Hand Feeding

[zero742]

I've read a lot about people hand feeding their chams, however, no one mentions how they get the food to sit still while their cham spots it. I've been around insects my whole life, and I must say, never once has a cricket sat still for me. Any insight would be much appreciated. Also, whats the best way to give a cham pedialite? Thanks much!

 

[DanielleB]

Hand feeding almost always has to be some type of worm (wax, meal, silk) but not crickets. Good luck on hand feeding. My cham will never do it. I have tried, but given up- he still lets me hold him, so I am not too worried, but he won't. He actually will not eat unless the crickets got around for a while- he likes hunting and hates easy food. Will never eat right when I place the crickets in......wierd how different their personalities are.

 

[ChamFreak]

also try using dropper for giving pedalyte and when hand feeding make sure you obviously let go, I know of storys where owner doesnt let go fast enough and the tounge gets damaged. I also read article that helps in some ways! This advise I am going to give you is odd but works. Sometimes when hand feeding rip the legs off the cricket, just hind end. and this makes it easy to hold of course and if it does get away you can pretty much ensure it will move slow so cham gets it. You dont need to do this unless you are using last resort techniques. Good luck

 

[zero742]

Thats what I figured about the crickets. Just to prove that your idea isn't too odd, my dad occasionally finds a house fly and removes a wing, so my dog can have a new toy/treat. Thanks for the help all!

 

[zero742]

Ok so one more question. Does anybody have any experience with the ESU Fresh Air Habitat. It says its perfect for chams...although I'm quite hesitant to trust just an advertisement with my chams well-being. Basically I'm looking for a cage for my new veiled (about 6-8 weeks old) that will last about 5 or 6 months that I wouldn't necessarily have to replace very soon because it is too small. If this cage is too big, they have one that is 18"x12"x20". I was looking at the medium sized cage which is 24"x12"x26". I also don't want it to be too big though for a small cham. I also liked this cage because it has easy access to the inside, which would be a huge plus for me. Any recommendations (or ones to stay away from) on any other cages would be great. Thanks all!

 

[ChamFreak]

Good to see your doing some research! I know this about ESU, I know they are " ok " I have one and do like it in some ways and dont too. I like the real screen and not plastic but, I have alot of foilage and when putting it in, I ripped it and had to throw it away cause crickets could escape. I dont like the price and the size you get also! I found that you can get a more durable and cheaper cage! I like the repiteriams*. You can get a full setup that includes good lights and bulbs and the cage and moss and foilage for 100 shipped. I know that ESU are around 70 for just cage. I would try out these atleast, they appear to be pain and then you love em! You can rest any kind of light on em and they dont burn! its good!

The cage http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog...and-explorariums/-/65-gallon-basic-reptarium/

 

[zero742]

Thanks for the reply. I've have so many hours of research logged on my soon to be pet, I've probably passed the number of hours spent on my physics research this semester. Oops. Anyways, the setup that lllreptile has seems like a decent price for the whole package. I take it that would be a pretty good starter package? I also have a hibiscus I plan on putting in there as well.

 

[ChamFreak]

Sounds good, I saw you mentioning you were limited on funds and would recommend it.. Of course there is better but, I have used them and been fine.
Also can get cham from there and heard great things about em and could save about another 10-30

 

[Brad]

I've been around insects my whole life, and I must say, never once has a cricket sat still for me.

I sometimes hand feed my chameleon crickets. I trap a cricket in my hand and grab one of it's back legs. The cricket is usually struggling and does not last long.

The esu air habitat is a nice cage for a young Veiled. They offer three sizes like you mentioned. I own a medium sized one. Depending on the size you get, you will want to move him to an adult cage at 6-9 months (guessing here).

 

[zero742]

So I think my plan is to get one of the smallest ESU Fresh Air Habitats to start out with and then move to a larger reptarium a few months down the road. About how long do you think it would be before I needed to upgrade to one of the 65 gallon (possibly 100 gallon) reptarium? I think I'll get my setup together tomorrow so I can have it ready when my new "child" comes home!

