Eating too much??

[ChrisnLisa]

We have two male veileds...both about a year old. One male eats like crazy. We offer him as many as he wants and he eats 30-40 3/4" crickets no problem. We buy crickets locally so these are definitely small for him, but doesn't this sound excessive? Any ideas on this is much appreciated.

 

[No Limit]

i don't think chams like eat when they are hungry, they eat when every they can, he is ful grown you shouldn't be feeding him that much

 

[ChrisnLisa]

I'm not sure of that's entirely true though. Our other male veiled same age is full and will stop eating willingly at about 12 crickets or so. He is larger though. The one that is eating like crazy still seems to have a bit of growing to do....maybe something to do with it?

 

[nightcrawler]

i think you have to ration them their food or else the will be over weight.
a little after a year i think you are soposed to feed them every other day or so.

HOW MUCH TO OFFER

During the first six months of a veiled chameleon's life, it has an amazing appetite. Reptiles are extremely good at converting food into body mass, and grow at an amazing rate during this time. At this stage of life they should have access to as much as they can eat (please see specific care for females) which could be up to 25 or 30 small crickets a day!
This should taper at about six months old and by one year of age the chameleon will most likely do quite well on three to five insects once every other day or so.
Vitamin and mineral supplementation should continue throughout the animals life (see supplements page).

Posted by Brad Ramsey at 1:20 PM
(copyright brad ramsey)
http://raisingkittytheveiledchamele.../feeders-and-their-husbandry-how-much-to.html

 

[ken2414]

mine only eats 12 plus a waxworm every now and then

 

[ChrisnLisa]

Very strange...as he is not overweight at all! Regardless, I better start cutting him down. I still wonder if he is a late bloomer or something I feel he is small for his age, maybe that is why he is such a pig.

 

[nightcrawler]

maybe he poops it all out like me.

 

[AFH]

Yeah, I would say 30-40 crickets, even 3/4" is way too much.

 

[dodolah]

30 to 40 crickets for adult chameleons is excessive.
But, if he does not gain weight at all and it's not followed by growth spurt, I would take his feces early in the morning and have it tested for parasites just in case.

 

[ChrisnLisa]

Good thinking, better safe than sorry.