Food Cup vs Hunting

[Maverick VC]

HI all, I just got my first Cham last Friday and am trying to get him comfortable in his new home. He's a male Jackson's and is roughly 6"-7" long. The reptile emporium I got him from would put the feeders in the cage and let him hunt. I'd like to work him toward cup feeding in order to have him associate me with his feeding time a little easier and to cut down on loose crickets in his cage . However, he is very suborn when it comes to eating from the cup. He prefers hunting and will only take a couple feeders from the cup if I'm lucky (yesterday he didn't take any). Have any of you experienced this and do you have any tips on making the transition smoother?

 

[jpowell86]

Can you post a picture of the feeder cup and how you have it setup in your enclosure?

 

[Wowbango]

You're only 4 days in. Changing your chameleon's feeding habits will not happen overnight. you need to be very patient as this can take weeks or even months. Some chameleons will flat out refuse to cup feed and like to hunt. You can have him hunt his normal staple feeders and try hand/cup feeding treats instead so he'll have that same positive reinforcement. If and when he lets you, have him climb on your hand and so something positive with him, give him a hornworm or a superworm, or take him out in the sun! Once my guy figured out that I took him out in the sun, he ran to my hand every time.

 

[nightanole]

You could switch him to a feeder "pan" at the bottom of the cage just so the feeders dont hide.

 

[Meg4433]

HI all, I just got my first Cham last Friday and am trying to get him comfortable in his new home. He's a male Jackson's and is roughly 6"-7" long. The reptile emporium I got him from would put the feeders in the cage and let him hunt. I'd like to work him toward cup feeding in order to have him associate me with his feeding time a little easier and to cut down on loose crickets in his cage . However, he is very suborn when it comes to eating from the cup. He prefers hunting and will only take a couple feeders from the cup if I'm lucky (yesterday he didn't take any). Have any of you experienced this and do you have any tips on making the transition smoother?

I do both. That way I know he ate something. Mine also is extremely friendly towards my husband and I. Doesn't want to stay in cage. I was hand feeding him worms. Now sometimes he won't eat worm from my hand and will walk onto my hand.

 

[The Learned Lizard]

We had one chameleon that became dependent solely on being hand fed and would leave everything that roams about in his viv so be careful with that.
If we spotted a locust in the viv eating the plants we would catch it hold it up then the lazy cham would eat it...