Eustis and I had a breakthrough today!

Lindasjackson

Chameleon Enthusiast
I held his dish of Dubia out to him just under the branch he was on and he grabbed a couple while I was holding it! He even stayed his pretty light yellowish green and didnt turn dark and run! First time he hasnt turned tail and run away when I opened his door. I’m so happy! One thing I have noticed is when I give him Dubia he hold them in his mouth for a long time before chewing and swallowing. Why would he do that?
 
Oh and I forgot to say early this morning when I got up he was hanging upside down directly under his uvb light and basking light. I don’t know why. I got a stick and got it under his front legs between him and the screen and coaxed him onto it by touching his tail and then lifted him down to his basking branch and he was fine. Never changed colors!
 
That’s great! That was how I first bonded with my Cham. Held his food dish and let him eat from it.
 
I held his dish of Dubia out to him just under the branch he was on and he grabbed a couple while I was holding it! He even stayed his pretty light yellowish green and didnt turn dark and run! First time he hasnt turned tail and run away when I opened his door. I’m so happy! One thing I have noticed is when I give him Dubia he hold them in his mouth for a long time before chewing and swallowing. Why would he do that?
Mine does the same. I think they first instinctively take their prey and they realize we are standing close to them, that’s their freeze moment.
 
This is the way he always eats the big Dubia s though. even when I’m not right there. He shoots at them and pulls them in his mouth and then just sits for a long while with it in his mouth. He doesn’t do that with any other prey item.
 
This is the way he always eats the big Dubia s though. even when I’m not right there. He shoots at them and pulls them in his mouth and then just sits for a long while with it in his mouth. He doesn’t do that with any other prey item.
Noticed the same yesterday with my Jackson, on the other hand, my veiled who is the same size as the Jackson, eats the same size dubia in an instant
 
Well I’m glad Eustis isn’t the only one. They’re not to big for him, they fit in his mouth. I’m just wondering if he’s waiting for them to die before he swallows them. Maybe they’re legs scratch his throat if they’re alive.
 
I’ve heard Jackson’s tend to be one of the more timid/calmer species. So it could be something to do with that.
 
My panther does the same with locusts. Your cham is young yeah ? My girl screen climbed upside down a lot when she was younger but not since she has gotten older , bigger enclosure and lots of plant cover. Thank goodness she doesn't she feel once ( that I seen ) wow I nearly had a breakdown
 
Eustis is around 10 months to a year. He screen climbed a little the first few days I had him but not since until today. Ive had him about 6-7 weeks now.
 
I held his dish of Dubia out to him just under the branch he was on and he grabbed a couple while I was holding it! He even stayed his pretty light yellowish green and didnt turn dark and run! First time he hasnt turned tail and run away when I opened his door. I’m so happy! One thing I have noticed is when I give him Dubia he hold them in his mouth for a long time before chewing and swallowing. Why would he do that?
Thats awesome!!!
 
I held his dish of Dubia out to him just under the branch he was on and he grabbed a couple while I was holding it! He even stayed his pretty light yellowish green and didnt turn dark and run! First time he hasnt turned tail and run away when I opened his door. I’m so happy! One thing I have noticed is when I give him Dubia he hold them in his mouth for a long time before chewing and swallowing. Why would he do that?
Congrats! No idea why he's holding them. Trying to decide if he likes them or not? Likes the feeling of their little feet wiggling against his tongue? Thinking about something else? 🤷‍♂️

Oh and I forgot to say early this morning when I got up he was hanging upside down directly under his uvb light and basking light. I don’t know why. I got a stick and got it under his front legs between him and the screen and coaxed him onto it by touching his tail and then lifted him down to his basking branch and he was fine. Never changed colors!
Because he felt like it? 🤷‍♂️ My panther still does that occasionally (not like he used to) but as he develops it seems there's always some new thing he's doing. This week, its hanging by his back feet from the feeder run cup and swinging to catch a branch, and daily searching the screened door for a way out near the hinges. I expect next week or month it'll be something else.
 
This is the way he always eats the big Dubia s though. even when I’m not right there. He shoots at them and pulls them in his mouth and then just sits for a long while with it in his mouth. He doesn’t do that with any other prey item.
Mine does it just with dubias too. I think they are just enjoying it for a moment. I've been curious about that for years now. Only if they could talk. :LOL:
 
I held his dish of Dubia out to him just under the branch he was on and he grabbed a couple while I was holding it! He even stayed his pretty light yellowish green and didnt turn dark and run! First time he hasnt turned tail and run away when I opened his door. I’m so happy! One thing I have noticed is when I give him Dubia he hold them in his mouth for a long time before chewing and swallowing. Why would he do that?
Congrats!! it feels great the first time they take bugs from you. When it happened last week, I could have cried.

I was also wondering why they sit there with the bugs in their mouth. Beau always does that with dubias!
 
Congrats!! it feels great the first time they take bugs from you. When it happened last week, I could have cried.

I was also wondering why they sit there with the bugs in their mouth. Beau always does that with dubias!
Well I guess it’s a common thing they do then. I don’t remember my Jackson’s I had 25 years ago ever doing that But maybe they did and I just don’t remember.
 
Back
Top Bottom