Feeding: how much/how often

Kaizen

Chameleon Enthusiast
So, let’s say we have a pretty good gauge of how much food our adults need/week. The question is: Is it better to distribute this over all seven days, go to a three or times/week geeeding schedule? Is there any benefit to Kerri f your Cham fast two or three days/week?
 
I want to say I've had this discussion before, and reached the conclusion that fasting can be beneficial for their metabolism - particularly in females. However, I don't have any scientific basis... @kinyonga @Kristen Wilkins, your thoughts? And I believe it was @JacksJill who feeds in smaller amounts daily - correct me if I'm wrong! I have a hard time keeping things straight in my head haha!
 
I want to say I've had this discussion before, and reached the conclusion that fasting can be beneficial for their metabolism - particularly in females. However, I don't have any scientific basis... @kinyonga @Kristen Wilkins, your thoughts? And I believe it was @JacksJill who feeds in smaller amounts daily - correct me if I'm wrong! I have a hard time keeping things straight in my head haha!
Hello Amanda , I use this method with my girls . Our sweet phoeb’s has never laid . She see’s vet once a year for health check up no signs .she will be 2 in dec . Clelia her sister has laid one clutch with in weeks of me getting her , our Frances laid 2 small clutch in just shy of four years . We cut back at one year of age to 3 days a week about 5 feeders , dusted with rapashy low , we bask at 82 degrees . After laying we feed for 24 hours what ever the girls want what ever amount they want . When I knew my girl Frances was going to lay I would cut back to 2 days 5 feeders . Clelia was a surprise I was not her original keeper . She laid end of April .
 
Most captive chams are overfed. As keepers we try to replicate their natural environment as best we can, within reason of course. I've always been torn about which approach to take on this one. There are really only two paths to take but they both heavily depend on where your cham originated and the types of prey available. I've never observed wild chams feeding but most papers I've read usually depict them feeding on larger prey items infrequently, fewer reports of them grazing on smalls all day but I'm sure if given the opportunity to do so they would.

I feed almost exclusively wild caught feeders every 3-4 days in the summer, all well dusted and loaded. Also give a dragon fly, super, or silk here and there as a treat.
 
Hello Amanda , I use this method with my girls . Our sweet phoeb’s has never laid . She see’s vet once a year for health check up no signs .she will be 2 in dec . Clelia her sister has laid one clutch with in weeks of me getting her , our Frances laid 2 small clutch in just shy of four years . We cut back at one year of age to 3 days a week about 5 feeders , dusted with rapashy low , we bask at 82 degrees . After laying we feed for 24 hours what ever the girls want what ever amount they want . When I knew my girl Frances was going to lay I would cut back to 2 days 5 feeders . Clelia was a surprise I was not her original keeper . She laid end of April .

I go 2-3 days between feedings. Mona weighs a bit but does not appear overweight. She has laid one small clutch with me in January of 2019. Got her March 2018.
 
I fast them 2-3 times a week but I cheat cause I drop 8-10 crickets in for hunting until gone. Exercise and mental health or what not. You can tell how much they love that cup when it magically reappears in the giant white apes hand again.
 
I just have weekend warriors any they just a get a few snacks during the week. For the bigger ones, "if you poop, you eat" so once the journey is complete, you start the journey again.
I like that! I live by the you poop you eat for my girls after a clutch.
 
I posted this to another thread - I cup feed gutloaded dubias until they stop to swallow hard- usually 5 to 12 every other day.. Gut load meal worms with (date palm dates) when i can find them and Apple/ veggies hand feed roughly 10 to 15 a week and let them hunt gutloaded very litely dusted crickets free range in the enclosure roughly 20-30 a week no more than 10 dropped in cage at a time. Horn worms soldier fly and silks are a special treat that I try to have on hand for my new mom's. Feed in moderation with the lady's cause i worry they will over do it and pop they become so ravenous. Watch for the hard swallow-Tilts head back and pushes the chewed bugs down into her stomach with tongue that's when I move to the next cage with my big cup of bugs. Gives her time to digest what she has before passing it and limit possibility of internal ruptures as rare or impossible as it may be. These things are built to binge and fast but it takes alot out of the females those nutrients are crucially important to replenish so I dust allitle more liberally as well. Congrats and best of luck :)
 
I go 2-3 days between feedings. Mona weighs a bit but does not appear overweight. She has laid one small clutch with me in January of 2019. Got her March 2018.
Sounds like we do about the same for our girls . For my girls it works . We live in mass cape cod , We have crazy weather . I have pretty established Colonies . Really the only thing I order is horns . Their diet is varied but 5 feeders unless it’s horns work . I’ll add pics when I have a sec . I think they are pretty good weight . Phoeb’s is a peanut she’s only 69g her heaviest has only been 70g .
 
Back
Top Bottom