how do I get my chams to eat out of feeder cups?

[Dan]

So I just recently moved both my male and my female panthers into new larger cages. I put feeder cups in the cages, and have been putting their feeders in the cups, however neither of them have figured out that their food is in the cups. Is there any way to coax them to eat out of the cups?
Thanks!

 

[veiledchameleonyoshi]

Are the cups on the floor of the cage? They might notice them more if you put them higher up in the cage wedged in between two vines or attached to the side or something like that

 

[Dan]

They are about halfway up in the cages attached to the side of the cage

 

[CHAMpion]

I just recently did this as well and for the first few days i put my juicy gut loaded crickets in the cup and held the cup tilted toward her a couple inches from her nose and she stood still for a while until she saw movement in the cup, once she noticed the crickets were in it she would come running when she saw me take it out and bring it back. Now i can just put it underneith one of her vines and she finds them no problem. She just needed to see that there were crickets in the cup.

Hope that help

 

[Dan]

I think that will work for my male. However my female is very shy and im fairly certain she wont even think of eating out of a cup that im holding. haha she wont even eat if Im watching her, or even move around her cage for that matter

 

[CammieNLeno]

Try making a cup feeder that will present the crickets a bit better (instead of just looking down on them in a cup)

https://www.chameleonforums.com/diy-cup-feeder-video-11712/

I have had great success with this DIY cup

 

[hallenhe]

Can you catch her eye with the feeder(s), then put them in the cup and back away? (Or show her the cup containing feeders, then back away?) I don't know that they're ever going to smell the insects, or come to the sound of chirping crickets/wriggling insects (mine never has); they have to see the bugs to know they're there. Could the feeder cup be placed somewhere your female would normally frequent? (My cup hangs from a vine that is part of the chameleon superhighway from one desirable perch to another, so he has to walk directly above the cup, at which point he sees the insects.) Once they know the cup is there, and what's in it, they learn quickly to return to it for food.

 

[OntarioLizardman]

all great advice

 

[brent007]

ok guys call me stupid but i watched the video on the home made cricket feeder, will the crickets not jump out of this and into and around the viv

 

[Sancho]

So I just recently moved both my male and my female panthers into new larger cages. I put feeder cups in the cages, and have been putting their feeders in the cups, however neither of them have figured out that their food is in the cups. Is there any way to coax them to eat out of the cups?
Thanks!

I've had this problem with my panther for about 2 months when I got him. I tried many different colored cups and different sizes and places where the cup was located. He finally started eatting out of it when I put it in the middle of the cage at about just above half way point. You never know I have a veiled that will only eat the crickets and stuff when they are roaming around the cage and not out of the cup.

 

[de cam]

My panther ignores stuff in the cup & will hunt The cage in the afternoon. Tried the keg cups red /green & clear; he would rather eat out of my hand.

 

[hallenhe]

ok guys call me stupid but i watched the video on the home made cricket feeder, will the crickets not jump out of this and into and around the viv

I haven't tried that particular kind of feeder cup. With mine (a Baskin Robbins pint ice cream container), they are capable of hopping out, but generally do not. The first minute they're put in, they will jump and some may escape, but after that point, they just walk around and around the cup. Maybe I just have stupid crickets.

 

[WelshOneEmma]

I just use a green pudding bowl that is in the vines underneath his basking spot. The crickets just sit there also, and then Hugo comes and goes as he pleases. As soon as he sees me put the bowl in in the morning, he walks down and waits for it.

 

[OntarioLizardman]

to add, my cham only likes to eat free ranged crix. i geuss keeping them in a cup doesnt provide enough stimulis in some cases. but he will eat tons of worms out of the cup...

p.s had this problem before