Flowers are tasty
- Thread starter CasqueAbove
- Start date
PoseidonTheChameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Reminds me of an orchid (I think that's how u spell it)
CasqueAbove
Chameleon Enthusiast
It was an orchid(can't spell either lol). It was a sad moment. I had been waiting for my orchid to bloom. She has eaten every flower just as it blooms.
nightanole
Chameleon Enthusiast
"they do it for fun" "its just ruffage, they dont digest it" Im still not on board with that one. That is not a starved cham that is so desperate she is eating vegetable matter just to survive the drought 
CasqueAbove
Chameleon Enthusiast
It is personal lol. Flowers make special targets. I can’t keep hybiscus because my female will just sit at eat. Other plants very on tastiness but new leaves are best."they do it for fun" "its just ruffage, they dont digest it" Im still not on board with that one. That is not a starved cham that is so desperate she is eating vegetable matter just to survive the drought
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Maybe flowers taste good."they do it for fun" "its just ruffage, they dont digest it" Im still not on board with that one. That is not a starved cham that is so desperate she is eating vegetable matter just to survive the drought
What insects do you feed her @CasqueAbove ?
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
I think my Stella is figuring things out. She ate her hibiscus leaves down to bare branches. As the new leaf buds appeared, I was afraid she’d chow those down too, but she was patient and waited. She let the plant recover and once the leaves were back, she’s been eating them down again. If the plant is trying to produce any flowers, she’s eating the buds before I ever see them.
CasqueAbove
Chameleon Enthusiast
Right now dubia and crickets. In summer more bees wasps and fly’s
nightanole
Chameleon Enthusiast
Its like the monkeys that when they catch some "meat" they mix it with some leaves for fiber
CasqueAbove
Chameleon Enthusiast
Yes. She is a plant muncher, but primarily new shoots. When I first got the orchids she ate just the center. I figured because it looks like a bug. This time when they bloomed at first she was licking the flower. I assumed that she was just getting some water drops. But the mist had not been on. As I tried to get a pic she started eating. Now as each opens she eats it. I have her wintering so lower temp and only feed 3 times a week with 2 med to large cricket sized meal.
The licking was interesting, she clearly tasted the center several times prior to munching.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
The licking is interesting. I guess she was trying to determine how yummy it is.
The licking is very interesting!
The reason I asked about the insects you're feeding her is because if they are supposed to eat plant material for roughage I still wonder why they still eat plant material when they are eating insects with chitin/roughage in them?
Not saying that they don't eat them for roughage at times, but it makes me think that thre is another reason as well....just not sure why. Maybe looking for nutrients or trying to get rid of parasites or ???
The reason I asked about the insects you're feeding her is because if they are supposed to eat plant material for roughage I still wonder why they still eat plant material when they are eating insects with chitin/roughage in them?
Not saying that they don't eat them for roughage at times, but it makes me think that thre is another reason as well....just not sure why. Maybe looking for nutrients or trying to get rid of parasites or ???
I've never heard of monkeys doing that! Interesting! Some monkey species also eat leaves to self treat for parasites.Its like the monkeys that when they catch some "meat" they mix it with some leaves for fiber
CasqueAbove
Chameleon Enthusiast
I know you are looking deeper. On that note, like I said at this point she only seems to eat fresh shoots. Umbrella plant and ficus being her primary targets. On a side note, My male does not normally eat plants. Mostly because of the tongue thing. Well I have a hibiscus in his area that started to bloom. He ate the bloom! This was odd because he does not eat plants ever, at least not much since injury a year ago.
So this and her licking, though I still think this was just for moisture, and her attraction to new shoots. I am wondering if some plants and flowers are putting off different UV signatures along with a fragrance could be confusing our chams? We now plant eating exists in the wild though it does not appear to be nearly as prevalent.
The UV and fragrance theory could help explain why there is more plant eating in captivity. We may be using plants that look and smell different than they would encounter in the wild. This clearly would still leave many open questions, and does not fully explain the behavior, but may be a contributer.
Rhea’s mum
Established Member
Maybe the nectar from the flowers is dessert? Just a thought 
Don’t be saying you have umbrella and fiscus in with a plant muncher over here in the uk. You will have a lynch mob at your door demanding you take them out because of how toxic they are!
Don’t be saying you have umbrella and fiscus in with a plant muncher over here in the uk. You will have a lynch mob at your door demanding you take them out because of how toxic they are!
