Help with feeding

[ParkerJ]

I have a female veiled chameleon (approx 12-24months) who has recently become quite a fussy eater - she's refusing crickets, locusts and mealworms (all of which she has happily eaten in the past) and will only eat smooth green stick insects. I would ideally like to get her feeding on a wider variety, as I'm not sure how nutritious they are! I normally hand feed her, which she has no problems with. Are there other alternatives to hand feeding, as I read you're not meant to leave food in with them, but I would like to know if there are any other methods?

Cheers!!!

 

[Hoj]

have you looked into cup feeding??

 

[seanUTD]

How OFTEN are you feeding her? has she ever laid an infertile clutch? She may be getting closer to laying eggs when they will start to refuse food.. Also she could just be this thing called a chameleon They are very picky eaters when they want to be and when they go on those strikes for a certain bug it can be quite annoying... I usually only feed every other day for my males and I will feed him what I want him to eat... He LOVES supers and will ignore crix for them so to get him out of that habit, I only offer supers every week or so... Plus with a female that old you should be able to get away with only about 6 full grown crix every other day with some veggies as she is a veiled... I'd say give that a try

 

[ParkerJ]

okay thank you - I do offer her food normally every day, and she used to chow through it! I had been refusing to give her stick insects for over 5 days I had to give in - it worries me when she doesn't eat! Also the vet said she's a bit on the skinny side, so I really want to fatten her up! (Obvs not too much though!)
And I have heard about cup feeding, but dont understand how it works if someone doesn't mind explaining?

Thanks!!

 

[Chameleonaire87]

have you looked into cup feeding??

Probably a dumb question but is cup feeding possible with crix? Or only worms and veggies? Thanks!

 

[gerhartrx]

okay thank you - I do offer her food normally every day, and she used to chow through it! I had been refusing to give her stick insects for over 5 days I had to give in - it worries me when she doesn't eat! Also the vet said she's a bit on the skinny side, so I really want to fatten her up! (Obvs not too much though!)
And I have heard about cup feeding, but dont understand how it works if someone doesn't mind explaining?

Thanks!!

Have you tried horned worms? My guy is a veiled as well (younger) and he is a crix snob. Wont try anything else and will strike if he doesn't get his crix. Just looks at me with a look like I should know he doesn't like worms. I have ordered some to see if this will work for me. Maybe it will work for your little girl.

 

[gerhartrx]

Probably a dumb question but is cup feeding possible with crix? Or only worms and veggies? Thanks!

Not a dumb question. I use a cup for everything. I will post a pic for you in a second.

 

[gerhartrx]

Here is the picture of what I use. I went to target $1 isle and got the cups then over to Lowes and got some insulated copper wire and spun it up. Hope this helps!

 

[Stanly]

You can leave crickets (about how many you figure she will eat that day) roaming during the day, just don't leave them over night as they may bite your cham (or in the very lest disrupt her sleep)

As others have said try a number of feeder worms (horn, silk, or even supers) also flying insects like house flies , blue bottle flies, moths and butter flies (just make sure they are not toxic and haven't eaten anything toxic and if field collected haven't been around pesticides)

Keep trying crickets and hoppers to, some times they go through phases but will often come back around.