So I've been trying to feed my Senegal chameleon and every time he sees a cricket, he stares at it, like he's going to eat it. But then he puffs up his whole body at it, as if he feels threatened. These crickets are baby crickets, so they're not too large for him to eat. But it's really worrying me that something is wrong because he refuses to eat them! Ive been trying to find fruit flies or silkworms but for the meantime i only have crickets and mealworms, which he wont eat. Please help!
Chameleon scared of crickets?
- Thread starter Dewey516
- Start date
Solid Snake
Avid Member
What do you feed the crickets?
Maybe it makes them taste bad?
My xanth will get defensive towards a large feeder, and put on a display
but when mine are on "hunger strikes" they will act like they want to eat, then look like they decided agaisnt it.
Feeding different feeders could help, but if you stick to crickets, they WILL eat the crickets. Mealworms have more of a treat type of nutritional balance, and they will get hooked on them.
How long has it been since he has eaten?
Maybe it makes them taste bad?
My xanth will get defensive towards a large feeder, and put on a display
but when mine are on "hunger strikes" they will act like they want to eat, then look like they decided agaisnt it.Feeding different feeders could help, but if you stick to crickets, they WILL eat the crickets. Mealworms have more of a treat type of nutritional balance, and they will get hooked on them.
How long has it been since he has eaten?
millsamus
New Member
What do you feed the crickets?
Maybe it makes them taste bad?
My xanth will get defensive towards a large feeder, and put on a display
Feeding different feeders could help, but if you stick to crickets, they WILL eat the crickets. Mealworms have more of a treat type of nutritional balance, and they will get hooked on them.
How long has it been since he has eaten?
yea my cham has kind of been on a hunger strike to! for maybe 4 days. Crickets in the feeder cup seem to have jumped out.. maybe a few have been eaten but.... I had to poke and piss her off to get her mouth open and put a cricket in her mouth. This worked well tonight, got 8 crickets in there! Of course carefully.
millsamus
New Member
Give your cham a few days with no food in the tank. Then offer food by hand then by cup feeding lastly. If none of that works u can wait longer or else force feed her. But remember never force something, it will usually break. If you can get your cham to open its mouth u may be able to get a cricket in there. Just be patient.
And look for more opinions, do what you seek most comfortable for you!
Good luck and welcome to the Alliance! Grasp your lightsaber my young apprentice...
Last edited:
DanSB
Avid Member
Not sure if it would help but my Pipin my Senegal will not eat out of a feeding bowl I finally got him to eat some wax worms off a leaf that was in front of him. Then he stopped eating those, ignored the meal worms completely, wouldn't eat crickets from forceps or when they were wandering around the enclosure. Finally I got him to eat crickets off of a small metal screen hand strainer.
I put a cricket in a jar and shake it up until it is stunned then dump it onto the strainer where it will hang on stunned still moving a bit. (It is important that it is moving a bit to trigger a feeding response) and then hold it a few inches away from him until he grabs it.
That works for me it might be worth a try before resorting to force feeding...
I put a cricket in a jar and shake it up until it is stunned then dump it onto the strainer where it will hang on stunned still moving a bit. (It is important that it is moving a bit to trigger a feeding response) and then hold it a few inches away from him until he grabs it.
That works for me it might be worth a try before resorting to force feeding...
MamaD
New Member
I've learned that hunger strikes are pretty common. I limit the worms to treats and use crickets as a main staple. Everyone is right, when he gets hungry, he will eat. My chams will stop eating just before shedding. It is also a good idea to make sure the crickets are not placed into a feeding cup. I would suggest letting them free range in the cage. Your cham's instinct is to hunt for food. As crazy as it sounds, he needs the exercise. Hope this will help out. Best of luck.
