Do I Have To Feed My Chameleon Crickets?

[Pesto the Chameleon]

Hi I’m going to get a male panther chameleon in a week and currently I’m prepping how much and what variety of bugs I should get. I was wondering if I could just feed my chameleon with the stable bugs of silk worms and dubia roches and other treat bugs and just not feed crickets as a staple?
Thank you

 

[Steve A]

Hi I’m going to get a male panther chameleon in a week and currently I’m prepping how much and what variety of bugs I should get. I was wondering if I could just feed my chameleon with the stable bugs of silk worms and dubia roches and other treat bugs and just not feed crickets as a staple?
Thank you

I've heard a variety of things regarding this. It's my understanding that dubia roachs can replace crickets as a staple. However, IMO, you do want to give your chameleon the biggest variesty possibly and not so much look at it as "which staple(s) to feed".

Also IMO, I think this is something for your chameleon, not the forums (lol hear me out here...) when you get your chameleon, you do not know how he will react and what he will want. He may prefer dubias. Or crickets. He might not want either right away and choose other things. And I think the truly best plan of action for you, is to round up as many feeders as you know you can get regularly, get them all set up, introduce them appropriately, and see what your chameleon decides.

For example, my panthers favorite was silkworms with his breeder. He also ate crickets and what not but that was his favorite thing. When I got him, he ate them no problem for a few days. Once the BSFL came into play, he completely stopped eating silks. Only ate crickets, and BSFL. I also introduced superworms, and dubias. He completely turned both down. My panther was really just eating crickets and BSFL for weeks. I had an idea of drastically downsizing his silks and sticking a few in his BSFL dish, to see if he would either just go for them, or "accidentally" eat them with his BSFL.

The result of that is, he began eating them, what appeared to be "accidentally". Then he started eating them on his own by choice (clearly). And now, not only is he eating them by choice, I put an extra one in there (was 2, now 3) and he's eating all of them AND they're getting bigger and he's still eating them, plus about half a dozen or so BSFL, and anywhere from 6-18+ crickets, depending on the day.


Sorry for the ridiculously long post. However, my point here is that, your chameleon will have his own personality and make his own little decisions. Be prepared for as much as you can, and see where your chameleon takes you
Please keep in mind that I'm a new keeper myself, I am only on my 2nd chameleon. Take my opinion with a grain of salt, and hopefully a more experienced keeper can assist you better soon! Best of luck!! Please share pictures :-D

 

[Sherbertsmysunshine]

Hi I’m going to get a male panther chameleon in a week and currently I’m prepping how much and what variety of bugs I should get. I was wondering if I could just feed my chameleon with the stable bugs of silk worms and dubia roches and other treat bugs and just not feed crickets as a staple?
Thank you

I rarely use crickets, because my chameleon doesn't care for them, a variety of Dubia roaches and silkworms should be fine. as long as you switch it up randomly, l buy Dubia roaches and some other random feeders I feel like getting.

 

[ChamelaChameleon]

I've heard a variety of things regarding this. It's my understanding that dubia roachs can replace crickets as a staple. However, IMO, you do want to give your chameleon the biggest variesty possibly and not so much look at it as "which staple(s) to feed".

Also IMO, I think this is something for your chameleon, not the forums (lol hear me out here...) when you get your chameleon, you do not know how he will react and what he will want. He may prefer dubias. Or crickets. He might not want either right away and choose other things. And I think the truly best plan of action for you, is to round up as many feeders as you know you can get regularly, get them all set up, introduce them appropriately, and see what your chameleon decides.

For example, my panthers favorite was silkworms with his breeder. He also ate crickets and what not but that was his favorite thing. When I got him, he ate them no problem for a few days. Once the BSFL came into play, he completely stopped eating silks. Only ate crickets, and BSFL. I also introduced superworms, and dubias. He completely turned both down. My panther was really just eating crickets and BSFL for weeks. I had an idea of drastically downsizing his silks and sticking a few in his BSFL dish, to see if he would either just go for them, or "accidentally" eat them with his BSFL.

