Veiled not eating as much

[Pensfan7125]

My veiled chameleon (male) has not been eating as much. I usually give him 6 medium sized crickets when I wake up at 6:15am and 6 medium sized crickets when I get home at 3:00 pm.

I know that that many crickets sounds like a lot, but I assume now that he is getting older, he won't eat as much as he used to.

**Also he is currently in a shed, but he isn't shedding very quickly as he used to
I got him this past July (2012) and he was around 1-2 months (Maybe idk).

I attached some pictures so you can see his current size now and when we got him so maybe you can help me age him and recommend his feeding amounts.

Photos: The girl in the one picture is my cousin with Reptar (my chameleon) on her arm and the other is the second day I had my chameleon.

 

[carol5208]

Sometimes they just slow down on eating or get bored with their food. Do you feed anything else besides crickets? 12 feeders a day is quite a bit and especially that you are feeding everyday. Many of us feed every other about 6-7 large feeders. I have to say though, you chameleon looks very healthy. If this is the first he is slowing down, consider yourself lucky because a lot chameleons go on hunger strikes. If you are only feeding crickets I would definitely change up his feeders. What do you feed your crickets?

 

[Pensfan7125]

Sometimes they just slow down on eating or get bored with their food. Do you feed anything else besides crickets? 12 feeders a day is quite a bit and especially that you are feeding everyday. Many of us feed every other about 6-7 large feeders. I have to say though, you chameleon looks very healthy. If this is the first he is slowing down, consider yourself lucky because a lot chameleons go on hunger strikes. If you are only feeding crickets I would definitely change up his feeders. What do you feed your crickets?

My crickets eat chopped up carrots and the yellow Fluker's Cricket Quench.

What would you recommend feeding my chameleon and how often?

 

[carol5208]

Well first of all, I would be feeding your crickets a lot more than carrots. Think about this: everything your crickets eat, your chameleon eats basically. You want to provide as much nutrition to your feeders as possible. Dark leafy greens such as kale, mustard greens, collard greens, are good. Fresh fruits and veggies basically, but it doesn't stop there. If you check out Sandrachameleon's page she has a ton of knowledge about gutloading. Sometimes it takes a long time for chameleons to have ill effects of not being provided enough nutrition. Your guy is still young. Other feeders people use are roaches(I do not) mantids, moths, dragon flies, silkworms, hornworms, phoenix worms, butterworms, superworms...grasshoppers(but only certain ones). Like I said I feed my adult chameleon every other day about 6 large feeders. I will throw in a large hornworm or superworm on a day when I do not feed. I would also ditch the Flukers and use oranges instead.