Barely Eating

[elizaann2]

Are the bugs bigger than the space between his eyes? Do you have a feeder run? Some of my chams eat better out of their feeder runs rather than the bird feeder cups.

Another idea is putting more bugs in the feeder cup so they move around more. Chameleons are attracted to the movement and that gets them to eat. Dubia tend to find corners to hunker down into and not move, putting more in the cup could create more 'movement' which may get him to eat more.

Here is a picture of my feeder run in my Jackson's enclosure.

 

[elizaann2]

If you use one could you send it to me please. And could I make a diy feeder run? Also will my crickets jump off of the feeder run? So many questions!

Hahah no worries! We all want you and your chameleon to be successful so ask away!! So when I first got my Jackson's he wasn't eating as much as I knew he should have been eating, at first he only had a bird feeder cup. I ended up making a DIY feeder run that Bill Strand teaches you how to make. My boy took to it immediately with the crickets in there. I then ordered the lunch log to replace the DIY feeder. He does great now. I still use his bird cup to put in about 20 bsfl daily or some wax worms on treat bug day but the majority of his food he eats from the lunch log.

 

[elizaann2]

This is my thread that includes me struggling with my guy eating when I first got him. Maybe there will be some helpful information in there

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/new-jacksons-xantholophus.190450/

 

[elizaann2]

Um I looked over the vet list and none of them were in Texas. So I used Arav and there only showed on exotic vet but he is very far from where I live. Would it be okay if I took him to this veterinarian? I have never been and it’s about 45 minutes away, but is it worth a try?: VEG

I think its worth a shot. I would recommend speaking with the vet either before your appointment or in your appointment and ask them questions about treatment and care for chameleons. Ask how many/how often they work with chameleons and try to get a good sense of their knowledge. I think most of us here would not necessarily get husbandry advice from their vet due to them not being able to keep up with how much in each reptile changes and grows each year but they can for sure help with medical stuff.

 

[elizaann2]

Here are the dubias I am currently feeding him (I fed him 2 again, then wouldn’t take anymore):

Another thought.. are you holding the cup for him to eat from or are you placing it in his enclosure and leaving him alone?

 

[Paradalis]

I placed it in his enclosure this morning and left him alone for 3 and a half hours then came back to check on him, he hadn’t eaten so I gave him 2, then the Dubia climbed all over him.

 

[CalamityCrow]

I placed it in his enclosure this morning and left him alone for 3 and a half hours then came back to check on him, he hadn’t eaten so I gave him 2, then the Dubia climbed all over him.

Lol he'll calm down - Dubia don't really bite. They have really soft mouthparts and can't really do any damage. You'll probably find that dubia like 3 months from now as a big boy in a very unexpected surprise. But as far as safety, you don't have to worry about bites/attacks on your cham.

As far as the cup - can he see down into his cup from his basking spot? Chams aren't known to be super smart, so I try and give mine every advantage he can get about food. Mine is also a 5ish month old panther and I have a little metal bowl for him, where I throw way more dubias than I think he'll eat in there for him. They crawl on each other and make noise/movement that helps attract him over there. I'll also throw BSFL in there as well (and the flies when they hatch out). I'm looking for silkworms but they're hard to get hands on.

Shedding can also lower appetite too. My guy slows on his eating a day or two before SHEDSPLOSION.

Best of luck! It sounds like the temperature was likely the culprit.

 

[Paradalis]

I do think it was temperature. I am going to try to make a feeder run because Loki too is attracted to sound and movement.

 

[Paradalis]

Thanks so much for all the help and information! I will post later on how Loki’s going!

 

[elizaann2]

Thanks so much for all the help and information! I will post later on how Loki’s going!

Let us know how it goes!

 

[Paradalis]

Loki ate another Dubia but after didn’t want any more bugs. Normally he doesn’t go for dubias but today it’s all he is eating. He better not go on a hunger strike.

 

[elizaann2]

Loki ate another Dubia but after didn’t want any more bugs. Normally he doesn’t go for dubias but today it’s all he is eating. He better not go on a hunger strike.

I don't think chameleons all eat all their bugs in one go too so keep that in mind. My Jackson's will eat a span of 10 crickets throughout the day. My veiled with eat everything in her feeder bowl as soon as its offered, no questions asked. You may have a cham that picks at food throughout the day.

 

[Paradalis]

Noted. He just ate a cricket! I am so happy

 

[Paradalis]

The sound of him crunching the bug is music to my ears!

 

[elizaann2]

Noted. He just ate a cricket! I am so happy

So this is what I do with my juvenile, I pay attention to how often he poops and have a little spreadsheet where I track the day they poop, I also mark how many bugs I put in their enclosure each morning and how many I remove before lights are out each night. That might help you feel a little better, its not realistic to see them eat every bug but tracking those 3 things will help you know he is eating

 

[elizaann2]

The sound of him crunching the bug is music to my ears!

I feel you. I love that sound

 

[Paradalis]

Thank you!

 

[Paradalis]

Hello, happy new year! Loki’s New Years resolution is to shed, which he already got started on! I think him not eating was due to the cold and him getting ready to shed! He ate 4 bugs!

 

[elizaann2]

Hello, happy new year! Loki’s New Years resolution is to shed, which he already got started on! I think him not eating was due to the cold and him getting ready to shed! He ate 4 bugs!

This is wonderful news

 

[Andrew1283]

I have two panthers who would become morbidly obese if I gave then as much food as they want.

I also have a veiled who will not eat unless it’s a horn worm, super worm, or silk worm. If I offered only crickets I’m convinced he would starve himself to death. He went a full month without eating more than a few hoppers. Then I realized he only wants worms. Scary stuff.