Do chameleons get full?

[ktravelet]

I was just curious if chameleons get full or not. Say I put 10 roaches in a small cage with hiding places, food, and water. Will my veiled eat all of them and kill herself or will she only eat a couple a day?

I'm curious because I'll be traveling soon. My roomate feeds her when I'm gone but it would be nice to not have to rely on someone else.

Thanks.

Btw I free range my Cham so I have plenty of room to put a small cage somewhere.

 

[carol5208]

It depends on your chameleon, but most will eat up pretty much everything as quickly as they can find it, especially if they are young. I don't know about roaches but I know leaving crickets to roam the cage at night is not a good idea due to the fact that they could bite your chameleon while it sleeps. I suppose you could put a food source in there for the crickets or roaches so they would not bother your chameleon but personally I would not do it. And the answer to your question is yes, eventually if they eat enough they have to get full. How old is your chameleon? And if she eats all 10 at once it is not going to kill her!!!!

 

[ktravelet]

She's pushing a year now. I was just curious because I know some animals will eat until their stomach explodes (some dogs).

 

[laurie]

How long will you be gone? Also how do you put roaches in a cage if the chameleon free ranges? Don't the roaches get out? I can't even stand to leave a dubia in a cage, I have to watch to guarantee it is eaten of it is out of there. If I had dubia lose in my house I would more than just panic.

 

[ktravelet]

I'll just put one of the small plastic cages hanging in her area somewhere. No way can they get out of them.

I'll be gone for 5 days at a time when I start traveling for my job.

 

[laurie]

I am still confused, they the dubia can't get out how does your cham get to them? I don't see how you can keep a feeder gutloaded for 5 days in a container - unless you will have gutload in with the dubia?

 

[ktravelet]

The container would be open topped. Very easy to keep them gutloaded with a couple slices or oranges.

 

[Seeco]

Answer: no

 

[ktravelet]

Has anyone done this? I know this is extreme but what if I have the whole dubia colony available to her and she eats when hungry.
Obviously I'd have to watch her weight and make sure she doesn't get fat.