How to get my Jackson's more interested in Dubias?

[Nrupaw]

In the setup I have I use a feeder cup to feed my Jacksons Chameleon (see attached pictures). Now, when i put crickets in, they climb up the mesh and move around a bit. That seems to immediately get a feeding response going with my chameleon and he comes running over to feed.

However, when i put small Dubias around, they tend to either stay at the bottom of the feeder and huddle in the corner. So my Jacksons doesn't even know they are there!

Or even if they climb up the mesh, they stay very still. My Jackson's comes over and looks at them but since they don't move too much, he doesn't go for them.

Do any other members have the same problem? Any ideas how i can get Dubia to not huddle at the bottom of the feeder or atleast be more active vs. staying absolutely still.

(I am feeding 1/2 inch Crickets, and small dubias - half inch approx)

 

[ISA my Veiled]

When I have given my female Veiled a dubia, I show her that I am putting it in there and wiggle it a bit. The first time she actually stared at it for about a half hour she ate it but it took awhile for her to figure it out. Anyway that is what I do, maybe it will work for you.

 

[Nrupaw]

Will certainly give it a shot tomorrow. Worth a try

 

[deadhd5]

Throw a cricket in there too... It will make the roaches move a little more

 

[ISA my Veiled]

Throw a cricket in there too... It will make the roaches move a little more

Yeah then he may also relate the crickets to the roaches as far as food goes and make that connection.

 

[Trillian]

If they disappear from the feeder cup, don't assume you had success, you'll end up finding a small colony a month later at enclosure clean-out time. Source: personal experience.

 

[chameleonkev]

Try puting a few on there back so there legs are moving trying to get up, mine always eat them when they are

 

[pigglett79]

If they disappear from the feeder cup, don't assume you had success, you'll end up finding a small colony a month later at enclosure clean-out time. Source: personal experience.

Precisely why I only hand feed the roaches. Ha! I put them in the cup a couple times but started having dreams that my house was infested so now only hand feeding of roaches.

 

[Nrupaw]

Throw a cricket in there too... It will make the roaches move a little more

Yeah then he may also relate the crickets to the roaches as far as food goes and make that connection.

You know i thought about that but I was wondering if the Crickets would attack the dubias and start feeding on them

 

[Nrupaw]

Try puting a few on there back so there legs are moving trying to get up, mine always eat them when they are

Lol, will try that too. but me being a sucker, i flip the ones on their back, with a toothpick.

 

[Nrupaw]

If they disappear from the feeder cup, don't assume you had success, you'll end up finding a small colony a month later at enclosure clean-out time. Source: personal experience.

I will definitely keep that in mind ! Don't want that to happen.

 

[ISA my Veiled]

I will definitely keep that in mind ! Don't want that to happen.

Yeah I make sure I watch her eat them when I feed dubia.

 

[susannuh]

Like everyone says watch lol so there's no escapees. And just put one at a time on the screen cage near him and they'll usually kind of move about, and they seem to get pretty interested by the movement. That's how I got my chams trained to hand feed. Although my male cham's a fatty and eats everything. I'm blessed.

 

[Nrupaw]

Just an update - I did try puting a few roaches on there backs so there legs are moving trying to get up. It does seem to work, on occasion. But my Jackson's is timid, by the time he knows i am not there to hurt him and comes over to the feeder cup, most of the dubs have flipped themselves straight.