How many feeders do you offer?

[Longhorn1234]

I use:
Banded crickets
Dubia
Orange heads
Halloween hisser (working on colony)
Butterworms
Hornworms and moths
Silkworms
Waxworms RARE treat and feed off the moths
Superworms 1x a week treat
Black soldier fly larvae and soldier flies
Blue bottleflies
Adding discoids
Adding snails
Adding giant banana roaches
Adding katydids and locusts if I can catch some
Sticks and mantids when available

What type of snails are you adding? I've read that snails are great for chameleons but I haven't found any information on the exact species that are safe/good for chameleons

 

[jamest0o0]

Helix aspersa is what I'm going to attempt to get

 

[Longhorn1234]

Currently I have-
Dubias
Super Worms
Wax Worms
Wax Moths
Silk worms
Silk Moths
Buffalo Mealworms (which is a cleaner for me)
Giant Canyon Isopods
BSFL (which I currently buy but plan to raise)
BSF
Hornworms (these are those rare ones I don't have regularly)

Currently that's it, I raise all but the last three. I include different stages of growth because they offer different nutrition levels and different feeding opportunities.

How difficult is it to breed those isopods? Looking around online I've realized they're expensive to buy

 

[jannb]

Good to know! I will probably cut back then....it's just scary to know, under doing it, over doing it...ugh. It's too hot to get him out right now so I will probably keep up with the D3 for sure...but cut back on the vits. Thank you!

The doc says it's easier to fix under supplementing but there's nothing to be done for over supplementing. It's been over three years since I've use any supplements.

 

[Longhorn1234]

Helix aspersa is what I'm going to attempt to get

Hopefully the snail colony works out! Although it seems like it takes time to have a decent size snail colony

 

[Andee]

How difficult is it to breed those isopods? Looking around online I've realized they're expensive to buy

They are relatively expensive to buy, most people charge close to .75-1.50 for each individual I charge far less than most people because I like to keep my colony numbers down because they regularly reach their largest size then. And make great feeders then. I never dust them when I feed them off because of their high natural calcium content. Check out my ad in the classifieds section... I think I put the isopods on sale? Though I don't promise that since I haven't checked, they should still be at least 4+ dollars less than everyone elses.

 

[JoeDigiorgio]

Here in the Florida Keys my guys get outside time almost everyday and my vet recommends no supplements at all. The reptile specialist that I use says with the outside time, the gutloading and variety of feeders that they do not need supplements. He sees allot of reptile that have been over supplemented and it's calcifying their organs.

I don't think oversupplementation gets enough attention in reptile circles. Thanks for posting this.

 

[Longhorn1234]

Here in the Florida Keys my guys get outside time almost everyday and my vet recommends no supplements at all. The reptile specialist that I use says with the outside time, the gutloading and variety of feeders that they do not need supplements. He sees allot of reptile that have been over supplemented and it's calcifying their organs.

Around how many hours of direct sunlight does your chameleon get? And is this an every day thing?

 

[Andee]

I do all natural UVB here as well with my current cham. I do almost every day. He gets around 5+ almost every day. Sometimes he gets absolutely no UVB and sometimes he only gets a couple hours.

 

[Longhorn1234]

I do all natural UVB here as well with my current cham. I do almost every day. He gets around 5+ almost every day. Sometimes he gets absolutely no UVB and sometimes he only gets a couple hours.

That's awesome. It's usually hot here in Texas, so I'm not sure if having a chameleon outside is such a great idea

 

[Andee]

It depends when and where you do it. Don't do it during hours of heat, later or earlier in the day. Always provide complete shade that they can move into, and mist regularly.

 

[listen2justin]

@spacecats1001 I know you asked Jan, but to answer that. If you have panther or veiled, just do plain calcium lightly on days that you do feed. And once a week get either your multivitamin or d3 in on a feeding day. I usually use superworms for this because they readily accept them.

at what age do you start cutting back on supplementing? i use calcium plus every feeding on recommendation from Kammers, and my guy is about 11 months now so he eats every other day. i also have a supercal NoD, i don't use that now and was going to switch to that and use the calcium plus once a week as you stated when i'm on the full grown schedule, like you mentioned. just not exactly sure when to switch it up. should i switch next month or later?

 

[Longhorn1234]

It depends when and where you do it. Don't do it during hours of heat, later or earlier in the day. Always provide complete shade that they can move into, and mist regularly.

Thanks for all the info!

 

[Andee]

I just read what it seems like I meant, do it during later or earlier hours of the day sorry XD, not do it like 12-4 for most places.

 

[jannb]

Around how many hours of direct sunlight does your chameleon get? And is this an every day thing?

No, I'll have to see exactly how much but they never need to be in the direct sun. They get plenty of UV in the shade.....way more than any light ever puts out. I know they don't need outside time every day either.

 

[Longhorn1234]

I just read what it seems like I meant, do it during later or earlier hours of the day sorry XD, not do it like 12-4 for most places.

Haha got it! I meant to ask you, is feeding wax moths the same as feeding wax worms in terms of nutritional value? Since I know that wax worms should be fed sparingly

 

[Longhorn1234]

No, I'll have to see exactly how much but they never need to be in the direct sun. They get plenty of UV in the shade.....way more than any light ever puts out. I know they don't need outside time every day either.

Thanks for the info!

 

[jamest0o0]

Nope moths aren't the same as the worms, though I don't know the exact different.

@listen2justin I don't cut back, my Chams just eat less, so in turn they don't get as much supplements. Dust as usual, but just do it very lightly, don't ghost them ever.

 

[Longhorn1234]

Nope moths aren't the same as the worms, though I don't know the exact different.

@listen2justin I don't cut back, my Chams just eat less, so in turn they don't get as much supplements. Dust as usual, but just do it very lightly, don't ghost them ever.

I see.
Did you previously say you breed orange head roaches? Is it difficult?

 

[jamest0o0]

Yeah I do, they are as easy as dubia. They eat even more than dubia though(which is good). They are meatier and more active, my Chams will eat them before dubia. They are pretty quick compared to dubia and give off a defensive odor, but if you keep them in a larger bin they don't seem to smell it all. I only experienced it when they were overcrowded and it wasn't that bad IMO. They also tend to be more aggressive with each other and thrive when given space.