How can I make my Veiled Cham eat from a feeder bowl?

[v639dragoon]

Hey,
I've tried feeding my chameleon from various bowls, mainly using butterworms. I've placed the bowl in different parts of the cage to, yet he doesn't seem to want to eat from the bowl, no matter how many worms there are in there. He will only eat if I place the worms on leaves. However the problem with this, is that the butterworms like to crawl off the leaves and fall to the bottom of the cage before he can catch them all.

Any tips on how to "train" my veiled chameleon to eat from a bowl? He's about 5 months old.

 

[SteveKC]

I would think that if he's hungry enough he'll find and eat out of anything. I've only had my veiled for one week and on the second day he ate out of the cup. I just use a clear plastic deli cup. I did have to put it kinda low in the cage because he would climb to a lower branch and shoot his tongue into the side of the cup trying to get the crickets (I guess he thought he had super powers.) But now he knows where the cup is and will wait for me to fill it in the morning Good luck!

 

[hallenhe]

This came up recently; check this thread and see if anything is helpful.

 

[PetNcs]

Let him not eat for minimum a week or two easily and he will eat anything. He is not hungry enough... Post its photo here and will easily tell you what is his nourishing state to be OK with this suggestion...

 

[jojackson]

doesn't seem to want to eat from the bowl, no matter how many worms there are in there. He will only eat if I place the worms on leaves. However the problem with this, is that the butterworms like to crawl off the leaves and fall to the bottom of the cage before he can catch them all.

So place the worms on leaves, IN the bowl. Duh!

If its not eating, go to rule #1 (check the enviroment first) temps etc. offer variety too.
If you dont have a dripper, install one. Hydration is crucial to feeding success and general good health.

"Think, it's not illegal!"

p.s. dont keep moving the bowl either, use one easily accessable spot and stick to it, same place each time.

 

[sandrachameleon]

What colour is the bowl? Sometimes they dont like white or shiny bowls. Is the bowl suspended such that he can easily see into it?
Have you tried putting other prey in the bowl instead, like crickets? Sometimes starting with a bug that moves more helps "train" them that the bowl contains food. Maybe the butterworms dont move enough to catch its attention. Also only put one or two in the bowl at a time. Too many in one place can confuse them.

 

[tatted1]

I have 2 cricket keepers.I use one for keeping the crickets and the other for gutloading the day before feeding then I just open the lid and put it in my veileds cage. Youd think he had some Nikes on he gets there so fast. But I always put it in the same place. And after each feeding I wash it with really hot water to keep it free from bacteria and odor.