Advice and Help Please!

[MCSEB]

Hi guys,
Early today I posted this thread https://www.chameleonforums.com/feeding-your-chameleon-too-much-101501/
Basically I was just talking about if it's possibly to feed your chameleon too much. You see my chameleon is 5 months old. He is a veiled chamelen and I just got him 5 days ago and a few days ago he finally began to eat. My question is, I have 1/4 sized crickets and I know I messed up there getting him those crickets but this morning he ate 12 and I think he is still hungry. I was wondering if I should give him more than 12 crickets a day since they're 1/4 sized. Yesterday I gave him 11 crickets in the morning and about 4-5 hours later, I gave him 5 more. Since they're little crickets I'm thinking it'll take him a little more to get full right? Is that ok? I really don't know when to stop because if I keep putting in his cage he just keeps eating. I feel like he is very hungry but I don't want to overfeed him or anything. Can somebody give me advice or help me out please. Thank you for your time.

 

[Kate]

With those size of crickets I would let him have as many as he wants. When you get more food can I suggest you try some type of worm, roaches and larger crickets. You have had him for a few days and he is eating well. That's great. They won't get fat in a few days.

 

[dom1959]

at his age he could eat maybe another 12 of the 1/4.

my veiled is kinda hot and cold. some days he'll eat 20 somedays 4
so i let him regulate himself(within reason).
have you tried any dubia yet?

 

[MCSEB]

With those size of crickets I would let him have as many as he wants. When you get more food can I suggest you try some type of worm, roaches and larger crickets. You have had him for a few days and he is eating well. That's great. They won't get fat in a few days.

Oh okay this is great to hear. I tried feeding him butter worms but he doesn't want those. I have some small dubias as well. He ate two of them already. So in your opinion, how many would you suggest a day? As many as he wants? I'm not worried about him getting fat, I just don't want to overfeed him haha

 

[DavidBuchan]

In a way it is a guessing game to give him what is best for him. I know you've read part 2 of the caresheet The general rule is not to feed crickets that are longer than the space between his eyes. Anything smaller is fine, if he'll go for it. Keep up as you are, let him stuff himself once or twice per week.....you'll get a good idea of his appetite with time. He will (probably) naturally eat less when it's time, then you can start missing days for feedings.

 

[CarlyMK]

Hello, 1/4 cricks are not that big, I still have a 3 month old so my 5 month old is still eating the smaller crickets. He can eat up anywhere from 15-20 a day plus a silkworm usually. Your guy is still young so they're still allowed to eat as much as they want! Just my opinion, someone may have a different one!

When they're full at this age they'll stop eating, it's only when they're older does the feeding need to slow down a bit.

 

[MCSEB]

at his age he could eat maybe another 12 of the 1/4.

my veiled is kinda hot and cold. some days he'll eat 20 somedays 4
so i let him regulate himself(within reason).
have you tried any dubia yet?

Are you sure?
That's good to hear. Yes, I have given him 2 dubia roaches. I have about 20 small ones left. He likes them. Next time I need more food, I will order him adult crickets and probably adult dubia roaches. I am gutloading all of them though. I also have butterworms but he doesn't seem to be interested in those.

 

[DavidBuchan]

I will order him adult crickets and probably adult dubia roaches.

Adult dubias will be too big for him now. Keep on small/medium. I try to feed things that are as small as they will pay attention to, in general. This will minimise any slight chance of 'feeder damage'

 

[MCSEB]

In a way it is a guessing game to give him what is best for him. I know you've read part 2 of the caresheet The general rule is not to feed crickets that are longer than the space between his eyes. Anything smaller is fine, if he'll go for it. Keep up as you are, let him stuff himself once or twice per week.....you'll get a good idea of his appetite with time. He will (probably) naturally eat less when it's time, then you can start missing days for feedings.

Yes I have read it a couple of times and I have it pritned out. I'll take eveyones advice then and just give him as many as he wants. I just don't want to overfeed him or anything. Yeah I know you can begin to miss a day once they're between 5-7 months and older right? I just want to see how many he could eat per day now so I can get an idea but thank you so much man

 

[MCSEB]

Hello, 1/4 cricks are not that big, I still have a 3 month old so my 5 month old is still eating the smaller crickets. He can eat up anywhere from 15-20 a day plus a silkworm usually. Your guy is still young so they're still allowed to eat as much as they want! Just my opinion, someone may have a different one!

When they're full at this age they'll stop eating, it's only when they're older does the feeding need to slow down a bit.

Hello!!
I know they're not too big. Sadly they're small but he eats them pretty quick you know? I'll take your advice on that and just give him as many as he wants. Probably another 10-12 more to see where he's at. I just want to see how many he could eat so I could get an idea. Thanks a lot!!

 

[MCSEB]

Adult dubias will be too big for him now. Keep on small/medium. I try to feed things that are as small as they will pay attention to, in general. This will minimise any slight chance of 'feeder damage'

Oops I didn't mean adult my bad. Yeah i was going to stick with medium dubias for now. I'm going to try feeding him a butterworm to see if he will eat it or not. My question, if he does eat a butterworm. How many should I give him a day? I heard worms aren't good to feed them too much because thye're fatty foods and you want to keep them on a good diet.

 

[DavidBuchan]

I heard worms aren't good to feed them too much because thye're fatty foods and you want to keep them on a good diet.

Waxworms are high fat and bad (in my opinion, my fault 'cos I spoiled him really ).
Butters have a little less fat, and are high calcium. Sandra suggests not more than 20% of the diet be butterworms, which sounds very sensible to me, although I have never fed them to my chams yet....

 

[MCSEB]

Waxworms are high fat and bad (in my opinion, my fault 'cos I spoiled him really ).
Butters have a little less fat, and are high calcium. Sandra suggests not more than 20% of the diet be butterworms, which sounds very sensible to me, although I have never fed them to my chams yet....

Ok cool that's good to know. Yeah reptar doesn't want to eat butter worms. I'll try like I said now to see if he eats one.

 

[MCSEB]

He ate his first butterworm right now and I caught it on camera!! It was inside the cage for 5 minutes as soon as I turn on the camera, he looks at it and then he goes for the worm.