Feeding Time issues

[cswan19]

So usually My chams light comes on about the time I'm getting ready for work or class and I drop some crickets in before I leave so he can hunt and eat and still have enough time to digest before lights out. I usually don't get home before lights out or if I do its usually not enough time so he would be able to digest his food before his light goes off. This has worked fine for me so far but the issue I'm facing now is that I am getting new classes and possibly a new job soon both of which would force me to leave earlier and still get home about the same time as usual. With the changes I would have to leave the house before my chams lights come on. Any ideas on how I can feed him before I leave. He is too young still to eat mealworms so I can't leave him mealworms in a cup. He is a male veiled chameleon about 2-3 months and about 3-4 inches. Thanks for an ideas from anyone.

 

[nobrate]

How long are you gone for? It's ok to have the lights on for 12 hours. If I were in this situation I'd still feed in the morning. Maybe get some dubia as they are easy to cup feed or construct a cricket cup feeder - there's a pretty good tutorial somewhere here on the forums.

 

[Psychobunny]

I have to leave my house by 6am, so I only have time in the morning to
turn everybodies dripper on (filled from the night before) and check the humidifiers before I have to leave for work.

I get home at about 3:30 to 4 and feed them first thing (lights out at 7pm).

If I am going to be really late coming home, i put some cricks in a 2oz deli cup with a few holes in the lid, and some cricket crack and bug burger.

One deli cup prepared the night before for each cham.

In the morning, I just place the deli cup in their cages with a little extra food
for them and remove the lid.

I put the deli cup up against the screen so when they come out, they can
climb up the cage and if they get hungry, they have chow in their cup to eat instead of nibbling on a chams tail!

If anyone has a better way, please share

 

[Psychobunny]

How long are you gone for? It's ok to have the lights on for 12 hours. If I were in this situation I'd still feed in the morning. Maybe get some dubia as they are easy to cup feed or construct a cricket cup feeder - there's a pretty good tutorial somewhere here on the forums.

I tried this exact thing with the dubia.
The trouble I had was, after an hour or so, the roaches find a resting spot,
and 'freeze', not move at all!!
When I came home, they were all still there!! not moving.
So, my chams never knew they were there!

Cricks will sometimes gather in a corner on the top of the cage, then will move
to the basking light when it comes on, and my chams can see them

I need to invent a box with a little door which will open on a timer to release crickets!

 

[spawn]

Change the photoperiod so you can feed when you get home with plenty of time before lights out. Or construct a feeder cup.

 

[nobrate]

I tried this exact thing with the dubia.
The trouble I had was, after an hour or so, the roaches find a resting spot,
and 'freeze', not move at all!!
When I came home, they were all still there!! not moving.
So, my chams never knew they were there!

Cricks will sometimes gather in a corner on the top of the cage, then will move
to the basking light when it comes on, and my chams can see them

I need to invent a box with a little door which will open on a timer to release crickets!

My jacksons must just know the look of dubia, they also do the freeze. That's unfortunate that it hasn't worked, but if you could get on that timer release feeder that'd be great!

 

[sandrachameleon]

large bowl, with feeders and gutload in it, attached to side of cage. Put a little supplement dust into the bowl too for incidental tongue contact pickup

 

[Saldarya]

Change the photoperiod so you can feed when you get home with plenty of time before lights out. Or construct a feeder cup.

This is where you may want to head to. My schedule is much like yours and I and as such my light cycle starts at 10AM to 10PM. Just make sure the room you keep him in is dark so that he can get his full complement of 'nighttime'.

 

[pssh]

I would suggest a shoe box sized tub or a milk carton feeder so you can just put some bugs in it before you leave. The bugs stay contained and the animal can still hunt for them. If you use roaches, putting a super/meal worm or two in it will usually make the roaches come back to life when the worms wiggle by.

 

[chameleonowner32]

I would suggest a shoe box sized tub or a milk carton feeder so you can just put some bugs in it before you leave. The bugs stay contained and the animal can still hunt for them. If you use roaches, putting a super/meal worm or two in it will usually make the roaches come back to life when the worms wiggle by.

Yes something like that or a cutout milk jug.. I just put some supers and crickets in for them in the morning.. I leave at 7, there lights come on at 9.. something Like this

 

[chameleonowner32]

here is a better pic.. I just zipped it down

 

[Psychobunny]

large bowl, with feeders and gutload in it, attached to side of cage. Put a little supplement dust into the bowl too for incidental tongue contact pickup

It would have to be a small bowl, placed in a corner for me because it could
turn into a cham toilet!

Smeagol is atracted to shiny stuff, so I put a ss bowl on the floor for him.
I put his green, and sometimes a few worms.

 

[Lathelia]

Do they really have to be fed in mornings or early afternoons? If I'm not mistaken they digest for a few days so it shouldn't be a problem to feed them in the evenings?

 

[cswan19]

WOW thanks for all the replies guys! Sorry it's taken so long for me to post I've been crazy busy the last few days. I'm gonna try to answer all the post/questions in one post lol. I'm usually gone from 7am to 10pm give or take. The lights are set to turn on at 9am and go out by 9pm. Psychobunny you really do need to invent a box with a timed door hahah I'm going to try and construct a feeder cup like many of you suggested and see how that woks out. I guess it really isn't necessary to feed in the morning as long as they have at least 4 hours of basking light to digest their food properly, if I'm not mistaken I believe that is what I read somewhere. Anyway thanks so much for all the replies!! This forum has always been super helpful and I appreciate everyone's input.

 

[Psychobunny]

Do they really have to be fed in mornings or early afternoons? If I'm not mistaken they digest for a few days so it shouldn't be a problem to feed them in the evenings?

I feed my guyz between 3 and 5pm and know lots of folks here on the forum say they do the same.
Never had any problem.

 

[Lathelia]

I feed my guyz between 3 and 5pm and know lots of folks here on the forum say they do the same.
Never had any problem.

So why is it that everyone recommends to feed early? It there any danger in that? Or any benefit in feeding early?

 

[chameleonowner32]

Idk I feed mine after I get out of school. I'm 16 and a wrestler so I feed mine after practice or when I get out of school.. I have a mistking and my lights on timers since I'm hardly home but i don't think it matters when you feed them.. At least not for oustalets cause of how much they eat.. My 2 eat about 30 crickets,10 supers, 10 meal worms a day

 

[sandrachameleon]

It would have to be a small bowl, placed in a corner for me because it could
turn into a cham toilet!

Mine tend to "go" in the same places, so I just dont put my feeding bowls in those locations. Bowl gets cleaned regularily anyways.

 

[sandrachameleon]

So why is it that everyone recommends to feed early? It there any danger in that? Or any benefit in feeding early?

Let's them fully digest before lights out, when they cool down.