Hornworm Death Grip

[Rush2112]

I got a container of hornworms yesterday. They were all too big except for 2. I fed the smallest one to Ego (his first ever hornworm) and he went nuts over it. When I offered the other one he was happy to attack and eat. One problem, the worm had a death grip on a ficus limb. I watch for a minute while Ego struggled to get it loose. I didn't want him to take in the leaf too so I went in for the assist. I tried gently pulling the limb away. At first Ego seemed to comply and was pulling as well. He finally gave up and let the whole worm back out of his mouth. Poor guy really wanted it. Hope it didn't ruin his opinion of hornworms!

 

[MCSEB]

I got a container of hornworms yesterday. They were all too big except for 2. I fed the smallest one to Ego (his first ever hornworm) and he went nuts over it. When I offered the other one he was happy to attack and eat. One problem, the worm had a death grip on a ficus limb. I watch for a minute while Ego struggled to get it loose. I didn't want him to take in the leaf too so I went in for the assist. I tried gently pulling the limb away. At first Ego seemed to comply and was pulling as well. He finally gave up and let the whole worm back out of his mouth. Poor guy really wanted it. Hope it didn't ruin his opinion of hornworms!

Aww, poor little guy. My opinion, I would just wait for your cham to get a little bigger so then he could start eating those big hornworms. I don't know if this helps because I am new here and I'm still trying to figure out the food part of chameleons. I mean I understand it, it's just the sizes of the insects is what I am trying to get correct. Try to offer your cham some other insects while keeping those hornworms alive. Make sure you gutload them.

 

[Rush2112]

He loves his crickets. He loves silkworms. Seems to like horns just too big. Got some small roaches in but they were too big so I didn't attempt. Have some blue bottle fly pupae were gonna try when a few hatch

 

[MCSEB]

He loves his crickets. He loves silkworms. Seems to like horns just too big. Got some small roaches in but they were too big so I didn't attempt. Have some blue bottle fly pupae were gonna try when a few hatch

Sounds good. Hope everything goes well! Just remember to be patient and just wait for him to grow a little more and then try the hornworms again.

 

[Mmcbain1]

Haha he can eat a ficus leaf it shouldnt cause any harm. I would skip going in for the assist though, this is probably not necessary.

 

[Rush2112]

Yep, I sometimes forget what would happen in nature. Nobody there to help probably works more often than not. But I also tell the Gazelle to run while watching nature shows

 

[Mmcbain1]

Hahaha so do I but the gazelle never runs fast enough.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

Hornworm - 1 Ego - 0



Let him grow a bit. Have you tried silkworms?

 

[Rush2112]

Hornworm - 1 Ego - 0



Let him grow a bit. Have you tried silkworms?

Yes, he likes them. I have some more coming. I am trying to have at least 3-4 foods at his age (4 month old panther). Hoping he likes the flies so that would be 3. Tried AGAIN today to feed him butters but no go.

 

[squeekz1992]

Ku CO's first horn worm was like that. He took the leaf with him tho. Spit it out after he ate the worm tho it was sad to watch this worm own him Lol.

But I think he's scared of them now. He puffs up and runs away.

 

[ChameleonMom]

Both my babies love their hornworms - I love watching Isis chomp into them and see their guts gooooosh out in a rush of liquid that goes directly into my Cham! Now that's what I call a healthy and well gutloaded feeder!!

 

[pigglett79]

I think my jackson sprained his tongue on a horn worm once. Since then I try to either hand feed them or put them on a surface that they don't stick to as much. I have even tried keeping them in the frig overnight prior to feeding so that they aren't as awake and don't hold on as tight. Those worms sure can hold on when they want to.