Eating Strike!

[golf33]

Hello,
I was hoping that you guys could help me to get Leon to eat. I've recently gotten cockroaches because he won't eat crickets or superworms anymore, but he has not yet eaten any cockroaches(dubias). I know that some variables adding to his reduced feeding response could be the reduced winter temps, (although I keep it in the low to mid seventies in the house) and the fact that he is not a juvenile anymore (almost 9 months old). He is drinking well and appears healthy in every other aspect besides maybe being a little thin. Have your chameleons ever went through bouts of eating strikes? I am going to a reptile super show today so I may be able to buy some "treat" food for him today. Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[sandrachameleon]

Try silkworms, hornworms, stick insects, moths.
Dont worry if he doesnt eat for a few days, so long as he's still drinking.
Use the fat pads (or lack thereof) on his head and the thickness of its tail to help determine if its overweight. And weight him every other month or even once a month, to have a clear picture of whether it is gaining, loosing or staying even on weight.
Post a few pictures, including close-ups of its head.

 

[golf33]

Leon

Here are a couple of pictures of him that I took today. He at least still eats wax worms. I know they aren't a good staple food but it is at least some nutrition for now.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46377277@N05/4260352418/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46377277@N05/4260388604/

 

[sandrachameleon]

He doesnt look thin to me.

If you keep offering him waxworms, he'll probably never want to eat crickets again. Its like asking a child to eat veggies instead of ice cream. STOP with the waxworms, you'll do more harm than good.

Try butterworms (high in calcium, lower in fat than superworms and waxworms) or silkworms.

 

[lucky]

he looks good. not thin at all as mentioned before. and it sounds like he is addicted to waxworms... my veiled will sometimes not eat for 3 days, even if he has some crickets in his cup. just leave the food in a cup, he'll come around.

 

[golf33]

So you're saying that it is better for him to eat absolutely nothing than a few wax worms? By the way, I haven't been consistently feeding the waxworms; he hasn't eaten for a few days so I bought some from the reptile show today and he ate six. In fact only one other occasion have I offered him waxworms.

 

[jojackson]

Whatever you feed, at 9 months its virtually mature and its consumption will generally be less since its initial growth is done. Feeding every other day/every 3 days is fine. Variety is good, keep nutrition in mind (both insects and gutloading).
Provided your lizard maintains weight and condition, there is nothing to panic about.
Always keep up the hydration.