variety vs the fussy eater

[lysinlight87]

I have 8 chameleons & I've been told the key to keeping them healthy & interested in their food is variety. I've been told that a cham should have mininium of 5 different feeders so I offer as much as I can, however, they reject almost everything.

I offer my chams:-

crickets
locusts
silk worms
butterworms
meal worms
super worms
dubia roaches
lobster roaches
calci-worms
curly wing flies
wax worms
woodlice
...& a couple of times
sticks insects.

I'm even breeding giant african snails in the hope they might be interested.

Each of my chams will only eat 2 different feeders, 3 at the most. My veiled would rather go a month without food than eat something other than silkworms. I'm finding they're all fussy with their food & I don't know what to do. I gutload using a dry recipe close to sandrachameleon's & I provide a variety of fresh veggies, but this doesn't change my chameleons lack of interest. So what can I do? I feel they have the upper hand... I can't continue to buy in insects they won't eat.

 

[lysinlight87]

I've also experimented with cup-feeding, hand-feeding & free-ranging but nothing seems to change their feelings toward different foods.

 

[carol5208]

I don't think there is much you can do! You are doing everything right and offering alot of good variety so I guess they will just pick and choose. Some people hold off feeding certain feeders that they like and then reintroducing the other feeders that they would not eat to try to get them to eat.

 

[lysinlight87]

!

I don't think there is much you can do! You are doing everything right and offering alot of good variety so I guess they will just pick and choose. Some people hold off feeding certain feeders that they like and then reintroducing the other feeders that they would not eat to try to get them to eat.

thanks. I try holding off feeders but they are incredibly stubborn! Neelix is the closest to adult & I try not to worry about him- he doesn't eat much but he hasn't lost weight. My pygmys are ok with crickets and curly wings. It's the other juveniles that worry about.

My oustalets is the most enthuisatic eater but even he sticks to a few feeders. He'll happily devour 30 feeders a day so you'd think I could sneak in some variety but no! He's not having any of it.

 

[carol5208]

They are just finnicky little creatures! I think most of us go through their stubborness at one time or another. I have never starved my chameleons if they will not eat what I want. That's just me though!

 

[poppototamus]

Well, I have to say I have not tried as many food types as you with my veiled but I also have found that he is extremely reluctant to try anything besides his usual crickets and super worms. I have tried hornworms, wax worms, wax moths, silk worms, and dubia roaches and he never gave them the time of day. It's so comforting to know someone else is struggling with the same situation!

 

[Chameleonmaster]

A nice juicy horn worm!

 

[nick barta]

It appears the inmates now control the prison....

Nick Barta