Is it ok?

[leo]

I've found my chameleon chewing/eating the roots of the ficus tree inside his cage. When I bought it I changed the soil to organic soil and washed of the plant just to be sure it was safe for my pal. Is this good?I've seen a couple of pics where people place rocks inside the pot of the plant but I want to know if perhaps I should do the same or some tips on what to do.

 

[JaxyGirl]

I've found my chameleon chewing/eating the roots of the ficus tree inside his cage. When I bought it I changed the soil to organic soil and washed of the plant just to be sure it was safe for my pal. Is this good?I've seen a couple of pics where people place rocks inside the pot of the plant but I want to know if perhaps I should do the same or some tips on what to do.

You definitely don't want your cham eating any soil or roots because it will cause impaction which means a trip to the vet. Most people will cover the soil with rocks that are too large to ingest to prevent the cham from eating anything that he's not supposed to.

 

[VeiledOwner87]

eating roots?! what a pesky lil bugga! lol

 

[kinyonga]

It must be a panther chameleon!!??

 

[summoner12]

There isn't anything wrong with eating soil (if it is organic, free of harmful chemicals). Yes......... impaction is an issue, but eating soil is fine. I have chameleons that do this on occasion. I don't like using rocks to protect soil. My male panther will shoot for dirt, if he hits a rock he'll pull it up with his tongue and drop it. I am not talking about pea gravel. I am talking about rocks that are large and hard to pick-up. I don't know how he manages to move them with his tongue, he is a freak. If people are seriously concerned about chameleons eating dirt, maybe there is an issue with diet.

 

[Olimpia]

I'm with Summoner on this one, I don't think eating soil every once in a while is all that big a deal. Imagine how many times kids eat dirt or sand and we don't make a big deal out of it - because it's only a little bit, the digestive system is more than ready to handle that. Now, if he's sitting there chomping at mouthfuls of dirt all day long, then yes, it's definitely a problem. I also agree with Summoner that it could be a diet thing. Perhaps he's missing some minerals that he's trying to ingest through dirt.

What is your supplementation and feeding routine, as well as your insects and gutloading info? If it's something a little off there we can help you get your guy to stop looking for extra nutrients elsewhere

 

[leo]

I forgot to mention he is a panther chameleon. I gut loads his insects with oatmeal,fruits,and vegetables, half an hour before I feed him. I also mist his cage regularly and offer a dripper to have him hydrated. I don't know what else it could be.

 

[Olimpia]

What are you supplementing with?

Also, insects should have access to food for several hours before being fed off. Usually people let them sit with food for 24 hours.