As most of you know I have two Jackson chams both females, one year old approx. I have had them for going on 2 weeks, they are very sweet, most of the time. Anyways, I have been trying to hand feed them mealworms, with no luck, they always seem too interested in 'getting away' or they don't seem hungry. How do I go about this? I want them to get used to me, as well as being hand fed.. but I'm too discouraged it seems. Help?
hand feeding?
- Thread starter faithxw
- Start date
CLP
New Member
I'm a new owner as well, so certainly no expert. But my guy (3.5 month old veiled) is not the most friendly and when I take him out of his enclosure, his only goal is trying to figure out how to get back in. Often he will hiss at me when I try to get him up onto my hand. Anyhow, I use wax worms to hand feed him. I know they're not good for him, so he never gets more than one or two a day, 3-4 times a week, but he loves them, so he never hesitates to come right over and snatch them right out of my hand. I've only had him for 3.5 weeks, so I'm hoping over time he'll look forward to seeing me coming. My goal would be to get him to the point where he knows if he come out of his enclosure, it gets him a treat and he'll start coming out voluntarily.
I would suggest trying a different feeder. If you can find one they love, I think they'll come around.
I would suggest trying a different feeder. If you can find one they love, I think they'll come around.
cricketkilla
Member
It takes a lot of patience.. You may have to sit there for 15 minutes even. Also, make sure to put the food right in between you and the Cham that way they can watch you and the food.
Thanks guys! I tried to handfeed today, but they still seem like they'd rather get away than eat. I wish they were actually to the point of wanting to handfeed, and just sit there all chilled out with me like I see in some other people's pics. But no, they are all for getting away. I tried for about 30 mins... Still no luck, they could care less about food it seems 
Lovereps
Avid Member
Your chams may still be getting used to their environments and to you.
Hopefully they're housed separately and can't see each other (or any other pets), so they're not stressing out.
Jackson's can be a bit shy, too.
Mealworms are not a great feeder insect, since they're a bit too tough to digest.
It's possible that they just don't like mealworms much, either.
Jackson's do tend to like worms, so try some Phoenix worms and silkworms, though they all have preferences.
I've found that holding a cricket by both rearmost legs results in a temptingly, wriggly cricket, that's pointing head first at the cham and isn't a walking target, so I can keep my hand totally still.
My one cham who totally hates/fears me will readily zap a cricket out of my hand if...
1) I don't look at him or the cricket while trying to feed him
and
2) I stick my hand up through the plant so maybe to him it doesn't look like it's part of me.
Weird, yes, but those are his rules, not mine.
I do have another cham who never zaps bugs from my hand but he is such a chicken, he will simply jump out of his tree if I get too close.
With him, I'm not going to pursue it since I don't want him to hurt himself.
Hopefully they're housed separately and can't see each other (or any other pets), so they're not stressing out.
Jackson's can be a bit shy, too.
Mealworms are not a great feeder insect, since they're a bit too tough to digest.
It's possible that they just don't like mealworms much, either.
Jackson's do tend to like worms, so try some Phoenix worms and silkworms, though they all have preferences.
I've found that holding a cricket by both rearmost legs results in a temptingly, wriggly cricket, that's pointing head first at the cham and isn't a walking target, so I can keep my hand totally still.
My one cham who totally hates/fears me will readily zap a cricket out of my hand if...
1) I don't look at him or the cricket while trying to feed him
and
2) I stick my hand up through the plant so maybe to him it doesn't look like it's part of me.
Weird, yes, but those are his rules, not mine.
I do have another cham who never zaps bugs from my hand but he is such a chicken, he will simply jump out of his tree if I get too close.
With him, I'm not going to pursue it since I don't want him to hurt himself.
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