feeding frustration!

[lysinlight87]

The first 3 days of owning my chameleon he ate the food I gave him immediately and now he's stopped. I've taken some advice & I've tried variety by offering him meal worms and wax worms as well as locusts, but he won't touch them. Unfortunately my local petshop haven't got crickets until tuesday.
Initiately, I was under-feeding him, so I guess he was hungry. now that I've increased his food, could it be that he just leaves it until he's hungry? He certainly doesn't eat immediately, but he is eating, I think.
I know I'm being a bit paranoid, I'm just nervous because he's so young & the information I've got says they're so delicate. Should I be worrying or I can I relax?
Sorry to be a pain! I just want to be a good reptile owner

 

[Elizadolots]

It is usually best to stick to one thread. I had to go to your profile to find your previous messages to see what information was there. If you make it hard for people to help you, you're not going to get as much help as you hope for.

I think you should relax a bit. It's good to be concerned about his food intake, but by being so "in his face" all the time you might be keeping him from eating. Just back off, go for a walk or something and let him eat at his own pace. Keep an eye on the poop to make sure he's getting enough food, don't try to see him eat.

 

[Sleaper88]

My Cham done exactly the same as this, I was panicking about over feeding him, so I accidently under fed him then after a couple days he stopped eating, so what I done was put individual crickets around his basking area, about 5/6 in the morning, bout an hour or so after his lights come on nd now he eats like a pig Iv only had him 2 weeks aswell so don't worry too much!!!

 

[lysinlight87]

thanks I really appreciate the feedback, I ended up posted in several threads because I've never used a forum before, so I'm still learning how it works. Hope I didn't seem rude.
I have seen him eat now & I'll try to leave him to it. I've also just got him a drip system & he has pooped a few times in the past week- seems normal. I've only had him a week so we're still getting to know each other.

I'm just a bit anxious in general cos I currently have 2 russian hamsters with infected belly buttons & an axolotl that won't eat, so I'm a bit stressed! We're having a heat wave at the moment & I think my pets are feeling the effects, although I try to keep them cool. Mr Neelix seems quite happy with the heat tho.

thanks again

 

[lysinlight87]

also, here's a picture of the little guy shedding early last week. I love the grumpy look on his face

 

[Drew V]

they also will sometimes go on a bit of a hunger strike when they are shedding or about to so if this was all happening during that time .. that may be it.

 

[AllFallDown]

I usually throw his crickets in his cage in the morning before I leave. By the time I get home they are all gone. He wont eat in front of me.

Careful with too many wax worms- L.B. got fat on those fairly quick (I was giving them to him to fatten him up a bit).

 

[lysinlight87]

I can't get him to eat the wax worms, so my greedy axolotl is having a field day & I'm hoping to use them to fatten up the other one, so I guess a fussy chameleon isn't so bad afterall!

 

[Psychobunny]

Chams can drive U crazy if U let them. They are so picky, tempermental and just plain odd!!
It's hard, but dont stand around watching him eat and drink, he will do both if and when it suites him.
I think they behave way different if they know they are being watched.
So feed and water him, then go about your business and ingore him.

Yesterday, my little guy was franticly trying to eat the fake leaves. So, I put some fresh kale in there for him. He he turned around and went in the opposit direction and never paid a bit of attention to the greens.
They wilted and dried up!!!

Sometimes. he will try to get closser to the basking bulb as if he needs more warmth, trying to climb on the lid screen.
So, I go in there and make some addustment to the "bendy" branches to get him closer and he goes away and ignors that too!!

They can drive U nuts!!!

 

[lysinlight87]

Yep he drives me crazy already lol. He hadn't eaten the locusts I put in yesterday so I took them out & put some smaller ones in today- he's not interersted. Thought I'd have another go at giving him a wax worm & he turned stripey, raised his little hands in the air like he'd seen a ghost & backed away lol. I also left some in a dish for him but ended up taking them out uneaten too. Thank god my axlotls will eat em- I'm overrun with insects! But I know you're right, he'll eat when he's good & ready.
He seems okay with being handled tho & taken out, no funny colours or gestures most of the time, so that's nice.