Florida anoles
- Thread starter firedude
- Start date
carol5208
Chameleon Enthusiast
Yeah, I live in florida too and would not even think about feeding them to mine. He accidentally ate one about two weeks ago. It is suggested that I get a fecal done in about 6 weeks now to test for parasites. there are too many other insect feeders available in my opinion. Again, just my opinion, not too mention they are too cute to feed!
carol5208
Chameleon Enthusiast
I was told that the parasites won't even show up that quickly and they can shed eggs or something so you have to wait about 2 months and then do it all over again. You may test clean now, but in a few months be full of parasites. My husband and I are going to visit my son at UCF in Orlando on Saturday. Ii am thinking of going to the show also.
Bokaru
Member
I have seen a picture dealing with the pollutant chain in the ocean. Basically it showed that most organisms have the same level of chance to get (or have a certain amount already) pollutants (as a starting point), but as the creatures get bigger they eat the smaller and raise the chance of having higher pollution because they ate the pollutants in the smaller creatures.
This can be applied to land creatures and parasites as well. As the food chain rises, the predators are risking being infected with parasites way more. Anoles eat smaller bugs that eat dirt and smaller bugs that could contain parasites. Through this principle, the larger the predator, the higher the chance of infestation. Basically, where a WC cricket might have a 1:1000 chance of getting infected, a lizard that eats wild crickets all day might have a 1:100 chance or even higher.
Plus the bones and fat might be bad for your chameleon's diet since it probably has already been supplemented with other food items, and anoles are a pretty big food item.
I personally feed my chameleon wc bugs, but not many, I know just one could cause parasites, but I feel a herbivore bug has a lower chance that a carnivore. If you continue to feed your cham anoles I would be careful.
This can be applied to land creatures and parasites as well. As the food chain rises, the predators are risking being infected with parasites way more. Anoles eat smaller bugs that eat dirt and smaller bugs that could contain parasites. Through this principle, the larger the predator, the higher the chance of infestation. Basically, where a WC cricket might have a 1:1000 chance of getting infected, a lizard that eats wild crickets all day might have a 1:100 chance or even higher.
Plus the bones and fat might be bad for your chameleon's diet since it probably has already been supplemented with other food items, and anoles are a pretty big food item.
I personally feed my chameleon wc bugs, but not many, I know just one could cause parasites, but I feel a herbivore bug has a lower chance that a carnivore. If you continue to feed your cham anoles I would be careful.
Todnedo
Avid Member
Grasshopper are loaded with parasites.
Todnedo
Avid Member
They are fine every once in a while. Chams get Parasites from the food they eat, Its not a big deal like alot of people think. Get a fecal done 2-3 times a year. The benifits from feeding wild bugs and lizards far out weighs the risk.
One of my parsons had pinworms $9.00 for a fecal $13.00 for the meds
Cainschams
New Member
Completely agreed.
Bokaru
Member
That's what I'm trying to get at. Anoles eat bugs like grasshoppers and snails. So chances of an anole being infected is drastically greater.
And I'm not trying to say don't feed your cham anything WC, but just do it wisely.
Todnedo
Avid Member
I see no difference between feeding Anoles and grasshoppers as far as parasites are concerned.
FredChameleon
New Member
you might as well dig a hole now...
kmb89
New Member
dig a hole?
So out of everyone on this forum...i'm the first one to feed my Cham a wild caught anything, and I should dig a hole now? Come on....Chams eat anything and everything in the wild and they manage! People here have fed there Chams CB everything, cricks,worms,flys....etc..and Chams still die, for whatever reason. In total,I think I've fed him the WC couple anoles, 1 roach, 1 little grasshopper.....if he can't handle that then I'll get into raising butterflies.
So out of everyone on this forum...i'm the first one to feed my Cham a wild caught anything, and I should dig a hole now? Come on....Chams eat anything and everything in the wild and they manage! People here have fed there Chams CB everything, cricks,worms,flys....etc..and Chams still die, for whatever reason. In total,I think I've fed him the WC couple anoles, 1 roach, 1 little grasshopper.....if he can't handle that then I'll get into raising butterflies.
AReptile
New Member
If you are considering feeding him anoles in the future, perhaps try and order them from LLLreptile.com. They sell feeder house geckos and anoles. Might be slightly safer then plucking them outside your house. I've fed my cham house flies and she has had no issues from that and the last one she ate was in August.
Silverdusk
New Member
I've got to agree with Todnedo here.
Sure you need to keep on top of your Chams health and have a few fecals and a checkup each year is called for. But why have we become so overbearing on keeping Chams so sterile these days? I'm not saying to do it regularly or feed them exclusively wild caught prey. Everything is so sterile these days- enviroment, lighting, water, feeders.
How in the world do these animals ever survive in the wild? For granted their life spans may be a little shorter in the wild, but I also bet the animals have stronger immunity systems and are generally in better health.
Sure you need to keep on top of your Chams health and have a few fecals and a checkup each year is called for. But why have we become so overbearing on keeping Chams so sterile these days? I'm not saying to do it regularly or feed them exclusively wild caught prey. Everything is so sterile these days- enviroment, lighting, water, feeders.
How in the world do these animals ever survive in the wild? For granted their life spans may be a little shorter in the wild, but I also bet the animals have stronger immunity systems and are generally in better health.
