Cham won't eat

[seanUTD]

So the new baby panther I have refuses to come out of his plant to eat.... I have tried everything... The crickets won't free roam they just fall to the bottom of his cage or head to the top and move away from his plant.... He refuses to go to a food bowl and refuses to hand feed... I don't know what to do... Granted we have only had him two days I tried to change the food bowl location to closer to where he would see it and was forced to bring him out for a few seconds... In that time he was out he bit my fiancé and lept off her arm to the carpet below... He seems okay but I'm really worried that he will just starve himself and I dont know what to do.

 

[Thompson]

When you feed him, do you leave the room and come back later? Or do you wait and see if he eats once you put the food in his cage?

 

[pssh]

Didn't you just get him? Give him a week before you freak out. He needs to settle in without you staring him down waiting for him to eat.

 

[seanUTD]

Ever since I placed the food bowl in it's current location we have only been at his cage three times... All for misting... And that's it... I had him on dubias because my order for 1/4" crickets hadn't come in and my other crickets were too big... The dubias were slower and he straight snatched them off the cage walls but the crickets are too fast and he just doesn't try which is why I put a cup in and he won't even approach it... I put the cup where we found him this morning, hoping that would be a comfortable spot for him

 

[pssh]

wait, he has already eaten? Just feed him dubia then. My veiled will refuse crickets if he knows I have dubia. Some just like them better.

 

[seanUTD]

The problem is I don't have any dubia that small left... My colony is still in process they havent given much yet... So I have no choice BUT to feed him crickets

 

[Miss Lily]

What are you using as a 'cup'? What colour is it? He probably still needs time to settle in and get used to all his new surroundings. Just leave him be and don't stress him out by trying to handle him.

 

[seanUTD]

Its a clear tuppaware... About 1 cup I size... I figured if it was clear he'd be able to see movement easier

 

[carol5208]

You really don't want a perfectly cup cause he might shoot his tongue at the outside of the cup not realizing the crickets are inside. He may injure his tongue that way.

 

[mbondy]

I'm no expert but let him settle for at least a week, if not two. It took my baby almost three weeks to actually eat consistently. If you're really worried, have you tried meal worms?

My cham isn't afraid of me so I hold the cup in front of him and he'll snatch it up what ever I have. Most likely he's just settling in.

 

[pssh]

I still have some dark mealworms for free if you want some. Just pay $3 shipping. They are not as hard as regular mealworms and they are much more active. I also have some small dubia on my site (I think...)

Also, an opaque container is best. With a clear container they can damage their tongue trying to shoot through the plastic. Using a tub is also better than a cup. With a tub they can still hunt the insects down but the insects stay contained.

 

[seanUTD]

Sorrymy vocab. Is off it is an opaque Tupperware butter shaped container not necessarily clear... I should have specified lol

 

[reptoman]

Try going to petco or petsmart and get some small to medium supers. If he goes for them it will get him used to feeding out of the cup. Once he knows to go there for food you can try different feeders. Sometimes chams will take a while to get comfortable with their surroundings even if they already ate. Might just be settling in. Make sure you dont leave any live crickets in his cage overnight because they will bite him while he's sleeping. Good luck.

 

[seanUTD]

Try going to petco or petsmart and get some small to medium supers. If he goes for them it will get him used to feeding out of the cup. Once he knows to go there for food you can try different feeders. Sometimes chams will take a while to get comfortable with their surroundings even if they already ate. Might just be settling in. Make sure you dont leave any live crickets in his cage overnight because they will bite him while he's sleeping. Good luck.

I've never used supers for anything... How big are the small ones cuz this guy is so little that 1/4" crickets are just at his mouth width

 

[melvbrooke]

I wouldn't use supers for your baby chameleon. They have a harder "shell" so to speak that your chameleon could have a hard time digesting if their too big.

My chameleon personally adores mealworms and reptiworms.

 

[Damus]

I think your little guy just needs some small enough crix, i get mine from a lady in irving for 5$ per 100, and shes has all sizes, pinheads to adults just let her know how many you need and she will meet you outside her house. If you'd like i could PM you her info.

 

[panther67]

I say just give him time to adjust. As hard as it may be let him be and he will start to come out of his plant. keep offering his crickets and leave once you feed him.

 

[pssh]

The dark mealworms are only 1/2" long and 1/8" wide.

 

[DavidBuchan]

So the new baby panther I have refuses to come out of his plant to eat.... I have tried everything...

Didn't you just get him? Give him a week before you freak out. He needs to settle in without you staring him down waiting for him to eat.

Straight onto it pssh - just so it's said loud enough, stop trying, lol he will get freaked out a bit if you're constantly tinkering. give him a break from you to grow up by himself like he would naturally. He'll thank you for it later (if he learns to speak, which, granted, is quite unlikely)

 

[seanUTD]

With him being so little I am just qorrying too much.... Nobody will be home after 3 tomorrow so after I feed them he will be on his own all day to roam... I'm certain you guys are right I just need to continue to let him acclimate