Are crickets and hoppers enough?

[lthrbecks]

After exhausting all avenues of feeder insects for Hammy, my juvenile chameleon, the only things he'll eat are crix and hoppers!

I've tried the following...

Red Runner & Banana Roaches
Snails
Wax, silk, calci and Meal worms

Unfortunately, its only the two I'm left with. He doesn't, nor has he ever, eaten a morsel of fruit or veg for me!

My question is... will crix and hoppers be enough, to sustain him?

Thank you for any help you can give me on the above matter.

 

[nightanole]

Meh thats fine, they dont branch out till sub adult. The joke is you get a gold star if you can get your baby to eat dubia.

Whats a "hopper"? Around here thats bigger than a fuzzy pinky/mouse.

 

[jamest0o0]

Meh thats fine, they dont branch out till sub adult. The joke is you get a gold star if you can get your baby to eat dubia.

Whats a "hopper"? Around here thats bigger than a fuzzy pinky/mouse.

Grasshopper lol

 

[mrfixit01]

I had a veiled that only ever ate mealworms. Lol Didn't matter what size or kind of crickets or any other feeder, except horned worms, he wouldn't eat them. Lived to around 7 years old. Was never sickly. always active. Then others won't touch mealworms but will eat banded crickets from Josh's and some time even a few wax worms. If their appetite slows down, try spraying the feeders with something like garlic spray for reptiles once in a while. That usually gets their attention. They're just bored and want a change of taste. I've found that Repashy's coconut cream pie gelatin is very attractive to them.

 

[lthrbecks]

I forgot, I've tried dubia roaches too, ate about 2! Thanks so much for the message.
One another slight concern, he'll not drink for me from the big dripper. He did take a mini bottle once or twice. I mist his viv a few times daily. I've heard they're secretive drinkers lol

 

[Gingero]

They definitely are secretive drinkers. As long as you're providing water and their urates look good, you know they're drinking.

Also chameleons have favorite foods and will boycott other feeders until they get the feeder they want. Just like a kid throwing a tantrum until they get ice cream. If all you offer your cham is 'broccoli' eventually they will get hungry enough and eat it even though they really want the 'ice cream'.

 

[lthrbecks]

Good advice! I don't often see his urates to be honest, but any time I do see them, they're whitish in colour!

Thanks for your reply. Much appreciated

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

If their appetite slows down, try spraying the feeders with something like garlic spray for reptiles once in a while. That usually gets their attention.

The only mention I've ever seen of garlic with regard to reptiles is as a repellent.

garlic spray for reptiles

Is that safe? The archives & google seem unsure. I haven't dug deeply yet, but a cursory search turned this up:

Seriously Dangerous to your Turtles, Tortoises, and Lizards:

* Onions and Garlic Family - Can cause digestive upset in
small quantities and serious illness if eaten in bulk.
http://petcaretips.net/poisonous-plants-turtles-lizards.html

IDK—I'm asking.

 

[bbyoda]

I'm transitioning my cham to eat Surinam roaches as a staple. They move around enough to get his attention, which was an issue with other roaches. So might be worth continuing to troubleshoot, im addition to trying again when he's older like @nightanole mentioned. Have you tried feeding flies yet? Not a staple but pretty fun. You can just let your Cali worms pupate and they'll turn into black solider flies.

 

[Chameleomom]

My guy will NOT eat BSFL but LOVES the flies....I love to watch him chase them

 

[Chameleomom]

If their appetite slows down, try spraying the feeders with something like garlic spray for reptiles once in a while. That usually gets their attention. They're just bored and want a change of taste. I've found that Repashy's coconut cream pie gelatin is very attractive to them.

I have heard of people put garlic around their house to keep lizards away but feed it to them? and the Repashy you mention is for skinks, bearded dragons and such

 

[mrfixit01]

The only mention I've ever seen of garlic with regard to reptiles is as a repellent.

garlic spray for reptiles

Is that safe? The archives & google seem unsure. I haven't dug deeply yet, but a cursory search turned this up:

IDK—I'm asking.

From Josh's Frogs. it's called Jurassic Guard, Garlic additive for Reptiles and Amphibians. It has garlic extract 9900 ppm, allicin 130ppm, and ascorbic acid 1000ppm. I only use it when their appetite seems low and they really seem to like it. No odd effects have been seen.

 

[jamest0o0]

I've wondered about garlic, people in the saltwater hobby often add it to make food more enticing and to help with parasites.

 

[Chameleomom]

Yes when I had a saltwater tank I use it once a week for that very reason

 

[jamest0o0]

Yes when I had a saltwater tank I use it once a week for that very reason

Yup same here

 

[Chameleomom]

I miss my saltwater tank. Thought of a small one with a already mated clown with a anemone

 

[jamest0o0]

I miss my saltwater tank. Thought of a small one with a already mated clown with a anemone

Same, makes any reptiles seem cheap though lol. I'd have one if I wasn't low on money/time.

 

[Chameleomom]

Same, makes any reptiles seem cheap though lol.

I hear you on that, but I still miss the beauty of a saltwater just not the cost of everything I love my reptile babies and I can hold them