AmandaS
Retired Moderator
Aw, its beautiful. Hope it doesn't get eaten.
Need to vent
- Thread starter JoXie411
- Start date
AmandaS
Retired Moderator
When it comes to this, just might as well keep it as a house plant instead of a chameleon plant.
lokiopolis
Established Member
Caught in the act! *CHOMP*
JoXie411
Chameleon Enthusiast
I honestly wish I knew, then that would save me time ranting in front of the cages asking them why. I just yell some times plz just tell me what you need plz!! Then I get hiss at and walk away with my head down.
JoXie411
Chameleon Enthusiast
She’s the most behaved of the bunch
I tell her all the time how perfect she is as she runs away from me. I need to post a pic of her for you it’s been awhile and she looking so cute
she flashed she red throat at me the other day 
JoXie411
Chameleon Enthusiast
Your gardener also need to be fired I see
CasqueAbove
Chameleon Enthusiast
For what it’s worth all 6 of my babies started plant munching at about 3 months. They were in individual bio active bins. Feed large variety . Particularly natural mats flies isopod in addition to the the normal cricket and dubia. Measured UVB. And temps never above 80 even if basking.
Still ate plants
Boys and Girls.
Still ate plants
Boys and Girls.
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If they have an instinct to do it based on their needs in the wild they will continue the behavior even if the need is met in other ways in captivity. I'm not saying don't keep trying for a solution but don't worry too much if you don't find it. R.I.P leaves and flowers.
nightanole
Chameleon Enthusiast
And remember "the experts" say they just munch veg because they are bored, not for the nutritional value 
dinomom
Chameleon Enthusiast
Um..what was that plant even?
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Perhaps we just need to think of it as chameleon bonsai.
JoXie411
Chameleon Enthusiast
so far I know of two plants Imelda will not eat, the date palm and her spider plant, those Imelda has never touched. I thought the prayer plant was safe at first but after she destroyed the wandering dude she want for the prayer next. I want to replace everything with spider plants now that I know she won’t eat those.
CasqueAbove
Chameleon Enthusiast
lol that is an umbrella plant when you eat the top for two years lol. It still grows .
CasqueAbove
Chameleon Enthusiast
On the why theory, I don't think we will ever know for sure. I am convinced that a sort of "Mistaken Identity" is part of it, but not the whole answer. There are plants that are preferred. Hibiscus is impossible for me. The Female will sit and graze all day till it is gone, only with the Hibiscus. The Male without a tongue who does not eat the plants (because he learned he can't without a tongue) eats the Hibiscus, but targets the dried leaves and wilted flower. This is where the idea of mistaken identity came from, I have since seen other examples. On the other hand palms, spider plants, things with the long leaves like grasses do not seem to get bothered. It is also apparent that new shoots and growth are preferred, but adult leaves are also eaten. Further, it would almost appear that some are grown and harvested. Though this is more likely a timing sequence. But she will let all the tops get to a given point, and doesn't eat till all have new leaves growing, this is the umbrella plant in the pic earlier. So it is like she waits for a harvest then I will see her climb up and eat them all.
JoXie411
Chameleon Enthusiast
Well I had a theory and it might be wrong but I would like to share it here since my husband walked away while I was on a roll
I’ve notice my female will eat more plant matter then my male. What if that calcium oxalate we know is harmful to us some how is beneficial to them. I could be 100% wrong and need to lay off the devils lettuce more but idk if they are doing it so often there has so be something in it they like. This is just my thoughts of a crazy women’s rants
I’ve notice my female will eat more plant matter then my male. What if that calcium oxalate we know is harmful to us some how is beneficial to them. I could be 100% wrong and need to lay off the devils lettuce more but idk if they are doing it so often there has so be something in it they like. This is just my thoughts of a crazy women’s rants
You said..."I’ve notice my female will eat more plant matter then my male. What if that calcium oxalate we know is harmful to us some how is beneficial to them. I could be 100% wrong and need to lay off the devils lettuce more but idk if they are doing it so often there has so be something in it they like. This is just my thoughts of a crazy women’s rants"...I've been saying this for years....my female veileds have always stripped the ppt his plants bare where the males only graze...so I've always thought the they needed something from it. According to some, in the wild they both eat them about the same....so why the difference?
JoXie411
Chameleon Enthusiast
This is what I would also like to know. If this help imelda is currently receptive, right b4 she went receptive is when she stripped all her plants but before that she wasn’t touching them. Maybe it has to be with there ovulation cycle, they load up on the plant matter then go out to mate. Again this is just what I’ve notice from my pair
Exactly...they strip the plants more often when they are producing eggs or receptive.
JoXie411
Chameleon Enthusiast
They also have a high egg count so that must also factor into the reason then need to bulk up on it.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Stella did this to her hibiscus. She just about stripped it bare of leaves and I was surprised when she didn’t immediately eat the tender new leaf growth, but instead waited patiently until it had regrown and then started chowing down again.
