Chameleonman101
New Member
I feed my chameleon superworms and crickets. But I would like to know other different insects and where to get them online. I would also like to know what you guys use to put the worms in when feeding time.
Healthiest insects for Jackson's chameleon
- Thread starter Chameleonman101
- Start date
OahuJacksons
New Member
Well u could also feed them praymanteses, roaches, walking stickes. That's what I'm going to feed to my 3 horn chameleon
Bush baby
Avid Member
Crickets and Superworms are the main staples i feed mine. I make sure they are really well gut loaded. Wax worms, flies, etc are just occasional treats.
I've posted this on the site before, but i'll repost it here. Many think that Roaches make for a better staple but i argue it's crickets….
Here's why:
Gut load
1) I've noticed that even after crickets are brought home after being purchased and you dump them into a container in order to gut load them, they immediately start feeding on whatever food item you have set aside for them. In other words, they seem un-phased by the 'trauma' of being scoop up from their current home (the pet store) transported via plastic bag for as long as several hours, shaken around, then dumped into a completely different environment. It's as though they are programmed to feed, no matter what. This is what makes them superior to roaches. Roaches, i've found, take time to settle in before they will feed. Crickets are eating machines which makes for the perfect gut load vehicle.
Free-range
2) I free-range, so after i've gut loaded my crickets in a separate container, i dust them and empty about a dozen of them into my chams enclosure. I do this because most of the chams i've had rarely cup feed. I leave a small amount of food, for the ones my cham doesn't eat immediately, in the cage bottom, so the crix won't nibble on my cham at night. You cannot free-range roaches because they are great at hiding, and are nocturnal, un-like crickets who are both active during the day when your cham will see them and at night.
Movement
3) Crickets are far more lively during the day when your cham will see them. Even if you cup feed, roaches tend to crawl into a corner or one side of the cup and remain still. Not good for predator who's feeding response is based on it's preys movement.
Impaction
4) I've notice that when i feed my chams crickets as the primary part of their diet, they have a bowel movement everyday, whereas when i've fed them roaches, it's gone from them defecating daily, to every other day, to sometimes once a week. From this i must conclude that a roach must be much harder for a chameleon to digest. I've even had to treat some of my past chams for impaction (using oil) when i had them on a roach diet. The situation remedied itself when i switched back from roaches to crickets.
Those are the reasons why i personally don't use roaches. I'll give them to my cham once in a while; but as i just stated, i've found crix just have more attributes that benefit the chameleon itself, as opposed to roaches, who seem to be a popular feeder not so much because they benefit the chameleon itself but because it's better for the owner, i.e they're cleaner, make less noise, produce less smell, etc…
…to each his/her own.
I've posted this on the site before, but i'll repost it here. Many think that Roaches make for a better staple but i argue it's crickets….
Here's why:
Gut load
1) I've noticed that even after crickets are brought home after being purchased and you dump them into a container in order to gut load them, they immediately start feeding on whatever food item you have set aside for them. In other words, they seem un-phased by the 'trauma' of being scoop up from their current home (the pet store) transported via plastic bag for as long as several hours, shaken around, then dumped into a completely different environment. It's as though they are programmed to feed, no matter what. This is what makes them superior to roaches. Roaches, i've found, take time to settle in before they will feed. Crickets are eating machines which makes for the perfect gut load vehicle.
Free-range
2) I free-range, so after i've gut loaded my crickets in a separate container, i dust them and empty about a dozen of them into my chams enclosure. I do this because most of the chams i've had rarely cup feed. I leave a small amount of food, for the ones my cham doesn't eat immediately, in the cage bottom, so the crix won't nibble on my cham at night. You cannot free-range roaches because they are great at hiding, and are nocturnal, un-like crickets who are both active during the day when your cham will see them and at night.
Movement
3) Crickets are far more lively during the day when your cham will see them. Even if you cup feed, roaches tend to crawl into a corner or one side of the cup and remain still. Not good for predator who's feeding response is based on it's preys movement.
Impaction
4) I've notice that when i feed my chams crickets as the primary part of their diet, they have a bowel movement everyday, whereas when i've fed them roaches, it's gone from them defecating daily, to every other day, to sometimes once a week. From this i must conclude that a roach must be much harder for a chameleon to digest. I've even had to treat some of my past chams for impaction (using oil) when i had them on a roach diet. The situation remedied itself when i switched back from roaches to crickets.
Those are the reasons why i personally don't use roaches. I'll give them to my cham once in a while; but as i just stated, i've found crix just have more attributes that benefit the chameleon itself, as opposed to roaches, who seem to be a popular feeder not so much because they benefit the chameleon itself but because it's better for the owner, i.e they're cleaner, make less noise, produce less smell, etc…
…to each his/her own.
kplatvoet
Member
I would suggest a sample pack from Linda's gone buggy for one Jackson- this time of year- I did some silkworms from eggs in the summer as I find them easier to hatch myself and I have access to mulberry leaves -
I usually hand feed silk worms or put them on the screen or on leaves - phoenix or calci worms (same thing) I use a little cup that has a screen in it- or hand feed- I put a velcro button on it and move it around - I use the same thing for dubia and supers - I've ordered from Coastal Silkworms & Great Lakes Hornworms - and AB dragons all who are sponsors and I've been happy with them - the shipping for bugs is the killer - especially if your ordering for one- the sample pack will give you an idea of what he'll eat - I also order blue bottle flies from mantisplace -
I usually hand feed silk worms or put them on the screen or on leaves - phoenix or calci worms (same thing) I use a little cup that has a screen in it- or hand feed- I put a velcro button on it and move it around - I use the same thing for dubia and supers - I've ordered from Coastal Silkworms & Great Lakes Hornworms - and AB dragons all who are sponsors and I've been happy with them - the shipping for bugs is the killer - especially if your ordering for one- the sample pack will give you an idea of what he'll eat - I also order blue bottle flies from mantisplace -
