Tired of Crickets

[Ambilobe]

My Chameleon is now completely tired of crickets. Started eating less and less now down to 1 or 2. I know im suppose to offer treats to keep them interested but i am have a hard time locating them in my state (FL). If anyone knows where to get horn,silk etc... in Fl please let me know. Even some online stores seem to be out. How do i get him back on a regular diet?
Thanks.
Rich

 

[klangford]

Rich,

Where in Florida are you? I can find crickets everywhere, PetSmart, PetCo or any of 1/2 dozen bait & tackle stores (not that I'm getting them there). Crickets are everywhere up here in North Florida. The rest of the members will tell you how cheap they are on-line - try ordering them.

 

[Ambilobe]

Crickets aren't my problem like you said they are everywhere. Im looking for horn and silk worms. for treats. He is what seems to me tired of eating crickets. I gut load properly just doesn't want them.

 

[yoza717]

Most petshops carry Superworms (or Kingworms) here in FLA, but I have to mail order my Silks. They are easy to grow and get big fast. I haven't tried the Hornworms yet.

 

[Ambilobe]

Thank you for the info. Do Chameleons like superworms? i have heard different things about them.

 

[yoza717]

Mine (adults) prefer them to crickets, but I try to limit their intake. The two young ones are still too small for them. But the two juvi's gobble up the silkworms.

 

[Dez]

We get our silkworms at coastalsilkworms.com They are located in FL so shipping is fast

 

[desultadox]

Judging by your handle, I imagine you're talking about a Panther chameleon. My Panthers have always preferred any type of worm to roaches or crickets. I've fed them silkworms, hornworms, superworms, and waxworms. The first 3 I order from coastal silkworms, mulberry farms, and lately Georgia Bugs, and the last one I almost never feed, but they're available at petsmart. All chameleons will be different, but mine have always preferred worms of any type. Too bad roaches are so cheap/easy, because that's what I feed the most by far!

 

[Pagan]

We get our silkworms at coastalsilkworms.com They are located in FL so shipping is fast

I highly recommend them as well. Excellent service and quality food. The Silkworm Pods are great!

 

[ciafardo 4]

My ambilobe wont touch crickets anymore now he only eats supers but its alright they are easy to find and easy to gutload. I just hope he doesn't get tired of them too.

 

[Ambilobe]

I have heard that supers can be dangerous if fed to chams alive. Do you kill them first?

 

[yoza717]

My ambilobe wont touch crickets anymore now he only eats supers but its alright they are easy to find and easy to gutload. I just hope he doesn't get tired of them too.

Cool to know. I was holding back to two Supers a day (as a treat) and forcing two of my males to eat crickets and roaches to get the rest of their fill. But as soon as I come with the Supers they gobble them up before it hits the bottom of their cup.
I will work on gutloading them better so I can feed more to them (at the moment, mostly carrots and some field greens salad mix along with their oatmeal subtrate). What do you gutload your supers with?

 

[BocaJan]

I feed mine a diet of 1/2 crickets and 1/2 supers. I might give them crickets for the week and then switch. I don't know why you would say they are dangerous.

 

[yoza717]

I have heard that supers can be dangerous if fed to chams alive. Do you kill them first?

I don't think my chams would touch them if they were dead (unless I had time to wiggle it in front of them).
I never had a problem with live ones, my chams crunch down, sometimes cutting them in half...one of my females spit one out (I think it bit her tongue). But the next day she ate another, although this one prefers Silks.

How large is your Cham? I wouldn't feed one to a panther less than 5-6 months old (depending on the size)

 

[Ambilobe]

Good Information guys. My Cham is 6 months. i heard a story of a super chewing through the stomach and out the body of a leopard gecko.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Good Information guys. My Cham is 6 months. i heard a story of a super chewing through the stomach and out the body of a leopard gecko.

very doubtful that would be true.
kingworms (superworms) are a good way to add variety
panthers typically love them
you can offer small superworms to small chameleons, large superworms to large/adult chameleons.
other feeders to add regular variety inlcude several types roaches, grasshoppers, moths, silkworms, hornworms, phasmids, flies
and less often isopods, butterworms, mealworms (freshly shed) and waxworms

 

[Ambilobe]

What is your routine for feeding your chameleons? Like i said mine is 6 months now and seems to be healthy but is slowly turning down crickets. What would be a good healthy diet for him now?

 

[dodolah]

What is your routine for feeding your chameleons? Like i said mine is 6 months now and seems to be healthy but is slowly turning down crickets. What would be a good healthy diet for him now?

Other than silkies and horns, you can try dubia, house flies, BB flies, superworms, katydid, preying mantis (small one), etc.
Until the silkies come back in stock, have you tried butterworms? They are high in calcium.. but unfortunately also in fat (so, feed them sparingly).
But, for occasional treat, they are wonderful...

http://chamworld.blogspot.com/2008/01/veiled-and-panther-chameleon-care-101d.html

 

[Clifford]

What is your routine for feeding your chameleons? Like i said mine is 6 months now and seems to be healthy but is slowly turning down crickets. What would be a good healthy diet for him now?

It is probably bored of just getting so many crickets. Feed it crickets one day, something else the next day, then back to crickets. At six months it should still be hungry most of the time, so you can give it 10 apropriatelyed sized insects every day