automatic feeder

[Hoj]

so it seems alot of us have the same issue of waht to do for our chams when we go away.
with automatic misters and timers for the lights tho only real thing missing is a way to feed.
so i found this and was thinking that if only it was alot bigger this design could work, ( for a few days )http://www.amazon.com/Fish-Mate-F14...ef=tag_dpp_lp_edpp_ttl_ex/188-0072947-5517418 ( just noticed the pic isnt great but if you dont know it works by rotating at a set time and when it rotates it exposes the next chamber to a hole allowing fish food to fall out, but a bigger one would hold crickets and then they would fall out )
if the appropriate ammount of crickets were placed into the sections with a bit of food then the unit would just dump out the food at a predetermind time.
obviously it would need to be alot bigger.
supplelmenting would be out unless you predusted the crickets but for a few days wouldnt really be an issue.
so my questions are
does anyone know of a product like this?
and if not and i was to get started on developing one, how many people would be interested in one?

i am interested in all opinions but would really like to hear what a few experienced keepers think.

 

[Ace]

Not bad....if at a larger scale its a nice thought

 

[Captive Creations]

Neat Idea I would be interested in the finish product if it were made. It would be a ideal product if it could be made right. Good luck.

 

[UrbanChameleon]

It would be absolutely amazing if an automatic feeder existed! I don't really trust anyone I know to feed my Chameleons. It's extremely rough trying to find someone who:

A) Doesn't try to bug the crap out of your reptile (lack of experience with reptiles)

B) Isn't afraid of insects

C) Can be trusted to feed your animal on it's feeding schedule

I think it is long overdue for a product like this. That is the one major problem we haven't found a solution for as of yet. We really need to find someone who can get the ball rolling on this amazing idea. They would be a millionaire.

 

[htownsoccer00]

I would buy one!

 

[sdheli420]

so it seems alot of us have the same issue of waht to do for our chams when we go away.
with automatic misters and timers for the lights tho only real thing missing is a way to feed.
so i found this and was thinking that if only it was alot bigger this design could work, ( for a few days )http://www.amazon.com/Fish-Mate-F14...ef=tag_dpp_lp_edpp_ttl_ex/188-0072947-5517418 ( just noticed the pic isnt great but if you dont know it works by rotating at a set time and when it rotates it exposes the next chamber to a hole allowing fish food to fall out, but a bigger one would hold crickets and then they would fall out )
if the appropriate ammount of crickets were placed into the sections with a bit of food then the unit would just dump out the food at a predetermind time.
obviously it would need to be alot bigger.
supplelmenting would be out unless you predusted the crickets but for a few days wouldnt really be an issue.
so my questions are
does anyone know of a product like this?
and if not and i was to get started on developing one, how many people would be interested in one?

i am interested in all opinions but would really like to hear what a few experienced keepers think.

hoj, that is an awesome idea, say if it also was incorperated into a sunny-d-death-trap and would say drop in crickets once a day, (you just drop in a batch every 3 days or so)...maybe i can gut one of those units out and make the parts...you have me thinking!!!

 

[drcrossfire]

what if you did a "cup feeder" that rotated like a lazy susan... so each day it could rotate and have a new cup exposed-- like a plastic deli cup. so they can be easily changed out

 

[sdheli420]

what if you did a "cup feeder" that rotated like a lazy susan... so each day it could rotate and have a new cup exposed-- like a plastic deli cup. so they can be easily changed out

thats actually an awesome idea!!

 

[Trace]

I wouldn't use one. If I'm only gone for 3 or 4 days then the chameleons don't eat during that time. I will feed them a bit extra a day or two before going on vacation so they are a little more full. I also change their lighting schedule for the time I'm gone so their 'days' aren't as long as normal (6 hours on, 18 hours off) so essentially they sleep longer, aren't as active and feeding.

If I'm gone for longer then I need someone to come in anyways to look after things and/or my posse move to my sitters place.

 

[Hoj]

what if you did a "cup feeder" that rotated like a lazy susan... so each day it could rotate and have a new cup exposed-- like a plastic deli cup. so they can be easily changed out

my thoughts exactly, a small ammount of food could be left to gut load the insects in each cup and when they rotate to the feeding position they and the food would fall out the bottom, leaving a bit of food for them to much on as well,

I wouldn't use one. If I'm only gone for 3 or 4 days then the chameleons don't eat during that time. I will feed them a bit extra a day or two before going on vacation so they are a little more full. I also change their lighting schedule for the time I'm gone so their 'days' aren't as long as normal (6 hours on, 18 hours off) so essentially they sleep longer, aren't as active and feeding.

If I'm gone for longer then I need someone to come in anyways to look after things and/or my posse move to my sitters place.

i have used this exact methode, just thinnking out loud about options
thank you tho for the honest opinion Trace i need to hear the no's as well

 

[drcrossfire]

my thoughts exactly, a small ammount of food could be left to gut load the insects in each cup and when they rotate to the feeding position they and the food would fall out the bottom, leaving a bit of food for them to much on as well,

I was thinking you wouldn't even need to make them fall. It could literally just be the cup for cup feeding them? so the top becomes exposed as opposed to the bottom dropping off

 

[Hoj]

I was thinking you wouldn't even need to make them fall. It could literally just be the cup for cup feeding them? so the top becomes exposed as opposed to the bottom dropping off

that could work, i think there would need to be a way for the crickets to get out as i have found once they selltle down they dont try to jump out.
or i guess the cham could eat right out of the cup.
thanks for the ideas

 

[zerpda]

feeder

This sounds very interesting and I would probably be interested in seeing a finished device.