How much is too much ???????

[growing zoo]

Hey guys
I have a 3-4 month old veiled who I have had for 2 weeks now.
Would really like to know how much food is too much ?
Will he stop when he is full?
Yesterday and today he has eaten between 16 and 20 half inch locust and still seems to wait for more. He has a feeder with veg but is not interested in that as I guess it does not move!!!
I have read that juvenile cams need to eat lots and regular but I don't want him to pop

 

[Miss Lily]

He can eat what he likes until he gets to around 6 months old. Have you tried other feeders at all? Amy was eating about that much at that age too. Once he starts eating 20 - 30 you could move up to the next size up of feeders so he'll need to eat less to feel full.

 

[eisentrauti]

A little excurse into biology: Imagine you were a wild chameleon. You are living in a desert like habitat where you never know when you get your next meal. So what would you do if you find some food ? Yes, eat as much as possible.
In captivity a chameleon gets food on a regular basis, the chances that a chameleon die because of starvation go near 0. But the chances that you short the lifespan because of adiposed organs and an early death are much higher. So its your task as a keeper to give enough for growing but not too much. It's always good if you provide a large variety of feeders, especially many flies and crickets.
Calyptratus are just sometimes interested in green stuff, some animals never, some seem to accept it if they don't get much water to drink

 

[growing zoo]

Yeah was aware that I can over feed as suggested Eisentrauti which is why I ask "how much is too much?" and yes it is my task as a keeper to work this out but in the mean time I will take the advice of miss lily and maybe work towards the next size up and give a mixture of bugs.
Think I will feel happier I am doing the right thing when he sheds as it will prove he is growing !!!!!!

 

[Goggles]

I asked this same question over a year ago when I got my first Veiled.
Benny was kind enough to answer my question as he did yours. I took his advice as it made sense to me and cut back the food quite a bit with no adverse affects.
There are lots of opinions on "how much food" but with the different sizes of food that can be offered I don't think "20" would be a good answer not knowing the size. With my guy I noticed some abnormally large fecals before I cut him back.
If your thinking "That came out of that little thing" your probably feeding too much

 

[growing zoo]

ok thanks, I just want to do my best for him, he is the most amazing and fascinating creature I have had the pleasure to observe.
Think maybe I have read and researched far too much and feel confused with conflicting advice
Never meant to be rude or ungrateful

 

[laurie]

ok thanks, I just want to do my best for him, he is the most amazing and fascinating creature I have had the pleasure to observe.
Think maybe I have read and researched far too much and feel confused with conflicting advice
Never meant to be rude or ungrateful

You were neither rude or ungrateful, you are a caring learning keeper who is taking information and making it work for you. Don't ever stop that process. You will get lots of different answers on here and you got answers from two experts, both Benny & Miss Lily. Your job is to take that, apply it to you and your chameleon and do what you decide is best. That is never being rude or ungrateful, unless you say rude stuff back to someone, otherwise it is you thinking and using your brain!!!

 

[Goggles]

Think maybe I have read and researched far too much and feel confused with conflicting advice
Never meant to be rude or ungrateful

I don't think your being rude or ungreatful at all.
I do see where your coming from though when two experienced keepers are giving you conflicting advice.

 

[growing zoo]

your all so kind and I am grateful for everything I just want this to work because at the moment I feel I am worrying instead of enjoying.
suppose its early days for us as I have only been doing this for 2 weeks and in time I guess I will be able to read his body language/quirks, well hopefully anyway

 

[Miss Lily]

Welcome to the world of chameleon addicts, lol! Pretty soon you'll be obsessed with poop/urate, supplements, daylight hours, etc, etc! The fact that you are worrying is a good thing! You will learn a lot from this forum as did I two years ago when I got my dear Lily. We also need to learn from our mistakes too ( as I did).

A new cham is a worry anyway - you always fret that you might do something wrong, and it is even more worrisome with a baby cham. I have had two as adults and got Amy as a baby - I think Amy caused me the most worry, bless her! Chameleons are such an enchanting and enjoyable pet - pretty soon yours will cast his spell on you (if he hasn't already)! It takes a while to get used to any new pet - my first chameleon (Lily) was also my first ever reptile and I almost didn't get her as I felt so overwhelmed with their care needs, but I am so glad I went ahead and got her - chameleons are the best pets I've ever had. But also be warned - chameleons are addictive and one is just not enough, lol!

 

[growing zoo]

your so very right in what you say, I am hooked already
We have a ball python too which we have had for 18 months and tropical fish and a dog and 2 children!!!
The snake is my husbands who thinks or rather thought he had the most fascinating of pets even when I was researching chams, but then I brought Kevin chameleon home......he has been besotted since

 

[Miss Lily]

Kevin the chameleon!! What a great name! All my chams have or have had 'people' names - after all they are my l'il green people! Lily was my first (named after my late Nan), followed by Amy and lastly, my gorgeous big boy Tommy!

 

[growing zoo]

ha ha ha
we have Pete the python too, think they deserve people names

 

[sandrachameleon]

Hey guys
I have a 3-4 month old veiled who I have had for 2 weeks now.
Would really like to know how much food is too much ?
Will he stop when he is full?
Yesterday and today he has eaten between 16 and 20 half inch locust and still seems to wait for more. He has a feeder with veg but is not interested in that as I guess it does not move!!!
I have read that juvenile cams need to eat lots and regular but I don't want him to pop

Hi
At that age, I feed mine as much as they can eat up within about 5 minutes, about twice a day (sometimes 3 times). With this method, they gain a little weight each month. I could feed them more, they would certainly eat more, but its not necessary or good for them to grow too quickly IMHO. Try adding a few different types of feeders too - locust are good, but variety is better.