Feeding dilemma

[Tory990]

Hey guys, as you know I am relatively new here. I'm planning to get a panther cham here in a few weeks or so. My dilemma is I'm not sure about feeding. I leave my house for work very early, around 645 am. I have time to put food there for him but I wasnt sure how to do the lights based on feeding time. Do I set the timer for the lights to start at a later time and just leave the food for him? Or should I have the lights on when I'm feeding so he is awake to eat? I'm gone about 12 hours or close to it and wouldn't get back until lights out if I start day light at 630. There is no one else here during the day, my bf leaves earlier than I do. So I guess my question is should I even be considering getting him since the majority of his awake time I'll be working? Or can I set the light for later if I put feed on there that wont climb out or if they do wont hurt him like crickets will? Although it would upset me, I'm willing to say now is not the time for one if you guys think I shouldn't bother. Unfortunately job comes first, well bills do. I work about 45 minutes away from my house is where the issue lies and cant get a job closer at the moment.

 

[cyberlocc]

Hey guys, as you know I am relatively new here. I'm planning to get a panther cham here in a few weeks or so. My dilemma is I'm not sure about feeding. I leave my house for work very early, around 645 am. I have time to put food there for him but I wasnt sure how to do the lights based on feeding time. Do I set the timer for the lights to start at a later time and just leave the food for him? Or should I have the lights on when I'm feeding so he is awake to eat? I'm gone about 12 hours or close to it and wouldn't get back until lights out if I start day light at 630. There is no one else here during the day, my bf leaves earlier than I do. So I guess my question is should I even be considering getting him since the majority of his awake time I'll be working? Or can I set the light for later if I put feed on there that wont climb out or if they do wont hurt him like crickets will? Although it would upset me, I'm willing to say now is not the time for one if you guys think I shouldn't bother. Unfortunately job comes first, well bills do. I work about 45 minutes away from my house is where the issue lies and cant get a job closer at the moment.

Get a feeder cup, and throw them in.

He will eat them, whenever he is ready .

 

[The Wild One]

You could just move the light cycle to around 6ish am and turn them of at 6 pm, imo (correct me if I’m wrong) the chams is happy as long as they get a 12 hour sleep cycle. That way you can feed it in the morning when you wake up. I find this makes it easier when you need to be places .

 

[Tory990]

Get a feeder cup, and throw them in.

He will eat them, whenever he is ready .

Thanks I'd planned on getting a feeder cup, just wasnt sure about tossing them in before he's awake. I'd like for there to be some time between my arrival home insights out mostly so we can check on everything. He will be around 5 mos so past that total baby stage where they have to eat all the time thank goodness. Does he still need fed more than once daily at that age?

 

[Tory990]

You could just move the light cycle to around 6ish am and turn them of at 6 pm, imo (correct me if I’m wrong) the chams is happy as long as they get a 12 hour sleep cycle. That way you can feed it in the morning when you wake up. I find this makes it easier when you need to be places .

Thanks for not shutting me down lol. I'm ok with doing that also. I would kind of like to have some time before lights out to make sure hes doing ok and things like that, especially when he first gets here. I'm not planning to grab and hold him all the time just want to make sure hes adjusting.

 

[cyberlocc]

Thanks I'd planned on getting a feeder cup, just wasnt sure about tossing them in before he's awake. I'd like for there to be some time between my arrival home insights out mostly so we can check on everything. He will be around 5 mos so past that total baby stage where they have to eat all the time thank goodness. Does he still need fed more than once daily at that age?

Kind of, but again that would be a case of he will eat whatever he wants, and then do so again.

My panther doesn't eat in the mornings really, I feed around 8am, he wont eat till like 10 though. Lights on at 7am for me. You could lights on at 6, and feed at 6:45, but he may not eat till later.

You ciuld also do 13 hours of light for the summer, and 11 for the winter, that is more natural, and would give you the extra lights on time for now, to check on him at night.

Usually they are getting ready for bed, about hour 10-11 though anyway, no matter how long the light time on is.

 

[Tony_S]

I have the same situation, I leave for work at 7am. I have the lights timer set for 7am-7pm. I just chuck the insects into the feeder run as I'm walking out the door. It also give me a chance to verify his lights/uvb/heat lamp are working. I also mist at 6:45am and look to make sure that went off as well.

 

[coastal_chameleon]

You could just move the light cycle to around 6ish am and turn them of at 6 pm, imo (correct me if I’m wrong) the chams is happy as long as they get a 12 hour sleep cycle. That way you can feed it in the morning when you wake up. I find this makes it easier when you need to be places .

the only thing to consider is the chameleon wont sleep if the light are on in the room.i cover parts of my cage when the lights go off . I cover enough to make it dark but leave the bottom quarter open and the top for air flow .

 

[coastal_chameleon]

Kind of, but again that would be a case of he will eat whatever he wants, and then do so again.

My panther doesn't eat in the mornings really, I feed around 8am, he wont eat till like 10 though. Lights on at 7am for me. You could lights on at 6, and feed at 6:45, but he may not eat till later.

You ciuld also do 13 hours of light for the summer, and 11 for the winter, that is more natural, and would give you the extra lights on time for now, to check on him at night.

Usually they are getting ready for bed, about hour 10-11 though anyway, no matter how long the light time on is.

my chameleon wont sleep until all the lights are off , he goes to his usual sleeping spot around 6pm but wont sleep till I cover his cage

 

[cyberlocc]

my chameleon wont sleep until all the lights are off , he goes to his usual sleeping spot around 6pm but wont sleep till I cover his cage

Right, that's exactly what I said.

I didn't mean they will go to sleep, I meant go to their sleeping spot and wait.

 

[Tory990]

Right now it's still getting fairly dark around 6 pm. But once summer is here it wont be. Of course I can always use room darkening curtains in the room hell be in. I have a separate room that I keep the frogs and gecko in. It's an extra room and no one uses it. The frogs dont care much about their daylight night cycle as long as you feed them. I could always have the lights not come up until around 8 and off at 8. If I put food that wont eat on him like the crickets do in there in the morning. I do plan to use a feed cup also if possible. Running them 7 to 7 would work too. Doesnt really matter to me as long as hes happy.

 

[Ares05]

I would just use some sort of feeder. I just use a 4-5 inch deep sort-of opaque deli cup ( Its opaque, but not fully. He can see the cricket's shadows moving around) Sometimes I put his food in slightly before his lights are on if I have to get up particularly early, and they will be waiting for him when he gets up.


I don't like to free feed because then roaches/crickets could walk through feces before being eaten.