How to cup train?

Neoga

New Member
I have searched everything I can think of to search for. The only thing I can see questions regarding is how to train to hand feed (which also wasn't very helpful, FYI)

I have the cup placed low on an artificial branch. He is about 2.5-3 months old Ambilobe male. Is he too young? He has some hiding spots around the cup where he can be disguised. When I handle him (not very often) I always put him back right where the cup is. He walks by it very slowly and stares at it until he gets away from it - then he just runs around like normal. I think he knows crickets are there. I typically put about 3-4 crickets in the cup and about 6-7 in the cage to free range. Should I just put ALL of them in the cup so he has no choice? I tried that once and he didn't eat a single one - so I started doing both. I want to be able to keep track of how many he eats to make sure he's on the right track. I have found some dead on the bottom, underneath plants and etc so I know I can't track it with any absolute answers. As far as I know he has not eaten a single one out of the cup and they have been there every day. When I throw crickets into the cage after dusting them I pour them out of the cup so he associates that with food, then I hang the cup on the branch. Any response appreciated!
 
Don't use an actual cup. Use a small tub so the movement attracts him. Crickets in a teeny dinky cup are boring! Crickets in a tub run around and move and allow him to hunt. If I was a chameleon I wouldnt want to eat out of a teeny cup.
 
I've just started cup feeding my guy - I use this....

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31eK26ngc3L._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Which is just a bird feeder, approx 5cm long and 3cm wide - but the sides are deep enough so that things cant crawl out (i dont feed jumpy things etc). but when I did, i found they tended to run about and only jump to escape

I have it hanging on a branch about halfway down his cage just cos its a convenient place for me (right by the door) and I opted for clear so that he can see things in it wherever he is in his cage.

We had a few hilarious incidents the first day where he was shooting his tongue at the side, but I just guided him up with my hand so that he was above the dish, and he's been fine ever since, and eating really well! The benefit I've found with it, is that he is now eating a wider variety of foods cos he hoovers up whatever is put in his dish! :D
 
Be careful with clear containers. The chameleon can seriously damage its tongue by shooting at the sides.
 
I do have a clear cup in there right now but it is not very wide. I haven't seen him shooting at it at all. I'll try a different cup asap. What about age? Is 2-3 months too early? He's comfortable in his enclosure and knows where the free ranged ones like to hide so I figured he could probably find where these would be too if they were jumpy enough (and the ones I've been putting in the cup have been moving around plenty)
 
nope 2-3 months is perfect, better to start them off early. I did exactly what you are doing, i had some stuff in the cup and then had some free range. Cup feeding is great especially if you have more than one feeder type. I only use the cup for my dubia roaches though because the crickets jump out :( and im too lazy to pull their back legs off lol. Anyways its awesome if they can cup feed. I made the mistake of running out of crickets for a little while but i had dubias in the cup and my girl just went to town on them haha she sometimes just sits right next to the cup and pops one when she feels like it :p. Search "modified milk jug" I made my feeder cup based off that one. It works well with the roaches because they are able to climb and be seen by my cham
 
A bigger tub is obvisoulsy going to allow for better vision of the food and will allow the food to move around. It's also more natural but still easy for you. I like to use a small plastic storage/shoe box.
 
How exactly did you 'show' him? Today I put a dripper set to drip on a leaf of the ficus that is about 2 inches from the lid of the cup, hopefully that'll attract his attention. Should I stop free ranging or still do a mix until he figures it out?
 
How exactly did you 'show' him? Today I put a dripper set to drip on a leaf of the ficus that is about 2 inches from the lid of the cup, hopefully that'll attract his attention. Should I stop free ranging or still do a mix until he figures it out?

I just kinda guided him up to it lol I didnt sit there and shoot my tongue out or anything
 
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