Question on feeding schedule

[Courts_spyro]

Pablo my 6mth old panther chameleon has been eating 10 small crickets everyday. On the care sheet on here it says once they reach juvenile age at 6mths they should have 10 medium crickets every other day. However our pet stores only have 2 sizes, small and large. So I'm not sure how to change up his feeding schedule to suit his age. Any suggestions?

His a picture just because

 

[trickedoutbiker]

On the care sheet on here it says once they reach juvenile age at 6mths they should have 10 medium crickets every other day.

That is used as more of a reference. In keeping chameleons, you should also be using other insects such as hornworms, superworms, silkworms, roaches, mantids, BSF......

The care sheet here doesn't account for that. Please tell me you are feeding it more than JUST crickets?

 

[Courts_spyro]

That is used as more of a reference. In keeping chameleons, you should also be using other insects such as hornworms, superworms, silkworms, roaches, mantids, BSF......

The care sheet here doesn't account for that. Please tell me you are feeding it more than JUST crickets?

He won't eat anything else. I have tried it all and he just stares at it. I gutload my crickets with greens and obviously dust them as well with everything needed.

 

[trickedoutbiker]

He won't eat anything else. I have tried it all and he just stares at it.

What exactly is "it all" that you tried?

Your chameleon was probably raised on crickets so other feeders may intimidate him. Try letting him go without food for 1-2 days. Trust me, it won't hurt him. They a couple weeks without food in the wild sometimes when bugs are scarce. You are essentially making him super hungry this way, and it would make him more likely to strike a different feeder. Once he gets the taste of the new feeder, you can add that to your arsenal of insects to use in the future. I've used this method twice to introduce a new feeder, and it worked both times. I've also used this method a few times when my chameleon gets too picky and only wants a certain food item and ignores everything else I offer. I let him go hungry a couple days and he always decides that whatever it was he was ignoring will still fill his belly, regardless if it's the feeder he would have preferred, and he eats it up.

A strictly cricket-only diet is really not good for them at all.... That's like you eating the same thing, at every meal, every day, for the rest of your life. That would suck. And eventually you are going to get sick because of it when you start to lack nutrients that food item does not have. Eating the same thing over and over and over will not kill you fast, it is more of a slow death when your body starts to need other things you are not providing.

 

[Courts_spyro]

I've tried the Dubai roaches, butter worms, silk worms and mealworms( which yeah I know I not nutritionally good, but I just wanted to see if he would try it) He just goes nuts for crickets. Maybe I could use a feeder cup with a couple different things mixed including crickets and maybe he will accidentally try something new and like it

 

[shomegirl]

People put their roaches and worms on the screen and that seems to to stimulate the chameleon or "bug" him so much they will strike.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

I prefer feeding chameleons based on body condition and based on developmental factors, such as growing juveniles, aging animals, or gravid females. You can always cut back, if the chameleon appears to be overweight.
Try blue bottle flies, ordered as pupae from mantis place. Chameleons love flying insects and supplements stick well to them.