This is a much talked about issue and its virtually impossible to write a diet sheet that people can follow, outside the basic size/variety/dusting parameters.
Especially given so many factors make a difference, for example, hatchlings/juveniles, adults, sick animals, gravid animals etc etc.
As I've said before, I cant understate the importance of daily observation of reptiles.
Its important to be aware of changing behaviours, and enviroment so that you can better understand on a daily basis, whats happening with your reptile. How are the ambient temps day/night, photoperiod? How often is your reptile inclined to eat? how often is it defecating? how often is it sloughing? how old is it? All these things can tell you if you should be feeding or not and how much/how often.
Presently, since im in the southern hemisphere, we're approaching the end of winter (this month). Its been quite cold at nights since may 55-60f inside, shorter days (lights on 10.5 hrs currently) Homer has been eating very little since mid june, popping only about once per week, less active. (hes also 7 months now). He eats a few large crickets every other day(every 2nd or third day), the occasional cockroach or superworm, thats it. (variety is limited here especially during winter).
This is normal and hes healthy, active and well hydrated and very slowly now but steadily gaining weight. I do feed Freestyle and as such also feed/gutload the feeders in the cage, most uneaten ones die overnight (cold) and are removed. So he has choice to eat more but chooses not to.
By contrast, when he was very small, (bought mid summer) he was growing fast, much more active, popping everyday, eating sporodically throughout the day everyday.
I found the natural growth rate of calyptratus was surprisingly fast comparable to other lizard species and as such was particularly mindful of supplimenting and allowing access to natural light/uv during the first 6 months.
His weight increased steadily and I increased his exposure to UV exponentially but not the rate of food. As he grew I slowed the rate of feeding in accordance with what I observed. For example, time spent basking (to digest), natural inclination to hunt/eat,
Defecating less often and how often and how much he drank. Likewise basking temp was increased from about 5 months from 80 to 94f over a period of weeks.
By the end of this month, his photoperiod (lights on) will reach 11 hrs, night time temps have increased a few degrees over the last month and will probly approach 70f by the end of this month. Ambient day temps are also increaseing slowly. As these seasonal changes occure, I will observe behaviours and alter husbandry feeding etc as required.
September to November , spring here, these things all increase and likewise Homer will know its getting warmer. His appetite should improve, he will become more active and as Ambient temps effect his metabolism, he will eat and poo more accordingly.
I will continue to montor his weight/behaviour, offer a greater variety of feeders (which will be avail and greater insect varience would occure in season in the wild anyway.
His access to natural Uv will also increase as we get more blue sky and sunny days.
by December to February , our Summer, all enviromental parameters will be optimal, longer, warmer days and nights, higher humidity, wide range of avail insect prey, lots and lots of natural UV. His metabolism will be at peak performance, but this does not mean I will be pumping him full of the insect version of crispy cremes!
He will now be approaching a year old, and accordingly, will eat less often since he will be extracting the max efficiency from every meal. He may be pooping a bit more, perhaps twice a week, but this dosent indicate he needs to eat more.
Monitoring his weight/sloughing ratio will tell me if im feeding too much or too little.
I have not yet worked out a 'thumb rule' for sloughing rate average to a healthy cham of given age, but have done so with other lizard species and snakes, over the years.
This is a good general guideline (like the stripe they paint in the middle of the road) that tells you if your on the right side (e.g) feeding too much, or too little.
Id be intrested to hear from long term cham keepers of different species (particularly calyptratus) if they have recorded sloughing/weigh gain/growth data.
cheers
