What's the trick to feeding my baby veiled?

[Pensfan7125]

Its my 3rd day with my baby veiled chameleon. He didn't eat the first day because the pet store had already fed him. The second day I witnessed him about 3 crickets that were dusted with calcium dust and dead. Today I didnt see him eat any crickets, but I assume he has because I can't find them in his cage. I tried to put some in a cup for him but he didnt eat any, so I crushed them and killed them and set them on a branch. I crush most of them and show him, then place them in the same spot so he knows where they are. I just want to know a little trick that would be easier to feed him instead of guessing. Could I get some advice please.

 

[ataraxia]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

Need to make sure everything is fine with your husbandry.

 

[chems1998]

try other food

 

[Pensfan7125]

I gut load the crickets

I dust them in calcium powder

Today I dusted them in vitamin dust

Is there anything I am missing?
Mine is somewhere b
Around 1 month old. Should I let the crickets walks round the cage or put the in a cup? My chameleon is about 4 inches long.

 

[jcarlo17]

hmmm

hmmm maybe the crickets are to big? he should be eating some fairly small ones since hes 1 month. Also I have never heard of anyone crushing crickets. When a chameleon gets a new home sometimes it takes a while for them to feel comfortable to eat. Also they are very stubborn and wont eat for a couple days but trust when they are hungry they will eat. you can keep trying both ways. With my cham I used to let a few go in the cage and he would hunt them down but now i cup feed mine. He got so used to that when hes hungry he just waits me to fill up the cup. sometimes a couple crickets will get loose and he will chase them. But each cham is different. make sure you are using calcim without d3 most of the time and calcium with d3 once every two weeks and multivitamins once every two weeks also.

 

[Psychobunny]

I also have 2 babies, smaller then yours, I am training to eat from a hand held cup.
It takes time and the cricks need to be alive and moving.
Just find a clear plastic cup that is fairly small but the cricks cant easily jump out, and slowly hold it close to your cham so he can see the cricks inside.
Use the same cup every day and eventualy, he will eat out of it.

Next, try hand feeding, like silkies or hornworns.
Just put a few worms in your had and hold it up to him.
Make sure not to move, just hold still. Your cham will be looking at those yummy worms and wont be able to resist

 

[ASublimeDay]

Dont kill the crickets, Chameleons eat live bugs and typically wont go after anything that isnt moving

Blue Bottle Flies are great for breaking hunger-strikes. They can't resist them. Order some pupae, when they hatch put them in the fridge for a few minutes so they get stunned. Pop them in the cage and close it up. Within about 10 minutes they'll be flying again and your cham will go nuts.