Night-Time Eating?

[globug]

I have my rescued Camie baby and I don't see her eat too often. I'm obviously not home all day to watch her but it seems that when I'm not home that her and my boyz are always just sleeping and when I get home and turn on the lights they get active and eat and stuff.

I'm curious to know if Camies ever eat at night or in the dark. I'm home is somewhat dark during the day. Could she be eating when I'm not around or even at night?

Just curious. She seems to love to have staring contests with with the worms but I'm not sure how much she's eating. My evenings seem to be spent looking over there every few minutes, or seconds. Always wondering what they are doing or what they are eating. My boyz are awesome and eat like little piggies and poo just as well.

Little Baby, I'm still keeping an eye on.

 

[carol5208]

If you get home and they are sleeping and it is night time, then I would not be turning on the lights. You should not disrupt their sleep cycles. They should have access to lights about 10-12 hours a day. Have your lights go on and off to simulate the sun up and sun down outside. Usually once chameleons fall asleep they are down for the night(if you leave their lights off)so there would be no eating. If you turn the lights on during dark hours, then you are going to wake them up and yes they might eat if they see food. I have never done this so cannot say for sure. Once my lights go out, they are out until the next morning.

 

[DavidBuchan]

The chams are very unlikely to be eating in the dark, they have pretty poor sight in low light (and usually just sleep). When you put a light on they will eat if they are hungry, but as Carol says that will just disturb sleep patterns so it's not worth doing on purpose.

 

[nightanole]

For evidence, If i find a nosy cricket or other feeder during the middle of the night, mine have no trouble with the midnight snack. i dont make this a habit though.

 

[mcbdz]

It's important for them to warm up and bask after they feed for 4-6 hours to digest their food or it isn't doing them any good.

 

[DavidBuchan]

It's important for them to warm up and bask after they feed for 4-6 hours to digest their food or it isn't doing them any good.

Not strictly true. An adult cham doesn't poop every day. There is usually plenty of time to digest a one-off midnight snack. I've never fed my chams at night because of the need for heat to digest food though. It's a bad idea to do it at all really........