Difficulties with feeding, need some advice.

[Jared910]

Hello everyone. I've had my male panther chameleon for about 3 months now, I believe he's 4 months old. I've always mainly fed crickets, with occasional super worms and soldier flies. However now things are becoming very frustrating. Every morning I hand feed a few crickets and super worms and then let crickets free in the cage. However, my Cham is not able to eat the crickets as they all scramble into corners of the cage and hide in weird spots that he can't get to. He also won't eat them if they are hanging on the screen, only if they are on leaves or branches. I come home everyday and find all of the crickets hiding and he hasn't eaten any. I know he's hungry as he climbs all over the place hunting, and he will eat if I place insects around him with tongs, he just can't find them when they hide like that. I made a feeding container (photo attached below) that works somewhat well as far as making the crickets contained and accessible, but I haven't seen him eat from it one single time. He will walk by and just won't eat out of the container. I'm concerned because he's definately not getting enough food but I'm not sure what I can do, I hand feed when I can but that's not enough. If he won't eat out of my feeding cup, he can't get many crickets that are let loose, what am I supposed to do?

 

[jannb]

I recommend a larger variety of feeders. Mix it us and try some silkworm, roaches, moths and horn worms.
I also recommend using a feeder cup for crickets and roaches.

It would be a good idea to get a fecal on your boy and check for parasites.

 

[kinyonga]

Please don't post more than one thread on the same topic...bump the original thread if you need more help.
It makes it hard for us to follow.

Are the crickets and other insects the right size now?

 

[Jared910]

I recommend a larger variety of feeders. Mix it us and try some silkworm, roaches, moths and horn worms.
I also recommend using a feeder cup for crickets and roaches.

It would be a good idea to get a fecal on your boy and check for parasites.

Roaches have the same problem as the crickets, if he doesn't eat them right away they just hide and disappear forever. And as far as the feeder cup, do you mean one other than the one I already have?, there's a picture of it I attached above. But he doesn't seem to eat out of the feeding cup, will only eat from my hand or if they happen to be on a leaf or branch(which they never are). They just cling to the cage and hide in corners.

 

[jannb]

Roaches have the same problem as the crickets, if he doesn't eat them right away they just hide and disappear forever. And as far as the feeder cup, do you mean one other than the one I already have?, there's a picture of it I attached above. But he doesn't seem to eat out of the feeding cup, will only eat from my hand or if they happen to be on a leaf or branch(which they never are). They just cling to the cage and hide in corners.

I would recommend feeder cups like the ones pictures. Hang then higher in the enclosure.....between half and 3/4's the way up.