So i just got a baby jackson. Second cham ever, first one was a veiled amd i raised her in an aqarium when she was a baby and she did fine. I started my baby jacksons in a screen cage though and ive come across a problem with feeding him. I give him small crickets, perfect for his size, however the crickets all hangout directly under the heat lamp and my cham never goes near it which is where all the crickets are. I realized the basking spot may be to hot so i brought it down to 80 degrees and even lower to about 75 but still he never goes to that side of the cage where the crickets are so im afraid hes not eating as the number of crickets isnt decreasing either. with my veiled the crickets couldnt climb the sides as it was glass so i didnt have this problem, she ate like a champ but this little guy def is not. Please help the only thing left i can think of doing is putting him in s glass tank. Oh and one more thing i dont have a reptifogger or any kind of misting system i just spray him 4 times a day. I know jackons need high humidity could this be the problem?
feeding problem
- Thread starter Wally37
- Start date
audiorazor
New Member
How long have you had him for? I know that it is normal for them not to eat for a few days while they are getting used to their new environment.
little leaf
Avid Member
try fr/ flies - they climb all over- and maybe try cup feeding - I have babies ( 11 days old), and I have 3 small .5 oz deli cups in dif/ areas so they have feeding stations in all areas, and temps - cut the bottom off the cup, and put a screen on the bottom of the cup or the crix will die- those silly things never learn how to swim 
lots of live plants will help w/ the humid/ and give him more to "play" on 
lots of live plants will help w/ the humid/ and give him more to "play" on 
Lathis
Chameleon Enthusiast
I recently got a Jackson's too. He wasn't a baby (about 8 months old) but it is my first cham, so of course every little thing makes me paranoid.
From my experience over the last two months, I can say:
When I got my cham, he ate that first day then went on a hunger strike that lasted well over a week. I finally broke his fasting by putting crickets on the screen right in front of him. The crickets scurrying up the screen really grabbed his attention, whereas crickets just sitting still weren't of any interest. Also, the crickets I was offering him were technically the right size, but he prefers his feeders to be a little smaller. He is also a huge fan of anything that flies, and I had to wage a major battle to catch the box elder bug that flew into his cage before he ate it. He has also come to like silkworms but won't touch hornworms.
He did settle down (I think the move and the new environment was upsetting) and is a good eater now. I still hand-feed (with long tweezers) his first two or three feeders to be sure he is eating something and then free-range the rest.
Here are my recommendations:
Jaxes seem to have quirky little personalities, so it might take some work to figure out the best way to trick him into eating and what he prefers. I think they are the best chams though (Disclosure: I am highly biased).
Good luck!
From my experience over the last two months, I can say:
When I got my cham, he ate that first day then went on a hunger strike that lasted well over a week. I finally broke his fasting by putting crickets on the screen right in front of him. The crickets scurrying up the screen really grabbed his attention, whereas crickets just sitting still weren't of any interest. Also, the crickets I was offering him were technically the right size, but he prefers his feeders to be a little smaller. He is also a huge fan of anything that flies, and I had to wage a major battle to catch the box elder bug that flew into his cage before he ate it. He has also come to like silkworms but won't touch hornworms.
He did settle down (I think the move and the new environment was upsetting) and is a good eater now. I still hand-feed (with long tweezers) his first two or three feeders to be sure he is eating something and then free-range the rest.
Here are my recommendations:
- Give your little guy a few days. My Jax is very chill and friendly, but he took a while to get settled.
- Hand feed (or use tweezers) if you can the first one or two feeders. Only give him one at a time and give him time to swallow and lick his chops. I've noticed my guy gets overwhelmed by too many feeder options, so one at a time works better.
- I made a cup feeder out of a soda bottle (there are several "how tos" on the forums here on how to make one) with a bit of screen inside the cup for the crickets to climb. It seems to work moderately well to keep the crickets moving but also contained. My cham will eat out of it.
- Consider buying him some flies - fruit, house, or blue bottle depending on his size. He should love the movement.
- Offer him something new to eat. My cham will eat something new at least once to see if he likes it. For a small guy, you might try half a superworm (should be available at most pet stores), or order him some tasty feeders online.
Jaxes seem to have quirky little personalities, so it might take some work to figure out the best way to trick him into eating and what he prefers. I think they are the best chams though (Disclosure: I am highly biased).
Good luck!
chameleonowner32
Avid Member
I had 2 veileds.. 1 died 
the other I traded.. Anyway I have 2 ousties now.. My male I've had since a month old. I kept him in a 20gal aquarium. Flightless fruit flies are probly the best baby food. I just dumped them in there and T-Rex ate about 15 a day.. I'd switch the Jackson to glass until about 3 months. It will help with humidity..
once he/she is a little bigger than this I'd put him in the screen
the other I traded.. Anyway I have 2 ousties now.. My male I've had since a month old. I kept him in a 20gal aquarium. Flightless fruit flies are probly the best baby food. I just dumped them in there and T-Rex ate about 15 a day.. I'd switch the Jackson to glass until about 3 months. It will help with humidity..
once he/she is a little bigger than this I'd put him in the screen
chameleonowner32
Avid Member
Here is T-Rex now
