OATS

[paulywally]

We're going outta town and want to leave food for our chameleon in her bowl. Can I leave oats in the bowl also with the superworms. So they don't die???

 

[janjan20]

I would not recommend leaving the oats because she could ingest those too. I don’t think oats are ideal for chameleons. How old is your Cham and how long will you be gone? Do you have access to a different type of feeder? Crickets or roaches?

 

[JacksJill]

I leave a very large chunk of carrot too big for your chameleon to eat by accident.

 

[paulywally]

I would not recommend leaving the oats because she could ingest those too. I don’t think oats are ideal for chameleons. How old is your Cham and how long will you be gone? Do you have access to a different type of feeder? Crickets or roaches?

I have other feeders but she doesn't like Anything else other than silk worms and superworms. We will be gone 3 days. I thought it was okay if she injests it because that's what she's eating since the super worms r gut loaded with the oats. our chameleon is like maybe 2 months

 

[Andrew1283]

Right, you could leave a huge chunk of carrot in the enclosure, way too big for a chameleon to swallow but the superworms could nibble at it. But it could turn nasty and moldy. Plus if you have an automatic mister all those superworms will drown and talk about nasty

 

[kinyonga]

Oats contain phytic acid which binds calcium so it can’t be used.
I was told many years ago by someone at the ROM who looked after insects there, not to use oats to feed them.

BTW…You should be gutloading/feeding your insects (crickets, roaches, mealworms, grasshoppers, etc.) with a wide variety of greens such as dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, etc and veggies such as carrots, sweet potatoes, sweet red pepper, squash, etc and a very small amount of fruit such as pears, apples, berries, etc. Other insects such as silkworms, hornworms, etc will need an appropriate diet for them too.

If you’re only going for 3 days, the insects should be able to live on carrots, etc, left in the cage.

 

[paulywally]

Oats contain phytic acid which binds calcium so it can’t be used.
I was told many years ago by someone at the ROM who looked after insects there, not to use oats to feed them.

BTW…You should be gutloading/feeding your insects (crickets, roaches, mealworms, grasshoppers, etc.) with a wide variety of greens such as dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, etc and veggies such as carrots, sweet potatoes, sweet red pepper, squash, etc and a very small amount of fruit such as pears, apples, berries, etc. Other insects such as silkworms, hornworms, etc will need an appropriate diet for them too.

If you’re only going for 3 days, the insects should be able to live on carrots, etc, left in the cage.

So the superworms for example I need to remove them from the containers they're in and use fruits and veggies to gut load them??

For some reason my chameleon doesn't like hornworms I've tried feeding them to her and she isn't interested

 

[elizaann2]

Hello and welcome! If you chameleon is 2 months old I would strongly suggest finding a pet sitter to come in and check on your cham at least 2x a day and to feed it. Chams that young should be eating daily.

 

[Kodyf]

You are getting great information from @janjan20 and @kinyonga

 

[Andrew1283]

No, you don’t need to remove your superworms from the oats to gut load them.

I keep my superworms in a clear plastic bin of steel cut oats. Oats work very well as a clean medium for my superworm habitat… instead of nasty saw dust. And I put butternut squash and sweet potato chunks on top for their food and hydration.

 

[JacksJill]

I put my feeders for vacation in a feeder run, a shooting gallery. Then I add the big chunk of carrot. Silks, supers, crickets and dubia will all sustain themselves on carrot for a few days as gut load. You can’t go away for very long as the carrot will mold but 5 days is fairly safe. Moldy grain is more dangerous than moldy carrot.

 

[Andrew1283]

While mowing my lawn I randomly talked to a passerby who was walking in my neighborhood. She told me she had dogs and I told her about my dogs. I asked her who her dog sitter was and she told me she is actually a dog sitter. I said sheesh, I wish I could find someone with reptile experience. They eat bugs.

Then she goes, “Oh, my sister has two chameleons, I think veiled chameleons. I take care of them often.” My jaw dropped. And she’s known around my community as an excellent person. I am so lucky to have this person in my life! Life is random like that