Feeding Cup Problems

[mommycurzon]

I'm hoping you can direct me to where I have gone wrong with two problems with feeding cups. My baby veiled doesn't seem to get it. I put a few crickets (4 or 5) and meal worms in there and he never touches them. So he doesn't starve, I toss a bunch free roaming in too.

The second problem arrives with the first. Many of them die before the end of the day. It's simply a bird bath with a bunch of holes punched through the bottom (we had a couple drownings). It's the white thing in the middle of the picture below.



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Cage Info:
Cage Type - Flexarium 65 (30" x 16.5" x 30")
Lighting - Flourscent UVB (Reptiglo 5.0) Basking (50 watt)
Temperature - Basking 85, Rest 70
Humidity - 65% (with use of live plants and a humidifier)
Plants - Fushia & 2 Habiscus and fake vines
Placement - On top of high boy, top of cage is 6.5' up.
Location - In a very quiet spare bedroom

Chameleon Info: Gonzales
Your Chameleon - Veiled - Baby Male
Handling - He shot up my arm when I bought him, that's it.
Feeding - Crickets & Waxworms, free roaming right now but am working on cup feeding. He's not figured out the cup thing yet.
Supplements - Calcium w/ D3, Calcium w/o d3 and herptivite twice a week.
Watering - Manual misting, 3 times a day for 2 minutes, dripper too.

 

[Dunnigan]

He may or may not figure it out. I have heard of some chameleons who dont cup feed. As far as the drownings. I cut the bottom out of the cup and hot glue some screen in its place.

 

[mommycurzon]

The drownings are actually under control now since we punched the zillion holes in, but I seem to still loose an aweful lot. I don't think they're too hot since the free roamers are usually under the basking light directly.

But it just dawned on me that they may be killing each other, hence the cardboard when you buy them. I take it I really can't really solve that problem though, can I?

 

[Dunnigan]

How big is you cup? I use the bottom half of a gallon milk jug and use the handle to fasten it to the side. I hvae noticed if i put a bunch in there a do have a few dead ones.

 

[mommycurzon]

I'm not great at estimating but It's about 3 inces long by about 2" wide by about 2" deep. We don't have milk jugs in Canada otherwise I'd SO do the same.

 

[Jerm]

Try some different colored cups, maybe he has a preference. To keep the crickets alive in the cup, add a small piece of carrot or lettuce for them to eat and stay hydrated. Crickets will lose a lot of their nutritional value if left in a cup for too long with no food. I have a couple of chams that won't eat out of the cup if it starts to smell due to dead crickets, make sure that it is cleaned and sanitized. This will also prevent bacteria that could potentially be ingested by the cham. Tupperware type bowls for food storage work also, pretty much anything with slick sides.

 

[sandrachameleon]

We do have milk jugs in canada but you dont need one.

Is the feeding cup very close to your chameleons favourite perch? Until they get the hang of it, its best to have one or two cups very near / jsut below where the cham hangs out the most.

Some chameleons do not like to eat out of white or shiny cups. Consider a dark coloured cup (I use old cereal bowls and coffee mugs).

Sometimes too many bugs in one place can confuse a chameleon. Try putting fewer insects into the cup (Just one or two)

Keep a little food for the insects in the feeding cup. This will keep them nutritious and hydrated while they await their doom.

Make the feeding cup large enough that the insects do move around some, as moving prey attracts the chameleons eye.

 

[dodolah]

here is what my cup looked like idea taken from one of chameleonnews article:

I punch tiny holes on the bottom for water to drain avoiding drowning incident while misting.

In Action:

It might be ugly; but, boy it worked.
It simulate free range for the chameleon (so they get more excited) without having the crix to be actually free.
If you make it right, the cricket won't be able to escape.

It's made from milk plastic bottle.
and a piece of screen cloth.
I use hot glue.

here's the link of the article:
http://www.chameleonnews.com/?page=article&id=79

 

[mommycurzon]

We do have milk jugs in canada but you dont need one.

Seriously!!! Where?! I've never seen one except in the US. That's awesome!!

I never realized colour had an effect but I guess that makes sense. I love food idea! Gosh I can't believe I didn't think of that!

Dodolah: Your cup is awesome!!! I might steal that idea if I can find a similar jug!

Oh...would a clear cup work better?

You are all awesome! Thanks a zillion

 

[sandrachameleon]

avoid clear cups - potential for the chameleon to try to shoot its tongue through it, not realizing there is something there. Opaque is the way to go.

A pop blimp might work as well as a milk jug.

 

[SimonBolivar]

Thats SMART. I'd paint the bucket so its not see through thou. Dont want silly cham to try to shoot the cricket through the plastic

 

[jojackson]

Perhaps simply place whatever cup your using, nearer the basking spot? Looks like plenty of places for free roaming crickets to hide and escape a baby cham.
Since it will spend a fair amount of time basking, a cup nearby (and prefrabley directly beneath his basking perch) may catch his attention.

 

[kylerenz]

I use deli cups for my cup feeding with screen to replace the bottom. Works great for dusting feeders as well. Try placing two cups in at opposite ends of the cages. Persistence will help to have your cham start using the cups. The deli cups are clear enough for them to see the crickets from anywhere in the cage but opaque enough that they do not try to shoot through the sides.