CUP FED OR LOOSE INSECTS?
- Thread starter lthrbecks
- Start date
saradoggy10
Established Member
I've been wondering the same thing but have been leaning towards loose insects. I imagine chameleons follow the general animal in captivity rule of foraging/ hunting for food is the best enrichment you can give.
Hydra_cosplay
Avid Member
Cup feeding is a good way to keep track of how many feeders they are eating. I do this, and then feed maybe 2 or so loose crickets here and there that I can keep an eye on as she eats them. To many loose feeders and you may loose track of where they are in the enclosure. They tend to find somewhere to hide out of sight of the chameleon, which then leads to them just dying off. I also use a feeder run style cup where the bugs are able to climb the back part of it while still remaining trapped. This is good for getting the chams attention.
nightanole
Chameleon Enthusiast
I cup feed small feeders. Supers i just place them on the screen and let them crawl around. Adult dubia i tong feed since 2 is an entire days feeding.
Crued
Member
I'm a new keeper and struggling with this right now. I want to cup feed, but he doesn't seem to care about them. I've used a cup as well as the feeders with screens, and the latter the bugs just sit on the screens and he's uninterested. On the flipside, free roaming bugs, I've seen him spot and hunt down in relatively quick order. I think his preference is free-range bugs and the feeders are just going to take time for him to get used to. A battle of wills?
nightanole
Chameleon Enthusiast
You can also tray/bucket feed. For training you can put a 6-12" deep non clear tote at the bottom with secured sticks across the top. then its more of a cricket corral.
CasqueAbove
Chameleon Enthusiast
Cup feeding is the way to go.
1) track how much food is eaten
2) know that vitamin dusting is still in place
3) It is a great way to get a cham to "Like" you. Once they are eating out of the cup, you can start holding it. and so on
I could make it look like mine are trained, they even come. It is really all about where the food is. They are responding to being fed, not concern for me.
1) track how much food is eaten
2) know that vitamin dusting is still in place
3) It is a great way to get a cham to "Like" you. Once they are eating out of the cup, you can start holding it. and so on
I could make it look like mine are trained, they even come. It is really all about where the food is. They are responding to being fed, not concern for me.
Crued
Member
Sorry to threadjack here, but another topic of interest....
If you are trying to win the battle of wills, how long will the cham go until they eat the food they know is there but are ignoring? Or will they just starve themselves? Are there any really early signs that they aren't getting proper food intake?
If you are trying to win the battle of wills, how long will the cham go until they eat the food they know is there but are ignoring? Or will they just starve themselves? Are there any really early signs that they aren't getting proper food intake?
CasqueAbove
Chameleon Enthusiast
Assuming adult in good condition, they could go two weeks and be fine, not suggesting this just stating a safe limit.
If there is a feeder dish on the bottom of the cage so they can see it from above, they will use it. I would be surprised if he went more than a week, unless already obese.
I have 7 babies they all learned that the cup meant food within a short period of days. Not I was feeding fruit flies, so they did not stay in the dish, but they learned the response.
Don't use clear. They just don't get it and will try the sides for days
If there is a feeder dish on the bottom of the cage so they can see it from above, they will use it. I would be surprised if he went more than a week, unless already obese.
I have 7 babies they all learned that the cup meant food within a short period of days. Not I was feeding fruit flies, so they did not stay in the dish, but they learned the response.
Don't use clear. They just don't get it and will try the sides for days
There are health reasons to consider as well. Should you end up with a parasite issue that you have to treat the cham for. These pass and recontaminate from the fecal matter. So if you are free feeding then the cham is only going to want to eat this way. You risk reinfection while treating the cham for the parasite your trying to get rid of because the feeders run through the contaminated fecal left behind.
Also when they are young and you are new to the hobby it is important to know what and how much they are eating. This and their fecals tell you how the cham is doing.
Alot will not feed unless the cup or run is in the proper placement... Almost always this needs to be at basking level so they either look straight at it on the screen or are able to see down into it and nab them while on the basking branch. Loading it with plenty of feeders the first week is important so the cham sees tons of movement and is enticed to use the new method.
Also when they are young and you are new to the hobby it is important to know what and how much they are eating. This and their fecals tell you how the cham is doing.
Alot will not feed unless the cup or run is in the proper placement... Almost always this needs to be at basking level so they either look straight at it on the screen or are able to see down into it and nab them while on the basking branch. Loading it with plenty of feeders the first week is important so the cham sees tons of movement and is enticed to use the new method.
cantgetagoodsn
Avid Member
100% this! As someone who just dealt with, and still dealing with, coccidia I highly recommend cup feeding. It's cleaner, bugs don't hide, and you can count how many they eat. It's also really cute to see them wake up and go to their cup and look at you like, "where's breakfast, daaaaaad?"
My little guy was not reacting to the screen feeder gallery and preferred free ranging bugs. I tried a cup feed, but he showed no interest. Then I moved it muuuuuch closer to his basking branch higher up and loaded the hell out of it with bugs to get them moving. In a matter of a few days he is now waking up looking at where his cup should be. He has no problem eating out of it.
I think it also helps with trust because I'm CLEARLY taking the cup out of the cage and magically putting it back in with feeders. Going from him becoming very hesitant with me due to medicine and dealing with Coccidia, he is now eating out of my hand again just fine.
It worked for me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
