Chameleon started acting weird around feeders

[Robobob]

So last 4-5 times my panther chameleon has been getting very picky with his food for some reason, he refuses to eat anything with the exception of a few superworms a day. He's still drinking and all but if
i dont feed him the superworms like i have the last few days he starts eating the interior of his enclosure (bark and neoregelia plants).
He's currently not keen on eating crickets and has also started acting really weird to the locusts i recently started feeding him with that he seemed to love just a week ago.



As you can see he is acting like he is startled by them, which doesnt make sense to me since he used to happily grab and eat them once i let them into the enclosure. He didnt have any problems killing and
swallowing the previous locusts either so i find it hard to see he would have developed some sort of trauma towards them..

Any advice?

 

[MSPINAZ1]

just a thought? whens the last time he shed? they get picky, cranky, and even slow or stop eating when they are going to shed.

 

[Robobob]

just a thought? whens the last time he shed? they get picky, cranky, and even slow or stop eating when they are going to shed.

He shed about a week ago, funny thing is that these problems appear to have occured right after he finished shedding.
I also added a new plant to his enclosure the other day, dont know if that could have affected his mood

 

[Beman]

So I have a Veiled and he is quite picky the last 6 weeks with his feeders. I switched him to silkworms because he would not go for crickets or dubia any longer. He had them at his feedings quite happily the first week. Then out of no where he started doing something very similar. Puffing, showing all his dominant colors, dancing back and forth trying to be all big. I gave up on feeding him that day. I too was at first trying with tongs. I have since given up on that with him. I read somewhere that they can injure their tongue. Anyways the next day I put one in and set it on a branch near him. He was totally fine with it and has been since then. Maybe just try putting it in there and let him hunt it. See if you do any better with that. At least the locust is big enough that you will be able to see it if he does not eat. But I have been putting them in and then backing off and watching to ensure he is eating.
This was the pic I got of him when he freaked on me. Good luck!

 

[alphakenc]

That metal long tongue is a treat to him he is saying to u "oh please dont come any closer...plz dont hurt me" !!!!
Maybe try some cup feeding and see if is any difference.

 

[JoXie411]

My Cham did that when he was sick. Not saying yours is but that what my little guy did then I found out he had coccidia. Stopped eating and running away from feeders

 

[Robobob]

So I have a Veiled and he is quite picky the last 6 weeks with his feeders. I switched him to silkworms because he would not go for crickets or dubia any longer. He had them at his feedings quite happily the first week. Then out of no where he started doing something very similar. Puffing, showing all his dominant colors, dancing back and forth trying to be all big. I gave up on feeding him that day. I too was at first trying with tongs. I have since given up on that with him. I read somewhere that they can injure their tongue. Anyways the next day I put one in and set it on a branch near him. He was totally fine with it and has been since then. Maybe just try putting it in there and let him hunt it. See if you do any better with that. At least the locust is big enough that you will be able to see it if he does not eat. But I have been putting them in and then backing off and watching to ensure he is eating.
This was the pic I got of him when he freaked on me. Good luck!

View attachment 226883

Thanks for the input, beautiful veiled there by the way!

I'm feeding him with tongs because his tongue is not working, he's been unable to shoot it since the day i got him and 90% of the attempts to hunt for himself fails miserably

Anyway he doesnt seem to mind my hand going in there to feed him, he happily steps onto my hand to reach for the worms i bring him.

I have a feeder mounted in the corner, i'll try buying dubia tomorrow and put in there and see how he likes them!