New to Chameleons

[globug]

Hello everyone. I'm globug. I've had critters since I was 12 years old, which is a long time, but have never had Chameleons. My husband showed up home with two babies as a birthday gift to me. Let the fun begin. My problem is that I live in Northern China and all supply shops suck. Only food available is meal worms and large crickets. During my lunch break today I'm going to where he bought them. The guys seems to know what he's doing but the food situation is not good.

Any words of feeding advice would be great. I don't think I can order anything on line in China. And I anyone know if there is international shipping on any kinds of larva or anything would be great.

Off to that market now.

 

[stepho]

Good luck! Do you happen to live near any open fields/forest areas you can catch some wild bugs? (as long as you can be sure no pesticides are used in the area).

Also can you get Indian walking sticks there? They supposedly are prolific breeders and good feeders. I really want them, but they are illegal here.

 

[ibdragons]

Yes your best bet is to learn to breed those large crickets search it in the forums that way u can have your own. Look for supplements if possible. Ask the guy where's ur husband got the chams from. Good luck

 

[Ulrich]

You should have large supplies of silk worms easily available in China. They make great staple feeders.
We have a big problem in Hong Kong just now. They discovered H5N1 virus in the bird market where they sell any feeder you can think of. Yet they closed the market indefinitely for now. So all the stocks are harder to get and way more expensive.

 

[globug]

Well, was lucky enough to buy some baby meal worms and found some crickets but pretty big. Maybe they can breed. The other people said they buy them from Beijing but it's too hot now to get them. I wish these folks bred them here in Harbin. Also got vitamin powder and calcium powder.

 

[TreeTopChameleons]

Hey Globug, I'm a canadian currently in Beijing for work. I'm not sure if you are Chinese, or are able to read Mandarin, but there is an excellent website for purchasing just about anything here in China. It's www.taobao.com they sell everything, I'm sure you will even be able to find a good source for feeders, as I know it has a wide variety of reptile supplies, many of which are imported from North America. I hope this helps! I know its tough over here to properly care for reptiles, I look forward to my return to Canada so I can rebuild my collection on a larger scale than before!

 

[romulan]

I apologize for my ignorance, but are insects a delicacy in China? Maybe you could find a vendor to sell you some before they fry them im probably dead wrong here though...

 

[laurie]

Welcome to the forum. I love seeing people from all over the world on here. It does make me feel less than well educated. all of you speak at least 2 languages. I only speak one. I am happy you can communicate with me.
Hopefully you can get some other food types for your chams. But if not you will not the the only person who just has crickets. At least you have worms also. Just gutload your feeders well and you will do just fine. What kind of little surprises did he bring you? I know you have access to a lot of cool chams. I would love to see pictures.

 

[globug]

Hey there guys. Actually, I'm a Canadian woman living and working here. Taobao is awesome but I saw nothing about live bugs or anything for pets other than doggie clothes. Big surprise. Ha ha ha.

They eat some bugs and now with the summer beer gardens open there are tons of giant fried bug snacks to eat with beer. But nothing small. No one raises them they buy them dead or adult to cook.

Cool to know there are some other foreigners in China on here with pets. It's not easy to keep pets here, meaning to get proper supplies.

 

[TreeTopChameleons]

Oh very cool, what is it you are doing here for work? How long have you been here? I am lucky to be in Beijing I think, things are much easier to track down, and with my girlfriend being Chinese, I am pretty much able to find just about anything I need...I'm not currently keeping anything that requires small bugs, so unfortunately I cannot help you anymore than that, I think you might be on the right track with one of the many pet markets, perhaps you could talk to one of the store owners, and they can bring in whatever it is you are looking for!

 

[globug]

I'm and English teacher and train other new foreigners. I've been in Harbin at at this school for 9 years. This was supposed to be a one-year adventure. Ha ha ha.

The shop where he bought them only feeds meal worms to all his Chams. But I found a woman with little baby worms and I guess i will have no choice right now but to feed them.

They are the basic Yemen Veiled Chams. At least I picked up a UVB bulb and vitamin and calcium powders. I'll do my best. He makes the enclosures too so as they grow he'll make new homes for them.

I'll try getting some picture tonight and see i'm i'm clever enough to post them on here. They are terribly cute and seems to be pretty active walking around the sticks and plants.