Not eating?

[mcflow]

I just bought 2 jackson chams about 5 month old, these arn't my first chams, I already have a 7 year old veilled. Anyways they are being kept in a 65 gallon mesh vivarium with plenty of place to move around. I have noticed that my male jackson is eating well, he takes the crickets right out of my hand with no hesitation, but I have yet to see the female eat and it's been almost a week since I have had her...I have a strong feeling that if she is eating, she isn't eating well. Is there anything I could do to help her eat, or encourage her to eat? the cage is kept at 50% humidity (2x misting per day) and it's got a basking spot of 29C, and a low in the bottom corner of 22C.

Second small question, when can I start feeding them worms?

 

[Cherron]

I am assuming that you have them in the same cage? Perhaps being around the male is stressing the female out. You may want to look into purchasing another setup and seperating them. I don't have a lot of experience with jackson's but I do know that almost all chameleon species are solitary animals and it is not recommended to house them together for issues just like you are having: one not eating (always the one who is less dominant), stress, injuries due to fighting.

As for worms, it just depends on size. Superworms may be a little big at this age unless you feed the smallest ones just after they have molted. Phoenix worms are smaller and could probably be fed right now.. same goes with young silkworms. I don't feed my chameleons meal worms mainly because I can't get them gutloaded properly. I don't know if it is just me, but they don't seem to eat anything I put in with them so I just gave up on them. Superworms are a better choice IMO anyway.

 

[mcflow]

I though of that

thanks! I though of that, but in the pet store (a well knowen reptile supplier) they where together, and with 3 other jacksons of the same size and 1 male about 8 month old, and they all ate well, so it would suprise me if stress is the issue but I will still look at a third cage for her....anybody else got any ideas?

 

[Julirs]

I would certainly separate them. That way you will be able to see if she is eating. At 5 months they should be able to eat silkworms -my 3.5 month old Veiled eats large silkworm. They are plenty soft. Petstores are always keeping things together that they should not.