 

[dodgen]

Hey going back to the hand feeding thing. What I did and has worked since she was a few months old is to cut a hole in the top of the screen and grap a cricket between my thumb and index finger and simply just hold the cricket so she can see it. I do not remove her from the cage, doing this enabled her to realize that it's ok for me to being around the cage so she doesn't get aggressive. The only thing is everytime I walk in my room she usually stares at the hole in the top of the screen with tongue ready to attach it's pretty funny. I also let her hunt for crickets which she does this no problem, the key is to start them early. I bought my male when he was over a year and forget it he would never go for it.

 

[zero742]

So I was in the pet store today and was about to buy a temporary home for my new cham (just a smaller reptarium) and one of the workers in the reptile area immediatly told me NOT to buy one, since they had no success keeping any type of reptile in them, including chameleons, and that they would most certainly die. She highly recommened a terrarium or maybe an aquarium. Everything I have read says not to keep a chameleon in an aquarium. Just wanted to confirm this, as I'm am starting to not believe the workers at the pet store, no matter how much they claim to know.

 

[ChamFreak]

Do not keep em in glass fixture. I promise that URI and many other things COULD happen. I know the advise that you got was completly wrong. Ordering online cost cheaper and, also get more. Ask anyone here and they willl tell you the same.

 

[DanielleB]

I have read posts on keeping chams in partial glass/partial wood enclosures at chameleonnews.com and it seemed like a reasonable article. They recommended it for colder climates (not sure where you live) due to drastic changes of temp from the basking light to other areas.
I live in Wisconsin and right now have towels, plywood, and pegboard covering half of the cage anyways to retain some warmth. I know they need some air flow, but you can get that through peg board as well. I would not suggest a full out glass aquarium though. Try reading the article.
Oh and with chams seeing reflections and reacting to it: Not all do, or at least mine doesn't. He does not even acknowledge his reflection.

 

[zero742]

I'm just a small jaunt from you Danielle...just down in central Illinois. The pegboard is a good idea for keeping it warmer in the cage. I've been thinking about also getting a humidfier (also have a misting system now...see other posts) for at least his cage, if not for the whole room, since as you know it does get pretty dry around here.

 

[teoo OoT]

I am used to hand feeding my other animals, adult leo, juvenile crested. I tried to feed Charlie my veiled and it worked... once, and with tongs. Should I be letting him hunt the crix? I just hate it when they are all over the cage and hiding in the foliage. I am a new Cham owner so I am seeking all sorts of info especially from people who have experience with them.

-Teo

 

[teoo OoT]

Danielle when I bought my veiled and the enclosure the owner of the pet store said his employees all keep chams and have had no problem with them in the glass enclosure. Again I am new to this so I bought the exo terra 12x12x18, being a natural worry wart I am concerned with this

 

[mavaveelova]

I've read a lot about people hand feeding their chams, however, no one mentions how they get the food to sit still while their cham spots it. I've been around insects my whole life, and I must say, never once has a cricket sat still for me. Any insight would be much appreciated. Also, whats the best way to give a cham pedialite? Thanks much!

you can also just hold the crickets by there back legs and somtimes they will rip off when the chameleon grabs it from you

 

[acarrera]

you can also just hold the crickets by there back legs and sometimes they will rip off when the chameleon grabs it from you

I'm feeding 1/4" crix and fruit flies to my 2 months old female panther this way. I pick up the crix by the bottom half of the hind leg with a tweezer and dangle it in front of my girl. The crix would struggle hard to get free from the tweezer. this attracts my girl's attention. She always ripped off the crix's body from the leg, although sometimes on the second try. For fruit flies, I grabbed the wings with the tweezer. And for fruit flies larvaes, my girl tolerates crawling onto my hand just to get to them.

Do not keep em in glass fixture. I promise that URI and many other things COULD happen. I know the advise that you got was completly wrong. Ordering online cost cheaper and, also get more. Ask anyone here and they willl tell you the same.

I'm just gonna drop this link here and back away quietly: https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/for-everyone-who-knows-you-cant-keep-chams-in-glass.31937/

Oh and with chams seeing reflections and reacting to it: Not all do, or at least mine doesn't. He does not even acknowledge his reflection.

Mine was bothered, not because of her reflection but because of the electrical cord on the other side of the glass, for the first three hours, thinking that she can get to it not realizing what glasses are. Now, she drinks the water droplets from the glass as well as from the leaves.

 

[Decadancin]

This thread is from 2005.