Need feeder advice for my spoiled picking Cham that HATES crickets!

[Kekepania]

I swear, my nosy Faly named Kahuna has picking & expensive taste! I love him to death but boy can he get my blood pressure going at feeding time...which is every morning since he is just about 6 months old. Basically he refuses to eat crickets!! He used to eat them the first month or so I got him (got him at 3 months old) but now that I introduced silk worms to his diet about 1.5 months ago, he barely eats anything else...and he already has a small appetite to begin with!! Well, let’s not get crazy, of course he loves super worms but I try to only give one a day (I would give him less then that but like I said, his appetite is small so try to make him eat as much as possible...he always eats everyday...just not as much as I would like). I do also feed him BSFL but that is only because I lay the silk worms on top of the BSFL & they grip around them for security so Kahuna get a silk & a couple BSFL in one bite! The problem is that I live in New Jersey & it’s getting cold here & I can only find silks online (barely) so I’m nervous about the coming months, not having enough food for him! A lot die during shipping. Does anyone have these problems & does anyone have a Cham that doesn’t like crickets? And do you know any other feeder I can try? He definitely doesn’t like Dubai’s, wax worms & I think he is terrified of horn worms. He does love bsf & blue spike flies but those only hatch out once every few days. Not sure what else there is to feed him. I also would like some advice on keeping silkworms alive & perhaps breeding info!! I found putting a space heater close to their kritter keeper definitely helps a lot but just wondering what else I can try! Do they like dark or light cages? And I also have wondered if pulling their silk threads hurts them? Basically when I clean their cage out & move them, I always wonder when they are stuck & I pull them, if that hurts them & causes some To die? And on another note, does anyone know what Cham friendly plant drinks the most water & is happy to sit in a continuous moist substrate? I have a bio active enclosure & want to plant one straight into the substrate. Sorry I have so many questions but hopefully someone can help me!

 

[Fchamel]

What I would suggest is get the foods he doesn't like. Only offer those to him until he finally gives in and eats. He will realize that it's the only option that he has and he will eventually eat. Your buddy may be on a hunger strike.

 

[Hashtag ChamLife]

I swear, my nosy Faly named Kahuna has picking & expensive taste! I love him to death but boy can he get my blood pressure going at feeding time...which is every morning since he is just about 6 months old. Basically he refuses to eat crickets!! He used to eat them the first month or so I got him (got him at 3 months old) but now that I introduced silk worms to his diet about 1.5 months ago, he barely eats anything else...and he already has a small appetite to begin with!! Well, let’s not get crazy, of course he loves super worms but I try to only give one a day (I would give him less then that but like I said, his appetite is small so try to make him eat as much as possible...he always eats everyday...just not as much as I would like). I do also feed him BSFL but that is only because I lay the silk worms on top of the BSFL & they grip around them for security so Kahuna get a silk & a couple BSFL in one bite! The problem is that I live in New Jersey & it’s getting cold here & I can only find silks online (barely) so I’m nervous about the coming months, not having enough food for him! A lot die during shipping. Does anyone have these problems & does anyone have a Cham that doesn’t like crickets? And do you know any other feeder I can try? He definitely doesn’t like Dubai’s, wax worms & I think he is terrified of horn worms. He does love bsf & blue spike flies but those only hatch out once every few days. Not sure what else there is to feed him. I also would like some advice on keeping silkworms alive & perhaps breeding info!! I found putting a space heater close to their kritter keeper definitely helps a lot but just wondering what else I can try! Do they like dark or light cages? And I also have wondered if pulling their silk threads hurts them? Basically when I clean their cage out & move them, I always wonder when they are stuck & I pull them, if that hurts them & causes some To die? And on another note, does anyone know what Cham friendly plant drinks the most water & is happy to sit in a continuous moist substrate? I have a bio active enclosure & want to plant one straight into the substrate. Sorry I have so many questions but hopefully someone can help me!

Doesn't seem too bad to me. My big boy faly also lives his silkies. I mix in a hornworm to promote hydration (break mandibles first if a bigger hornworm). Otherwise, he doesn't typically eat lots. Id rather give him a few silks every few days than crickets anyway - arguably more healthy and cost wise similar to crickets in the grand scheme.

 

[PoseidonTheChameleon]

If you want him to eat other stuff, then don't give him the silk worms, he will eventually take the other stuff.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Can chams become addicted to silkworms like they can to superworms? Because that's what it sounds like to me. I would cut out the worms (ALL worms) entirely until he begins to eat the crickets again, then slowly work the worms back into his regimen. YMMV.

 

[PoseidonTheChameleon]

Can chams become addicted to silkworms like they can to superworms? Because that's what it sounds like to me. I would cut out the worms (ALL worms) entirely until he begins to eat the crickets again, then slowly work the worms back into his regimen. YMMV.

I agree completely