Picky Eater

[SycoSquirl]

my little 6 month old panther male is very picky with his food, it seems all he wants to eat are crickets and superworms. I tried getting him to eat roaches, and hornworms with no success. Ive tried cup and free feeding all food items so that isnt the problem. Is it possible that he will never want to eat anything else? Or if I stop feeding the other food items he will be forced to try new things? I just really want him to like the Dubia Roaches I bought... so any tips or tricks to help me with my boy would be much appreciated

 

[jannb]

Chameleons are kind of like us....they each like different things. Some of my chameleons like some foods but not others. I wouldn't give up and keep offering different feeders but I wouldn't cut out his crickets and supers either. You could try offering the dubia first though before he's full of the crickets and supers.

 

[Defianceofexistence]

My male veiled was a picky eater. He would only eat crickets. He was terrified of hornworms for the longest time....I started a roach colony and was determined to have him eat them as I hate crickets lol....so we had a stand off a few months back...not only was I going to get him to eat the roaches but I needed to get him to cup feed them as he was used to free range cricket hunting.

Well he was NOT impressed and proceeded to poop in the cup instead of eat from it lol. It took some patience on my part and some acceptance on his but after a few days he finally gave up and since then he loves his roaches. He goes to his cup and looks to see if its full yet every morning lol.

So now I buy crickets every few weeks and hornworms but he mostly eats roaches. So don't give up!!!!!! Loki is as stubborn as they come ;-p

Good Luck!

 

[SycoSquirl]

thanks for the responses guys =) i really appreciate it, i wont give up hope just yet haha

 

[junglefries]

I have never once gotten any cham from that dna to eat a roach. I even sold my breeder colony. It is something in that particular dna, I am convinced . Mantids (100%), walking sticks, superworms, crix, hornworms, silkworms, moths, bumblebees all worked. Try letting the hornworms turn into moths, then you will have some fun. Hornworms can be tricky for some chams at first. Just keep with them. Try different locations and times of day, or even feeding out of cage. Will send you pic of his brother, whose now keeping the blue on all day. This dna is all about time, for some reason. If you have questions, please pm or email me.

 

[SycoSquirl]

I have never once gotten any cham from that dna to eat a roach. I even sold my breeder colony. It is something in that particular dna, I am convinced . Mantids (100%), walking sticks, superworms, crix, hornworms, silkworms, moths, bumblebees all worked. Try letting the hornworms turn into moths, then you will have some fun. Hornworms can be tricky for some chams at first. Just keep with them. Try different locations and times of day, or even feeding out of cage. Will send you pic of his brother, whose now keeping the blue on all day. This dna is all about time, for some reason. If you have questions, please pm or email me.

Haha then Ill give my roach colony (its so super small) away to a friend or get another animal that will eat them =P ill try again with the hornworms, silkies i havent been able to get to hatch from eggs and I really want to try again with some mantids like I did with my last boy but i lost almost all the mantids and its looking expensive to buy a bunch of small cages to help separate them haha This little guy LOVES his superworms thats for damn sure, and my guys blue is starting to really show strong too, its so beyond adorable. All my roommates, who hate the bugs, tolerate them because he is so adorable. I'm getting his big boy cage in the next month or so which I am even more excited for setting up with a bunch of plants haha ave a tree and like 3 pothos and an umbrella plant plus a bunch of sticks. Little boy has made me the happiest ma'ma around haha just wish he would like the roaches for better protein intake haha

 

[junglefries]

You may want to find some praying mantis around the country side, first. Everyone here always eats them, in under 4 seconds (literally). I have feeling he won't eat the hornworms because of the superworms. Chams can refuse to eat other food, holding out for supers. But the supers can give prolapses, if they eat too much. They will strain trying to 'unload' the harder shells. Try witholding any supers and crix, for a day. He should then eat the hornedworms, especially first thing in the morning (immediatedly after lights come on). Mine eat at 7am (sharp!), noonish, and maybe a treat around 2-3pm. Nothing three hours before bedtime. Your cham has become superworm addicted. It happens. Some can be broken, others are truly defiant. It can be done.

 

[SycoSquirl]

ill put in some hard work to kick his super habit lol unfortunately in NM we dont have very many insects (especially around this time) so i ordered some nymph walking sticks and some horns and silks so we will work hard to ween the little one off the addicting suppers

 

[junglefries]

They can be defiant about kickin' the super habit. You have to teach them they only get so many a week. One out of the two males I kept, is VERY partial to the supers. But both, climb out of the cage to get them. Stay hardfast, and it will happen. (Good news, the supers will last a good 6-12 months, with bran flakes and some veggies for liquid. Impossible to kill). I do like using the supers, as it seems to keep them robust looking. I feed maybe 5-6 a week for 6+ months old. The hornedworm moths and mantids will surely become his and your favorite. Don't understand the mantis phenomenom, JUST WORKS! Got pics of one male, waiting on second to shed, before sending. Now, they have seen the females, they are keeping their big boy colors displayed. Not really turning dark, except first hour or two of day (got hardwood floors and still a little chilly in the am, here). (Will have some females down the road, if u want one. You MUST take her free, though. Will really bring out the colors, once they see each other. You Don't have to breed, but will keep HIM bright and pretty. Please let me know if you need anything or info about his 'weird' dna. He should really start coloring up (baby blue, white, bright red speckles on face and green body stripes) any day now. His brothers have since their last shed. Please let me know how his bars go, one here has gone brilliant blue and other has maroon (will flash blue, when ). Another person's cham developed yellow body with red bars. I swear, I think they had like 5 daddies. My last veil eggs are due to hatch any time also. FREE! If you decide you ever want to try again. Good luck with school.