Dubia feeding question

[Calval24]

hi there. So I kept reading on the forum for that dubia roaches are a great feeder. So my problem is that my panther won't eat any of them. I cup feed the Dubias. I aLso free range the crickets. I see him eat the crickets all the time but he just looks at the Dubias and doesn't seem to interested in eating them. I also give him a few meal worms as a treat once or twice a week (he loves those).
Any advice on how I can get him to eat the Dubias? Any advice on what you have done will be greatly appreciated

 

[Daypaul]

My female veiled seems not to like them either but if I start with 2 pheonix worms and then offer the dubia she'll usually take atleast one but other than that one a day is the most I can get sometimes less than that.

 

[Calval24]

I wonder if I don't offer crickets he will eat them. I just don't want to starve the guy lol

 

[Daypaul]

Yea I know what you mean you can try this it won't hurt for a day or so, has he ever tried one?

 

[Calval24]

Yea I know what you mean you can try this it won't hurt for a day or so, has he ever tried one?

Not even one! I tried to hand feed like I do with meal worms but he just stares at it but with the meal worms he runs to my hand and eats it up no problem

 

[Andee]

How old is your chameleon? Juvenile chameleons 4-6 months can go to a week or 2 without eating and be fine. I doubt they'd starve themselves.

 

[Calval24]

How old is your chameleon? Juvenile chameleons 4-6 months can go to a week or 2 without eating and be fine. I doubt they'd starve themselves.

My Cham is only 2.5-3 months I believe.

 

[KLowery88]

Some chameleons don't take to roaches very well since they don't move constantly. My guy eats discoids here and there, but he doesn't jump after them like other feeders. He does love freshly molted ones when they're still white and squishy though.

 

[Calval24]

Some chameleons don't take to roaches very well since they don't move constantly. My guy eats discoids here and there, but he doesn't jump after them like other feeders. He does love freshly molted ones when they're still white and squishy though.

That's good to know that some don't like roaches that much. They are such picky little eaters hahah

 

[KLowery88]

That's good to know that some don't like roaches that much. They are such picky little eaters hahah

They are, but it makes sense from a chameleon's point of view. They're used to nabbing fast moving, flying insects, so movement is what gets them going. I do wish he ate roaches more since my colony is exploding, lol.

 

[Blang]

I have 2 month old panther babies eating small dubia's out of a cup!

 

[Andee]

I make sure they are near the cup at first, my roaches move a good deal for the first few minutes they are in the cup.

 

[alphakenc]

It all depending on ur breeder that u bought ur cham from,if they got introduced early for their staple food items,or u will have to keep on offering ur cham until they take the bite on it,some chams will be more eagerly to eat the dubia,some will take a long while...persistent always help to solve the resistant,never give up my dubia unless they disappeared on the earth and migrates to Mars.

 

[Blang]

Not even one! I tried to hand feed like I do with meal worms but he just stares at it but with the meal worms he runs to my hand and eats it up no problem

Not to be a Richard! But the mealworms I would discontinue due to causing impaction & no nutritional value!

 

[oneillchameleons]

What size of Dubia are you trying to feed? If you're trying with an adult, I'd suggest offering smaller ones first along with some a superworms or two to get your Cham to recognize them as food.

 

[Calval24]

What size of Dubia are you trying to feed? If you're trying with an adult, I'd suggest offering smaller ones first along with some a superworms or two to get your Cham to recognize them as food.

I got small size ones. He is still a baby only 3 inches at most from snout to vent. I'm thinking he doesn't know that the roaches are food I will try it with some supers and see what happens. Thank you

 

[Blang]

I got small size ones. He is still a baby only 3 inches at most from snout to vent. I'm thinking he doesn't know that the roaches are food I will try it with some supers and see what happens. Thank you

I put 8 or more in the cup so when 1or 2 move around the rest of them take the hint & start moving to! I feed hydei ff to & dubia in the morning & the cup only has a few left by the time the lights go out!

 

[shomegirl]

If you have a screen enclosure, let the roaches climb on the screen, mine scurry when I place them on it and my panther snaps them up.

 

[Daypaul]

Yea if your going to use worms like that I'd suggest supers they have more meat to shell ratio than mealworms. But beware they are addicting. My Blanche has to have atleast one a day. I have seen some healthy looking chams that are years old and the owners swear there staple had been superworms most of the time. So this is contriversal. I wonder if there are any accounts of actual problems being traced to to much superworms with anyone on here. Time to hit the search engine. Perhaps a new thread with this question is in order. Good luck to you and yours.

 

[Daypaul]

Also for about a week mine wouldn't touch them but it seems after she tried them instead of hating them she just kinda dislikes them now. Dubias that is.