The result of that is, he began eating them, what appeared to be "accidentally". Then he started eating them on his own by choice (clearly). And now, not only is he eating them by choice, I put an extra one in there (was 2, now 3) and he's eating all of them AND they're getting bigger and he's still eating them, plus about half a dozen or so BSFL, and anywhere from 6-18+ crickets, depending on the day.


Sorry for the ridiculously long post. However, my point here is that, your chameleon will have his own personality and make his own little decisions. Be prepared for as much as you can, and see where your chameleon takes you
Please keep in mind that I'm a new keeper myself, I am only on my 2nd chameleon. Take my opinion with a grain of salt, and hopefully a more experienced keeper can assist you better soon! Best of luck!! Please share pictures :-D

I think you are on to something. Variety is key. Keep introducing new feeders while young. My adult, adopted Veiled is a picky eater. He only eats 1 or 2 things. When the supplier is out of his preferred feeders, I'm stuck and he's without food.

 

[elizaann2]

I agree with @Steve A and I would add that I recommend communicating with the breeder on what they are currently feeding your baby and HOW they are feeding baby. Mimic that set up at home and add the variety as Steve suggests

 

[Steve A]

I agree with @Steve A and I would add that I recommend communicating with the breeder on what they are currently feeding your baby and HOW they are feeding baby. Mimic that set up at home and add the variety as Steve suggests

That's a great suggestion. I actually contacted Spikes breeder for their advice on this as well. Totally forgot that lol

 

[CCT Reptiles]

If you can get away with not feeding crickets I’d do it crickets are dirty and easily can be vectors for diseases some things u can use are Dubai’s , bsfl, silkworms not sure if there are studies on if different roaches have different nutritional value but there’s discoid and red runners along with banana roaches

 

[MzLaurie11]

Many breeders keep the clutches together until four to six months old. They use plastic cups wirh a stick coming out of it so the small crickets can climb up the stick so the !ittle chams can target them off the stick or hunt them when they jump off. My female panther still eats like that and her fav is crickets! I keep a bowl of a variety juat in case. Mealworms, bsfl, and wax then place horn on branches aslong as tbey arent too big, she will eat them. My other cham likes superworms and hornworms and occassuional crickets. I give him the large ones which are too big for her. one thing nice aBout horn worms i git liquid calcium from the vet and i can inject it right into the side of a hornworm. Now she wont eat big ones, but he will. they r individuals with their own likes and dislikes. One nice thing is i keep 250 giant mealworms in the frig. They last forever and in a pinch when an order is delayed, I always have something. Neirher cham went for dubias. Best of luck

 

[MzLaurie11]

oh btw with crickets, the more space they have the longer they will live. I got a 30 gallon tote wirh the folding lid covered bottom with vermiculite and keep bagged charcoal in it to take care of the smell feed them carrots and wheatgerm and cornmeal plus extra vegs from whatever i prep for dinner and have pillow puffs for water that i set on a piece of foil. Cut the eggcrates so its four only and just tap them on a cup then transfer. Easy peasy. Oh if the cups are clear, cover with duct or masking tape or your cham will strike at the cup with his tongue. And make sure the stick is sturdy in case your cham falls in he can get out. Wedge it high up near walking vines.

 

[MissSkittles]

I think we all pretty much agree that crickets suck. It is possible to have a variety of other feeders, but I would suggest to just bite the bullet at least once a month and get some crickets. Your chameleon may appreciate it.

 

[Wisto&Co]

Also a pretty new keeper here, but I read in another post on the forum that you want to make sure to feed "crunchy" feeders to avoid your cham getting buildup on their teeth (as you said, if you feed Dubia roaches that should take care of it)

 

[Beman]

How old is this chameleon and what has he been eating regularly?

These are your two major factors. Breeders like framschams gives their babies silkworms when young. So it is something they are used to. But if you are buying a baby from a breeder that has only ever given tiny crickets you are going to have to include crickets in your mix of feeders. Most babies can be picky moving over to new feeders so they need to see what they are used to included in the feeder run so that they try the others.
With babies you have to be extra cautious because you need them to be constantly eating quite a bit.

If it is an adult chameleon depending on its overall health you might be able to do without crickets if you can get him to get on the new feeders within the first week.