Food Variety Help

[Mrs.Rocky]

I am trying to spice up my Chams diet. I understand they can eat crickets, locusts, roaches, silkworms, hornworms, butterworms, and superworms. I am currently feeding her large crickets, hornworms and Madagascar roaches. I have tried the Dubia roaches and she was not interested. Not sure if to try again now that she is on a proper diet. I am currently feeding her every other day. 5 large crickets. Or 3 large crickets and a hornworm. Or 1 Madagascar roach and 1 hornworm. Every feeding fluctuates in variety (what I can purchase at Petstores) but now I’m willing and comfortable to spice up her food choices. Not sure where or how to start. I have tried super worms and she was not interested at all. Now how much variety can I give her in a week without overwhelming her with choices. Quantity of each. Etc. Any advice is appreciated. Just wanting some point of views before I over buy things that will die or she will not consume or might even harm her if I over do it. Thank you!

 

[Rduds]

I don’t know if you ever would but breeding silkworms is nice because it’s not too complicated (they only eat mulberry leaves and silkworm grub) and you can refrigerate the eggs for up to a year and just hatch them as you need them. They are also very nutritious as they have a good natural phosphorous to calcium ratio, good protein content, and a high water percentage. Not the only thing to include in a diet but a great addition at the least!

 

[Mrs.Rocky]

How would you bread silkworms?

 

[Ares05]

@snitz427

 

[Decadancin]

Black soldier flies and blue bottle flies are great flying sources. You get the larvae and spikes and when they hatch out sit back and enjoy the show!

 

[snitz427]

Heres info on breeding silkworms. My fav feeder to raise and my chams fav snack (after supers of course)

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/posting-my-silkworm-experience.168402/

 

[Mrs.Rocky]

Black soldier flies and blue bottle flies are great flying sources. You get the larvae and spikes and when they hatch out sit back and enjoy the show!

I looked at those and they look like worms. How are they called fly?

 

[Ares05]

You are looking at their larva. They turn into flies. Both life stages are edible.

 

[Mrs.Rocky]

You are looking at their larva. They turn into flies. Both life stages are edible.

Ah okay i understand. And how do I get them to the stage of flying. Don’t want them flying in my house but in her cage.

 

[Ares05]

Just throw the pupa into a plant pot in her cage a wait a couple days. Thats what I do. You'll see some flys buzzing around and if she wants em', she'll get em.

 

[Decadancin]

Generally they are not an issue flying around the house. They are mostly attracted to the lights in the enclosure so they don't try to get out. Especially the BSF are slow and easy to catch if they do stray.

 

[Mrs.Rocky]

Just throw the pupa into a plant pot in her cage a wait a couple days. Thats what I do. You'll see some flys buzzing around and if she wants em', she'll get em.

If I place them in a pot she can go eat them. How can I get them to that stage without her consuming them before. How long will it take for them to get to that stage If I leave them in a cup and assuming the rest are maintained in a fridge.

 

[Ares05]

The pupa dont move much if at all unless touched. She shouldn't notice them before they turn into flies.


Uhhhh think its like, 7-10 days or something? Maybe a bit less or maybe a bit more? I dont really pay attention, I just toss the pupas in a pot and call it a day lol.

**someone please correct me if im wrong

 

[Mrs.Rocky]

The pupa dont move much if at all unless touched. She shouldn't notice them before they turn into flies.


Uhhhh think its like, 7-10 days or something? Maybe a bit less or maybe a bit more? I dont really pay attention, I just toss the pupas in a pot and call it a day lol.

Thank you a lot

 

[Decadancin]

So I like to order them and immediately upon arrival split the order up. I keep some at room temp and some cooler. They will develop depending on multiple factors, but once they start hatching you will likely get a bunch at the same time. I usually just release them into the enclosure as they hatch. As stated, they will usually make their way to the lights in the enclosure.

 

[Mrs.Rocky]

So I like to order them and immediately upon arrival split the order up. I keep some at room temp and some cooler. They will develop depending on multiple factors, but once they start hatching you will likely get a bunch at the same time. I usually just release them into the enclosure as they hatch. As stated, they will usually make their way to the lights in the enclosure.

How much can I feed her of these since I’m feeding her every other day. And can I feed her other insects with these same day? What’s their nutrition level?

 

[Calcigrubs]

How much can I feed her of these since I’m feeding her every other day. And can I feed her other insects with these same day? What’s their nutrition level?

Regarding BSFL, how you feed them may dictate how many. As a larvae (cup fed), we typically place 10-12 per cup and our chams (Panthers) tend to pick them off as needed over a few days. This will be highly dependent on your animals feeding tendencies and the species being fed. If feeding as a fly, as discussed by other members, you can place them in the base of a plant or set aside a small dish and place the dark (pupal) larvae in the containers to hatch out. They will emerge as flies in approx. 7-12 days (temp dependent). You can refrigerate the larvae not used and every few days pull some out, place in the cage to transform and you'll have a cycle of ongoing flies for feeders.

Feeding additional insects is no issue, but monitoring your animals specific total consumption might be necessary.

Base nutritional value averages are as follows...
Protein 9.5%, Moisture 62.5%, Fat 8.4%, Fiber 3.2%, Cal/Phos Ratio 2.5:1

 

[Mrs.Rocky]

Thank you very much.