He won't eat!

[FunkyKangaroo]

I finally got my first cham today!! I am so excited and everything went great! temp and humidity are good and he loves the cage! (doesn't like me yet tho) he is a juevinelle from pet smart (if you go to pet smart and search chameleon you'll see) and i bought small crickets because i was willing to feed him more to be safe on him not choking! i know its only been one day and they fed him that morning but these crickets are small, he is young, and he is in a 18x18x36. I tried to cup feed but it didn't work! i just wanted him to eat one so i would know he would eat! tonight i put 2 crickets in but i dont think he will ever find them!!! any suggestions for when he is young and needs to eat small crickets on how to make it easier for him so he eats? please help

 

[chamillionaire3]

well its up to you. if you want him to cup feed then leave them in the cup. if not let them roam around the cage. although it may take him up to a week to eat cause he is getting used to his new enviroment. and also he might not want you around when he eats. my male jackson will eat from my hand but my male veiled will not eat if im even close to the room.

 

[shaunaroxanne]

You can section off your cage so he has a smaller space to chase food in. That's too big of an area if he's just a little guy.

 

[Dave]

You should try something active, like Small or maybe Medium Phoenix Worms, and possibly small silkworms in a Silkworm Pod.

Don't forget to dust with a Superfood, Calcium, and Multivitamin regularly, adjusting to the quality of feeders you're feeding, and if you stick with crickets will be really often, as crickets aren't a very nutritious feeder, as even if they are gutloaded, they still have a high chitin to meat ration. Repashy Products do a great job of this, I personally like Calcium Plus since it has Beta Carotene and Retinol in it, which really help eye health, another very important bulletpoint to pay attentiont o with chameleons.

Hope this helps

-Dave
Small Pet Feeders

 

[laurie]

When you say small, just how small? You can put him on your finger, then go Back and measure the length his body covered, without his tail. Also could you post a couple pictures of your Cham and his cage? Some chams will not readily eat crickets that are too small for them. You should not feed him at night. He needs heat to digest his food, also putting crickets in at night will allow the crickets to bite your Cham while he is sleeping.

 

[dom1959]

it may also take a couple days to acclimate to surroundings.

patience! patience! patience!

that is the key to success at whatever you aspire to do!