Feeder Diversity 4 Small Cc Jackson

[VerucaSalt]

6-8 mth Jackson Male

I've had him 4-5 mths, with resp issues after purchasing thru Petco -_-, but he has been treated, has recouped & is fecal negative.

Has live hibisicus (til I kill it from root wetness I'm sure) golden pothos, 2 tillasadia air plants and several faux plants. Adding much needed plant lighting next.

Using a heat bulb and 10.0 reptisun uvb 11-12 hrs on then darkness in alt.

Mister running every 2 hours for 2 mins (120 secs is longest mist setting on unit), little dripper water dripper ran 2-3 times for 20 mins after about an HR warm up then close to 3, then again close to 6-7.

Hand mist 4-6 times daily until small hand pump is empty with each.

(Should mention he also had a humidifier that showed water fog against caging for the past 2 months up until approx a week ago--was really struggling to get cage humidity consistent with screen and all faux plants.)

Fecal is unremarkable--solid dark brown with separate white urate.

He gets Repashy all in one daily only on crickets. Up approx 2-3 wks ago was doing calc w/out D3 daily w/alt multi vitamin and d3 inclusive calcium alt on bi-mthly sched.

Small & med. crickets are gut Fet flukers and mazotti superier insect. Superworms also use same gut load. Wax aren't around long enough to gutload as they die fast if I try to keep longer than a couple days. Tried small Dubai roaches twice now, he ate one the first time and then wouldn't touch them.

**Trying to add diversity to his diet, plus I don't like using crickets as his staple for cleanliness & dirty concerns. He is still quite small--would be most interested in non fly bugs, but not opposed to larvae that can be fed prior to pupation. Would also like to get into allowing a few moths to be added, just totally lost on farther feeder exploration.

I was primarily getting all feeders from local chains/private pet stores.

I have planned to at least get crickets thru joshes frogs from now on (and attempt to breed same) and try solider fly larvae--i just really don't wish to have mature flying insects aside from moths do not concern me.

Is he young to begin leaf bugs/mantis? I'd be privy to starting to attempt to breed both at this point to include more variety as well as have a 2nd species to include in husbandry.

I read about other roaches as well, but am trying to not literally throw away $.

He is quite small still. His treatment meds were literally one tick on the small syringe daily based off weight. He does eat small and medium crickets if that helps with sizing. Doesn't struggle with superworms--hes began eating 2 at a time a couple days a week lol.

 

[jamest0o0]

Honestly, if you want to feed roaches instead of crickets... just stop offering him crickets until he eats roaches. That's what I did for my 5 chameleons and it worked on all of them. They like supers a lot too, so I'll put superworms and roaches in a cup and get them to strike a roach sometimes when they're being picky. I even just take the roach and sneak it in their mouths while chewing. Try silkworms, bsfl, hornworms, and if you can get some, snails and giant canyon isopods are a favorite of my chameleons and they are high in calcium naturally.

 

[blue_cham]

I second everything James said. As for the wax worms, did you store then in the fridge?

 

[Remkon]

Trying to do what James described I learned that a chameleon's will not to eat can be stronger than the owner's will not to feed certain feeders...
Chameleons - me 1-0...

But there will be plenty of remaches.

 

[VerucaSalt]

I second everything James said. As for the wax worms, did you store then in the fridge?

The Wax I was not storing in the fridge, now I feel really stupid lmao....

 

[VerucaSalt]

Trying to do what James described I learned that a chameleon's will not to eat can be stronger than the owner's will not to feed certain feeders...
Chameleons - me 1-0...


But there will be plenty of remaches.

I found a supplier thru Etsy that sells the giant canyon isopods, my caution comes only in wondering how do you know where they're sourcing them/if they're safe bugs to feed them?

They say all the right things as far as for bioactive enclosures, etc, etc., I just wondered if parasites, etc...are commonly passed thru bad bugs/unknowing bug breeders?

I may try these other suggestions til he's a little bigger then try the roach suggestion. I feel like he ate the multivitamin dusting remarkably fast in comparison to all other vit/Cal dusting, so maybe I can try that as well to entice his interest in the roaches...