only eating supers

[gaxmode]

My 12 week old ambanja is only eating supers, I am offering supers and dubias. He has only eaten about 2 dubia in 3 days, none today. He will eat 3 supers out of feeding basket and won't even touch the dubias. Is it healthy for him to have an all superworm diet gutloaded with cricket crack, until he finally gives in to the dubias? Also feeding few crickets here and there but I want to almost do mostly away from them for the dubias, which by the way my colony laid their first babies today yay.

 

[reptileman]

IMO get him off the supers imediately thats way to much for a growing panther cham. I only feed my chams supers once a week max. The superworms dont give enough nutrition and have a risk of impaction. As for the issue of not eating if you only give him dubias for a few days he should eventually go for the dubias if not try crix

 

[sandrachameleon]

Consider not offering superworms for a couple weeks, and let him eat a variety of other prey instead (dubia, crickets, and more).

While some people have chameleons that survive on an all superworm diet, IMHO this is something to be avoided if possible. Superworms have a very high fat content. A variety of prey, fed a variety of fruits and veg, is a better, more natural option.

 

[Psi]

The superworms dont give enough nutrition and have a risk of impaction.

Superworms aren't even close to as bad as you're trying to make them out to be.
I assume you're mixing Mealworms and Superworms up that could be the only explanation.

Superworms major downfall as Sandra pointed out is they're high on the fat scale.

 

[nosytrish]

Picky eaters

We have tried so many worms for our little guy that he will only tried once or just ignored: silkies, hornworms (all sizes), butter worms, you name it (no dubias available in Canada). He will still eat crickets, but his diet is mainly superworms (He loves the crunchiness, always goes for the extra crunchy ones), so we have to make sure to change up our gutloading often to make sure that he is properly supplimented. I asked at the last reptile show what we could do if he was being a stubborn eater, and they said to hold back food for a few days, and that it would increase his hunger for other bugs/make him more of an aggressive eater. We know that when we feed our crickets with papaya though, he goes crazy for them.

I hope that this helps,
Trish

 

[gaxmode]

So I've had Dr Dre for 5 days now and today he ate a superworm out of my hand

I know he is still young but he seems really tame and friendly!

I thought I remember reading that supers could be fed daily, thought it was mealworms that were bad.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I thought I remember reading that supers could be fed daily, thought it was mealworms that were bad.

Some chinton is good for digestion, too much is not. Mealworms have less "meat" compared to the amount of chinton in them, such that a diet very high in mealworms could lead to impaction / digestion and voiding issues. Superworms have a higher "meat" to chinton ratio, so the impaction worries are not great.

Both are "fatty". Both can be and should be gutloaded.

But Neither are really Bad, nor Good.
I use both as part of the varied diet I provide my chameleons. But I think there are other, better feeders available. So IMHO mealworms should make up no more than 10% of the diet (unless most of the rest of the diet is lacking significant chinton). Superworms should make up less than 25% of the diet.

 

[gaxmode]

Some chinton is good for digestion, too much is not. Mealworms have less "meat" compared to the amount of chinton in them, such that a diet very high in mealworms could lead to impaction / digestion and voiding issues. Superworms have a higher "meat" to chinton ratio, so the impaction worries are not great.

Both are "fatty". Both can be and should be gutloaded.

But Neither are really Bad, nor Good.
I use both as part of the varied diet I provide my chameleons. But I think there are other, better feeders available. So IMHO mealworms should make up no more than 10% of the diet (unless most of the rest of the diet is lacking significant chinton). Superworms should make up less than 25% of the diet.

I want to say he eats about 5 dubia to 1 superworm... breeding dubias, looking to possibly breed crix soon.. want my cham to be very happy and healthy! I gutload all feeders with cricket crack/water crystals...

 

[chamtrainer]

Superworms are way better than mealworms. If you can, try not to feed him for a while until he accepts the crickets and dubias. If you let some chams, they will only eat supers. try to avoid this. The risk of impaction is if you feed too many supers in short periods of time. Try offering him a cricket or two ever day until he eats it. Don't give in until he gives. It takes anywhere from 4 days to 4 weeks. This happens to everyone and it really isnt that big of a deal as some people make it.

 

[gaxmode]

Update: yes he is now eating dubias, guess he figured he would try one and now he's running all over the cage for them lol