not be feeding a melleri pinky rats! This is a HUGE meal for it to digest, they are high in fat, low in calcium, and frankly, a very unnatural meal.

Some chams are very concerned about shooting feeders out of a bowl because they don't like hitting the tip of their tongue on the hard sides. Also, worms often don't move around as much and attract the cham's attention. Too many feeders crammed into a bowl can make it hard for the cham to select one to shoot at. Or, if the cham is new to you and was only offered some other type of feeder (crickets?) it may not recognize the insects as food yet.

A suggestion would be to put the feeders into a larger container like a plastic shoebox so they roam around and the cham can climb down to the rim of the box to shoot at them.

 

[KatCham]

1. Cup feeding means you can monitor what your cham is eating.

2. Hand feeding can help with handling as they associate your hand with good things.

3. Hunting is a natural behaviour so provides enrichment for your cham so it won't get lazy.

My 5 month old eats from a cup no problem. Eventhough I put the locusts in the cup, some climb out so he hunts those. Great to watch!!

He occasionally eats from forceps,depending on what mood he's in.... but has yet to eat out of my hand as it's obviously still got chance to be a predator after 2.5 months of being in and out of his enclosure!!!! LOL

If your cham is doing all three I see no reason why not to continue with all three. For me it would depend on the feeder as you couldn't pay me to hold a locust or roach , but I don't mind the silk, butter, wax and calci worms.

Hope that helps