Melleri likes twigs, not crickets

[Kat77]

Hello everyone!

I have a two part question.

1) First of all, my five month old Meller's, whom I just got from Mike a week ago today, seems very interested in attacking and chewing on a couple of the sticks that I have put in his enclosures as walking paths. I made sure to strip the branches of bark and baked them in the oven at 400 degrees for a half an hour before setting them up in the enclosure.
I have seen him attack the ends of, and knots on the sticks and branches several times and sometimes it appears he gets little pieces off, chews them up and swallows them. They aren't large pieces (tiny little shavings), but I am definitely wondering what, if anything, I should to about this.

2) Secondly, while he really seems to have fun chewing on the branches, he isn't all that excited about crickets. I have seen him eat a few (I know he has eaten probably 10 all together) crickets since I got him but most of the time I am removing practically the same amount that I put in at the end of the day. Even after one day when I skipped feeding all together to see if he just had had enough, he didn't eat much the next day. Is this just a reaction to the change in environment, should I just keep with what I am doing and expect his appetite to rise? I am going to order some silk worms, hornworms and roaches on Friday but this is making me nervous as my panthers are PIGS.

 

[Sepioteuthis]

Hi Kat,

Attacking branches seems to be normal behavior for young melleri and the fact that he eats little bits of it shouldn't be cause for concern. Just keep an eye out for fecals - if they appear at regular intervals and look normal you don't have to do anything.

As for eating - young melleri can be picky about crickets and getting other food items is definitely a good idea. Also try different ways of presenting the crickets (hand feeding, freeranging), sometimes presentation is key.
Houseflies are a favorite food for young melleri so that would be a good thing to try as well.

-Suzanne

 

[Eric Adrignola]

Ardi didn't go nuts for crickets until he was closer to a year - about 9 months. Houseflies and mealworm beetles were his favorite, with some silkworms, mealworms and superworms being a good part of his diet - superworms when hew as a bit bigger.

He seemed content to eat anything, except crickets, when he had a few flies each day. Eventually, crickets became his favorite, even today.

 

[studiocham]

My little ones from Mike have made the transition from houseflies as staple to crix again... and they are eating 1/2"+ size. Maybe your crix are too tiny to be enticing? Mine are definitely more interested in larger game.

Also, it seems that the gutload can make crix unappetizing. I use fresh fruit and my dry mix, and that seems to make them more enticing to youngsters than those fed only greens or sweet potato plus dry.

Yours just moved to a new home, so its appetite may be a little off. This should right itself within the week.

Yes, attacking sticks is normal. They have to practice that ferocious killbite somehow... and it does look for all the world like they enjoy doing it. As long as no blockages result, it's OK. I take it as a sign of a well-adjusted juvie.

 

[Kat77]

Thanks everyone! Ok, maybe I'll add houseflies to my list then.

My crickets are 1/2", too, and I have been using some fruit in the gut load (I'm using your recipe, Kristina !), but what fruits do you suggest as being particularly appetizing?

I'm glad about the stick attacking being normal. He/she does seem to be enjoying it, and I HOPE it is causing no harm!

I spot check daily to clean up poops in all my chameleon cages and I have seen him poo twice but not in the last couple/few days. I am, so far, attributing that to the fact that he/she isn't eating much yet. Should I be worried?? It could have just fallen down into a plant where I haven't seen it yet. Deep cleaning coming this weekend!

 

[studiocham]

Things that seem to make them really smack their lips on crix are apples, strawberries, mango (even mango baby food)... citrus not so much.

Other tasty stuff: papaya, prickly pear

Plain potato must make crix really unappetizing, maybe it's the acid? I wish crix farms would use something else in their shipping boxes.

 

[Julirs]

Major is eating 1/2" crix, but still loves fruit flies! He also eats silkworms.