Is my Cham Eating? (aka, am I just being paranoid?)

[amalthea23]

So, my Jackson's cham has, in theory, been gravid since 12/1. (Ridiculously detailed saga on her website, www.chameleonsexparty.com) Pre-mating, she was 89 grams. She was up to 99 grams on 12/18, and then a Christmas weigh-in had her at 107 grams. Subsequently, on Jan 14, she went back to 99 grams and now she is holding steady at 99 grams since. Here's the question. While I do see her drinking, (though not as much as last month, when it was borderline excessive) I almost never see her eat. This is a cham that I was CERTAIN was going to end up overweight, as eating, pre-mating, was her favorite activity. I keep her with a steady supply of crickets, dubia roaches, and a variety of worms. When the worms have been in for a day or so, her mate gets them (he's in a separate cage, visually sequestered, and since the mating has been eating like a maniac.) The crickets I just leave in, as the only times I have seen her eating are when something moves REALLY closely to her and I'm babying her a bit. Occasionally, when they're right by the door, I'll catch them and give them to her mate. Now, here's the sherlock holmes part. She DOES poop. Not often, and they're certainly not robust like they used to be, but it does happen. Also, her weight IS steady. So, do you think she's eating on occasion? My thought is, she can't poop if she NEVER eats, so she must be eating. And she's not losing, but also, she's gravid, so the babies must weigh something. I'm just somewhat nervous about her. She is much more active of late than she was last month, when she was just lying with her head on a branch as if to say "look what you've done to me!" so that's heartening. Anyone familiar with all of the stages of Jackson's gravidity know if this is all just part of the experience? I'd love to know. Thanks!

 

[mcbdz]

Hello and welcome to the forums. I don't have a female so will leave most answers to more experienced keepers. My concern is with you leaving your feeders in the enclosure. There are a couple of reasons this isn't a good idea. First there has been many post where crickets will bite chameleons and cause wounds when left to free range with chams over night. Another concern is You need to gutload before feeding feeders to your cham and they want be gutloaded any longer. Also crickets clean all the dust off them after just a short time so your cham want be getting any cal or vit. Would suggest removing feeders evry evening and regutloading and dusting new every morning. Hope that make sence.

 

[amalthea23]

That does make sense, and I've considered both of those things. I've never had an issue with the crickets biting, possibly because they never go anywhere near her. They tend to group up at the top of the cage by the light unless I knock them down to get some movement. As for the gutloading, occasionally, I'll cycle them out to gutload, but at present my concern is for her getting ANYTHING in, and I'm in that beggars can't be choosers mode at present. The only thing I've seen her eat normally were a couple of baby dubias that were dusted. From talking to some people who have bred Jackson's, apparently, the stress of taking her cage apart to locate all of the crickets each evening would outweigh the possible benefit of the gutload, so I'm trying to keep some kind of balance. I'm just holding my breath until it gets warm, as she's always happier when she gets to be outside.

 

[Lovereps]

Why not just put a dish of gutload veggies into the cage so the crickets can munch on something nutritious and remain nutritious for your cham?

 

[amalthea23]

I've been keeping some cricket crack in small dishes in there. Hopefully, they're partaking.