Feeding Amount

[kinyonga]

You said..."This often means too fat,
Most keepers
Do heavily overfeed their animals"....depends.

You said..."How will you define the Standard when almost all pictures in the media are too fat?"...well, you and I both know that we define them like this...
https://www.chameleons.info/l/assessing-the-nutritional-state/

 

[DocZ]

“NO RISK OF OVERFEEDING:
1. Juveniles till reaching the lower margin of the adult
Size (in Yemen cham males it is eg around 40cm) because they invest all energy intake into GROWTH
2. Females during gravidity, as they invest every
Energy intake into the eggs”

is there a risk of egg binding in females if overfed? Or is your assertion that these animals are already overweight and amount of feeding while gravid doesn’t matter.

“In this necropsy you can clearly see the fat pads in the deceased female Meller’s Chameleon. The orangish, creamy colored objects to the hind end (left side of image) are the fat pads. When these are filling the body cavity in back there isn’t much room for relatively large eggs to squeeze through.“ From:
https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-medical-obesity/

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Some seem to to some extent...but they are opportunists so IMHO they are are advantage of it.

Sorry, I'm not getting this part.
Other reptiles I've kept have all tapered off when reaching full size. I've never had a "fat" reptile.

 

[kinyonga]

I've seen lots of fat reptiles...insectivores and carnivores especially.

Chameleons...
https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-medical-obesity/

 

[jamest0o0]

I would suggest slowly cutting back on amount of feeders. Imho, it’s crazy to jump instantly from all they can eat to 10.

Hey I'm just curious why you think this? Not saying you're wrong, just wondering.

 

[jamest0o0]

Edited because I was getting off topic lol

 

[Beman]

Hey I'm just curious why you think this? Not saying you're wrong, just wondering.

I do the same thing lol. I prefer to work them down in feeders. I do it because it makes sense to me. No other reason. Just because I would not want to be taken to an all you can eat buffet everyday for months then taken and told I get to pick 2 and not return to the buffet for desert.

 

[jamest0o0]

I do the same thing lol. I prefer to work them down in feeders. I do it because it makes sense to me. No other reason. Just because I would not want to be taken to an all you can eat buffet everyday for months then taken and told I get to pick 2 and not return to the buffet for desert.

Understandable, I see no problem with doing that. I never really had to cut my chams down because Panthers IME do it for you and parsons seem to just grow forever lol.

 

[Beman]

Understandable, I see no problem with doing that. I never really had to cut my chams down because Panthers IME do it for you and parsons seem to just grow forever lol.

Yeah I wish Veileds would do it on their own. It has not been my luck so far. Beman went on strike at about 9 months old but it was when I was trying to get him to eat roaches instead of crickets.

 

[jamest0o0]

I'm mixed on it, it can be so annoying dealing with picky animals lol.

 

[MissSkittles]

Hey I'm just curious why you think this? Not saying you're wrong, just wondering.

Exactly what Beman said.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I've seen lots of fat reptiles...insectivores and carnivores especially.

Chameleons...
https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-medical-obesity/

I wasn't saying there aren't any—only that I've never had one.

Some of those guidelines seem vague to me, especially the "Feed X food items..."
The Husbandry Correction at the bottom seems to sum things up better (but to each their own).

And then give enough to sustain life, but not to overfeed. Chameleons can easily go a week without food. They do not burn many calories just sitting there doing what a chameleon does! Keep your chameleon lean and keep their food nutritious.

Activity levels, fat pads, weight monitoring... have worked well.

 

[cham girl]

Sorry, I'm not getting this part.
Other reptiles I've kept have all tapered off when reaching full size. I've never had a "fat" reptile.

because it's cool to feed them!! some overfeed, a little less food equals healthier females with less but healthier eggs.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

because it's cool to feed them!! some overfeed, a little less food equals healthier females with less but healthier eggs.

"I don't know nothin' 'bout hatchin' babies!"

 

[cham girl]

"I don't know nothin' 'bout hatchin' babies!"

males get fat pads on their casque and cheeks

 

[NashansCamos]

males get fat pads on their casque and cheeks

if it gets too fat then it can be a problem

 

[Joeskier]

Lol at my tiktok making it to the cham forums ?

It also heavily depends on the size of the feeder. 15 small crickets does not equal 15 hornworms which does not equal 15 medium dubia roaches.

That would be a good YT video comparing the size what would equal what to help as a form of reference! Love your channel btw!