New cham does not seem to like powdered crickets

[Hoofhearted]

Hello all, first off I'd like to say that I'm new to raising a chameleon. I've raised and bred anoles and raised a pair of leopard geckos. I have read lots and lots about chameleons so I got one for my son, though i am the primary caregiver.


3 month old veiled

Reptibreeze startup kit 16x16x30

Mini dual fixture lamp with one blue light day. bulb and one 5.0 uvb bulb

Basking temp: 83

Middle temp: 74

Humidity: ranges from 40 to 62

Reptifogger mist system

No lights at night

Night time temp is lower 70s


Ok so I got the cham 2 weeks ago but he has been very finicky when it comes to eating...ate nothing the first day, second day ate 1 cricket (it may have been a little big), nothing day 3 or 4, bought some 1 week old crickets and he/she ate like 5 of them. I'm pretty sure it's a male but not positive. I've been seeing they should be eating 12 or more a day. He eats like every other day. The first feeding was with d3 powder the time that he ate 5 I didnt put any powder at all on the crickets, the day after he ate 5 I coated them with regular calcium no d3 and he only ate a couple and now it seems like he wont touch any crickets with powder on them.....I tried more crickets with out any on them and he ate like another 5, but I still dont think he is eating enough any thoughts and ideas on this?

 

[JacksJill]

They don't need to be powdered too heavily. They should barely show traces of dust and not look like powdered donuts. Too much calcium at one time can slow digestion that goes double for CA with D3.

 

[Hoofhearted]

They don't need to be powdered too heavily. They should barely show traces of dust and not look like powdered donuts. Too much calcium at one time can slow digestion that goes double for CA with D3.

I'm sorry if my post seemed like had them covered in dust lol but I really dont have much dust on them...I can tell by looking at them that they have been dusted but they aren't super coated with it...I will cut down on it to see what happens, also the crickets are fed water with calcium in it , would that be enough?

 

[JacksJill]

I didn't know if you were over coating them or not but it is a common occurrence. Otherwise I don't know why they are being rejected. There could be some other variable involved.
The calcium water isn't a good way to get calcium to your chameleon. I would stick to dusting and gut loading the insects. There is info at this link about gut load. See under gut load header https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/food/

 

[Hoofhearted]

I didn't know if you were over coating them or not but it is a common occurrence. Otherwise I don't know why they are being rejected. There could be some other variable involved.
The calcium water isn't a good way to get calcium to your chameleon. I would stick to dusting and gut loading the insects. There is info at this link about gut load. See under gut load header https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/food/

Ok, will do thank you for your input, and link

 

[Coop]

Is your uvb bulb linear? If not, get one as soon as possible. A cage upgrade is also required soon.

 

[Hoofhearted]

Is your uvb bulb linear? If not, get one as soon as possible. A cage upgrade is also required soon.

It is the zoo med reptisun 5.0 uvb compact florescent light. As for the cage upgrade, that is in the plans ....I will be doing a custom made enclosure soon for him but not quit sure he's ready for that yet....I'm not 100% sure of his age just guessing three months , he is 2.5" maybe 3" long not including his tail

 

[Coop]

The compact bulbs provide only a very close range of uvb production, while the t5ho linear uvb will provide uvb throughout the entire cage. I would highly recommend getting a linear bulb as soon as you can, as metabolic bone disease can become a problem with such limited uvb.

 

[Hoofhearted]

The compact bulbs provide only a very close range of uvb production, while the t5ho linear uvb will provide uvb throughout the entire cage. I would highly recommend getting a linear bulb as soon as you can, as metabolic bone disease can become a problem with such limited uvb.

Ok sounds like a good idea, how long do you think I have before I need to get his new enclosure built? ....man that really gets me mad that they would put out a starter kit that is as inadequate is that.....there are many other issues with the setup that I found annoying while setting it up initially

 

[Hoofhearted]

Ok sounds like a good idea, how long do you think I have before I need to get his new enclosure built? ....man that really gets me mad that they would put out a starter kit that is as inadequate is that.....there are many other issues with the setup that I found annoying while setting it up initially

Also I have a reptisun 10.0 compact will that work for now

 

[Coop]

The light will work for now, but the sooner you get the light the better. The cage should be upgraded before he gets to maximum size.

 

[Hoofhearted]

The light will work for now, but the sooner you get the light the better. The cage should be upgraded before he gets to maximum size.

Alright I'll get that in the works thanks a bunch