my cham is only 5 and a half weeks old and he will constantly eat his body including tail is 8 cm long, how much should I be feeding him? I have been feeding him pinheads about 40 a day. Sometimes this fils him sometimes he will eat ups of 50. Is this too much and can I get the larger crickets to feed him, cos he is going through the food I have for him so quickly.
How much does he eat ??
- Thread starter Daley17
- Start date
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DavidBuchan
Guest
A good rule for size is to feed crickets no longer than the distance between his eyes. He's a hungry little scamp - it is possible to overfeed Chams, so don't fill him up every day. It's ok to let him go nuts a couple of days a week though -he's a growing boy
Can you get fruit flies, he'll love them?
15- 20 decent sized crickets is enough.
lumbasammler
New Member
In general you may say that it is okay to feed a small chameleon until it is saturated ONCE a day. Don´t offer food more often. Fruitlies (or other flies of proper size) will be a great thing and he can gather hunting experience this way.
Do you use supplementation?
This is especially important when feeding flies.
Flies do barely contain any nutrients which are very important for a growing chameleon so you need to use supplementation in order to provide those.
Do you use supplementation?
This is especially important when feeding flies.
Flies do barely contain any nutrients which are very important for a growing chameleon so you need to use supplementation in order to provide those.
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DavidBuchan
Guest
Yeah, make sure it's not just flies. Gutloaded and calcium/vitamin dusted crickets and locusts are the easiest staples.
Yeah I gut load the crix and I have given him a bit of fruit flies. But I mainly feed him crix because the seem to fill him better. Also I do dust with some calcium and vitamin stuff from the pet store, only 1-3 times a week though. I was thinkin of getting the larger crix and I don't think they are bigger then his gap between his eyes but I think il stick with pinheads another week just to be safe. Thanks for the help.
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DavidBuchan
Guest
I would say that is not really normal, what's his temp? Do you have a basking light? Can you post pictures? If he seems active and growing, and they are gutloaded and dusted then don't worry, he might just be a bit of a runt........
Could he be eating something when you're not looking?
lumbasammler
New Member
The crickets are about the size of his head? This would be way to big!
Like David said earlier, they shall not be bigger than the gap between your chams eyes.
85 is underneath the spot?
Like David said earlier, they shall not be bigger than the gap between your chams eyes.
85 is underneath the spot?
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DavidBuchan
Guest
Crickets need to be much smaller. At that age don't feed things that they have to properly chew.....85 is good if that's the hottest spot he can get to, make sure he can't get any closer to the bulb than that.......
I think you should try to stimulate feeding by offering variety too - it's very easy to make Chams gunshy if the feeders are too big. Give fruit flies - he'll start to eat I guarantee it
I think you should try to stimulate feeding by offering variety too - it's very easy to make Chams gunshy if the feeders are too big. Give fruit flies - he'll start to eat I guarantee it
lumbasammler
New Member
Hello,
it´s best to first get them into some kind of smaller container where you can add supplementation. You´ll need to try, how many of them your Chameleon regularly eats at once. I guess 15-20 Fruitflies plus a few SMALL crickets or locusts (please get rid f their jumping-legs or they may hurt your cham in worst case) should be fine.
it´s best to first get them into some kind of smaller container where you can add supplementation. You´ll need to try, how many of them your Chameleon regularly eats at once. I guess 15-20 Fruitflies plus a few SMALL crickets or locusts (please get rid f their jumping-legs or they may hurt your cham in worst case) should be fine.
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DavidBuchan
Guest
Agreed, but with crickets the right size there is no need to bother taking the legs off.
lumbasammler
New Member
You´re right, that reffered to the locusts.
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DavidBuchan
Guest
lumbasammler
New Member
Well, the risk might not be high but i still always rip them off as their are several cases known when chameleons didn´t get locusts the way they are supposed to and they caused serious damage to their eyes or mouth with their legs.
Some species have little needles on their jumping-legs.
Some species have little needles on their jumping-legs.
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DavidBuchan
Guest
Did you ever have the problem yourself, or did you always take the legs off? I never had any problem apart from feeding them too big crickets or locusts can put them off the food a little bit.............you just have to feed the right size and assume that your insect eating lizard can eat insects withoutout hurting itself too much
(I think you are being very careful, but how long does it take to remove all the legs if your male Veiled only wants locusts or mealworms?)
lumbasammler
New Member
Hey Buddy,
i´ve never had it myself, but read about it.
I don´t always rip them off when i feed especially small ones, but especially with a young and unexperienced chameleon, i would absolutely recommend it!
When they get older and are usend to catching their prey, the risk will be very small.
i´ve never had it myself, but read about it.
I don´t always rip them off when i feed especially small ones, but especially with a young and unexperienced chameleon, i would absolutely recommend it!
When they get older and are usend to catching their prey, the risk will be very small.
