Picky eater

xxaprilrose

Established Member
My Freddy has become quite the picky eater. He is about 8.5 months old and before he used to eat anything I place in there for him. Lately he will not touch crickets or dubia roaches. He will eat dubia only if I place them on branches to roam free but even then it’s a toss up. And honestly I don’t really want dubias running around free in his cage as I don’t want them to get out or burrow in his plants. I’m still trying to feed him about 15 bugs a day until he’s a year old per the recommendations but it’s hard to give him that many bugs when there’s not much other “staples”. I’ve been giving him BSFL but those are usually super small even when I get the large so I don’t think they’re as filling. Also feeding him hornworms and waxworms. He hates super worms. But with waxworms I know we should only be giving them in small moderation so it’s hard to give him 15 bugs and not be able to utilize others much. I do like feeding silkworms but they’re so hard to come by. I actually ordered some from morifeeders like 2 weeks ago and they still have yet to arrive. Any advice? What would you suggest I feed him per count a day per feeder?
 
My Freddy has become quite the picky eater. He is about 8.5 months old and before he used to eat anything I place in there for him. Lately he will not touch crickets or dubia roaches. He will eat dubia only if I place them on branches to roam free but even then it’s a toss up. And honestly I don’t really want dubias running around free in his cage as I don’t want them to get out or burrow in his plants. I’m still trying to feed him about 15 bugs a day until he’s a year old per the recommendations but it’s hard to give him that many bugs when there’s not much other “staples”. I’ve been giving him BSFL but those are usually super small even when I get the large so I don’t think they’re as filling. Also feeding him hornworms and waxworms. He hates super worms. But with waxworms I know we should only be giving them in small moderation so it’s hard to give him 15 bugs and not be able to utilize others much. I do like feeding silkworms but they’re so hard to come by. I actually ordered some from morifeeders like 2 weeks ago and they still have yet to arrive. Any advice? What would you suggest I feed him per count a day per feeder?
Are you trying to feed him every day ? Reason I'm asking is my boy just hit a little over the 9 month mark and kinda going through the same thing. I've switched to every other day feeding and haven't gotten a wayy better response. Mine used to LOVE silkys and crickets and lately has just been super fond of supers 🙄 lol. Few people on here told me it's around the time when they tend to curve their appetite. Deff not a professional but maybe that's what's going on ? I will say my boy ate the last 2 days in a row & the 1st day ate 10 crickets + a couple silks 😂. I've just kinda let him take the lead recently

(P.s both my chams have ate a few roaches when younger but seem to want nothing to do with them the last couple months 🙄😂)
 
My male panther has begun self-regulating (cutting down) on his own, and has gone through different periods of pickiness.

He didn't used to like dubias (still isn't crazy about them) but I've found he'll eat them—more of them—if I put multiple kinds of feeders in the bowl together. If I put 6 dubias in his bowl, he might eat 1 or 2. If I put 6 dubias and 6 giant mealworms in the bowl together, he'll eat all the mealworms and 3-5 dubias.

I wouldn't be terribly concerned about dubias in the enclosure. They can't breed until they reach maturity (get wings that don't work) and they won't breed unless the temp is around 95F, and both conditions must be met together. I've had some escape into the enclosure, but they've never gotten into the plants. They tend to form an inclusion and hide behind/under a plant pot, eventually getting eaten, dying, or showing up in the drainage bucket. If they do escape the enclosure, they don't live long, and still can't reproduce.

At this age (8.5 mo.) a couple/few days without food won't hurt to stimulate his appetite.
 
My male panther has begun self-regulating (cutting down) on his own, and has gone through different periods of pickiness.

He didn't used to like dubias (still isn't crazy about them) but I've found he'll eat them—more of them—if I put multiple kinds of feeders in the bowl together. If I put 6 dubias in his bowl, he might eat 1 or 2. If I put 6 dubias and 6 giant mealworms in the bowl together, he'll eat all the mealworms and 3-5 dubias.

I wouldn't be terribly concerned about dubias in the enclosure. They can't breed until they reach maturity (get wings that don't work) and they won't breed unless the temp is around 95F, and both conditions must be met together. I've had some escape into the enclosure, but they've never gotten into the plants. They tend to form an inclusion and hide behind/under a plant pot, eventually getting eaten, dying, or showing up in the drainage bucket. If they do escape the enclosure, they don't live long, and still can't reproduce.

At this age (8.5 mo.) a couple/few days without food won't hurt to stimulate his appetite.
Yes I agree . We've talked about this before and you actually helped ease my mind . When they are younger they are eating MACHINES lol
 
When they are younger they are eating MACHINES lol
Don't we all know it! :ROFLMAO:

My beardie was the same when young & growing, and now the Missus' baby tortoise is.

I'd say it's a reptile thing, but I think it's more a growing organism thing. Heck, I used to (be able to) eat more too—until I hit 30. For some reason ( :rolleyes: ), the same food that fueled my teens & tweens suddenly began to pack on the pounds. It's gotten worse again every decade since! :eek: 😂

diet lol GIF by IFC
 
My Freddy has become quite the picky eater. He is about 8.5 months old and before he used to eat anything I place in there for him. Lately he will not touch crickets or dubia roaches. He will eat dubia only if I place them on branches to roam free but even then it’s a toss up. And honestly I don’t really want dubias running around free in his cage as I don’t want them to get out or burrow in his plants. I’m still trying to feed him about 15 bugs a day until he’s a year old per the recommendations but it’s hard to give him that many bugs when there’s not much other “staples”. I’ve been giving him BSFL but those are usually super small even when I get the large so I don’t think they’re as filling. Also feeding him hornworms and waxworms. He hates super worms. But with waxworms I know we should only be giving them in small moderation so it’s hard to give him 15 bugs and not be able to utilize others much. I do like feeding silkworms but they’re so hard to come by. I actually ordered some from morifeeders like 2 weeks ago and they still have yet to arrive. Any advice? What would you suggest I feed him per count a day per feeder?
Let the BSFL turn into flies and those will capture his attention!
 
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