How to get my chameleon to eat the correct food.

[Fuzzhead30]

Help! My Veiled chameleon will only eat super worms. He used to eat crickets but now he won’t. I also tried offering roaches. I did not offer anything but crickets for two weeks but he just refuses to eat. And he seemed like he was getting weak so I gave him a super worm. Idk what to do. I think I was over feeding him before now he’s spoiled, and I need to correct his diet because after doing research is well on his way to obesity.

 

[Beman]

Can you post pics of your chameleon and of your cage lighting down please.

 

[NashansCamos]

Help! My Veiled chameleon will only eat super worms. He used to eat crickets but now he won’t. I also tried offering roaches. I did not offer anything but crickets for two weeks but he just refuses to eat. And he seemed like he was getting weak so I gave him a super worm. Idk what to do. I think I was over feeding him before now he’s spoiled, and I need to correct his diet because after doing research is well on his way to obesity.

this is a problem i once had with my jasper as he once only took a liking to waxworms once. So I only offered him everything but waxworms and then after a week he finally ate a dubia

How much does he weigh and do you have pics of the enclosure? And how old is he?

 

[Mrjamwin]

Here is my recommendation. Stop feeding him Super worms all together and start putting in the feeders that it needs. Even if it ignores them just leave them in there. When it finally gets hungry enough he'll start eating them.

 

[jacksonchamnew]

Ha! that happened to my cham. I even started breeding 2 species of roaches. Crickets that I put in there never get eaten. Trying to ween him back. Maybe new cage and he will have to hunt or a shooting gallery. Better to eat superworms in calcium than nothing. Put some carrots in superworm container. They eat these.

 

[Fuzzhead30]

Can you post pics of your chameleon and of your cage lighting down please.

 

[Beman]

@Fuzzhead30
Wow been awhile since your original post. He is already obese. Are you still only feeding supers? At this point we need to know how much your feeding and how often along with what the size is of the feeders.

 

[Fuzzhead30]

@Fuzzhead30
Wow been awhile since your original post. He is already obese. Are you still only feeding supers? At this point we need to know how much your feeding and how often along with what the size is of the feeders.

I’ve been feeding him 2-3 super worms every three days or so now because that’s all I can get him to eat. I went a week and just had some red runners but he didn’t touch them.... what should I do?

 

[Fuzzhead30]

I’ve been feeding him 2-3 super worms every three days or so now because that’s all I can get him to eat. I went a week and just had some red runners but he didn’t touch them.... what should I do?

I didn’t get an email notification before so I didn’t think anyone replied.

 

[Fuzzhead30]

I’ve been feeding him 2-3 super worms every three days or so now because that’s all I can get him to eat. I went a week and just had some red runners but he didn’t touch them.... what should I do?

I didn’t get an email notification before so I didn’t think anyone replied.

He has mist king timed for 45 seconds 10 times a day, a new t-5 uvb light, 40 watt heat lamp with basking temp about 85f, and ambient temp 73 during the day and about 68-70 at night. And an Arcadia led for the plants.

 

[Beman]

I’ve been feeding him 2-3 super worms every three days or so now because that’s all I can get him to eat. I went a week and just had some red runners but he didn’t touch them.... what should I do?

You have to hold out and not offer anything else. He will be fine if he refused to eat for even two weeks... Supers are high in fat. He should be getting more like 2 small sized feeders 3 days a week to get him to start dropping weight. Having a gram scale to see where his weight is week to week is helpful as well.

For your husbandry I would read through this husbandry program. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

 

[Fuzzhead30]

I’ve been feeding him 2-3 super worms every three days or so now because that’s all I can get him to eat. I went a week and just had some red runners but he didn’t touch them.... what should I do?

ok. Thank you. I was worried to let him go that long I definitely will cut him back now! Thank you. How long will it take for him to loose the weight? How much should he loose say a week. I have a scale.

 

[Beman]

ok. Thank you. I was worried to let him go that long I definitely will cut him back now! Thank you. How long will it take for him to loose the weight? How much should he loose say a week. I have a scale.

I personally think gradual is better then lots of weight at once but I have nothing to back that up. I would shoot for 3-5 grams a week. How much does he weigh now? And no he will be perfectly fine if he holds out. Just whatever you do don't give in and feed him supers lol.