How to handle crickets

[pejman]

I have just bought a Jackson chameleon I have no prior experience with insectivores all I have had were tortoises , birds and hamsters anyway my main problem is handling crickets how can I put them inside my Chameleons cage? also what other food sources are good to give him he is 6 7 months old .

one last thing he is green but a little brown on his sides , I do not think it is an important problem becasue I just got him last night but it is better to be safe than sorry aint it?

 

[Ahtee]

This is what I do. I place toilet rolls/paper towel rolls in the cricket tub and when it's time to feed I just take the rolls and shake them into a cup with calcium powder in it, their jumping just naturally coats them in the dust and from the cup to feeding station. No touching of the crickets at all!

 

[pejman]

Yeah thats quite good
also I feed my crickets with kiwi and potato
do you suggest any other diet?

 

[AlexKnight]

I put a little bit of carrot and potato in (4 or 5 bits) and that is usually enough, probably on the fact that my chameleons eat all the crickets straight away. Also, if you put too much in the viv it can start rotting and going smelly as I found out. :/

 

[Tay And A]

A lot of people say not to use potatoe because the starches are bad for chameleons

 

[pejman]

Thank you I will consider that

 

[Ahtee]

Oranges carrot cucumber apple. Well basically anything that's in the fridge which I can get my hands on, not forgetting some superload changed everyday

 

[pejman]

also could you tell me about the coloring I mentioned earlier?

 

[Ahtee]

Well my guess it that he's just trying to be darker to absorb as much heat as possible, if your husbandry is on the ball then I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[pejman]

The pet shop told me since I live in Hawaii there is no need for a baskin lamp so I did not get one I just have had him for 2 days but he goes to sleep by sunset and wakes up in like 7 ish in the morning
should I be alert?

also it is probably nothing but today he tried to catch a cricket with 3 tries now it was faaar away and maybe he misshot his tongue but could there be something wrong with his tongues adhesiveness?

 

[pejman]

http://instagram.com/p/YeddDbkN_c/ this is his picture

 

[Ahtee]

Well I don't know what the temps are in Hawaii year round but getting a basking lamp doesn't cost much, just don't get those branded ones specially made for reptiles if your on a tight budget cus regular ones sold at your home appliance shop works just fine. Chameleons don't usually miss their target but then again I might be wrong. Hopefully some of the more senior members chime in and give u some comments.

 

[Ahtee]

http://instagram.com/p/YeddDbkN_c/ this is his picture

He looks pretty darn fine to me. Nice lookin guy u got there

 

[Andee]

I would definitely get a basking lamp unless he's outside, they need the light in order to digest their food. Get something that suspends it above the cage so it doesn't get too hot and the heat level can be adjusted also this way he can't burn himself. Do you have a uvb bulb too?

 

[pejman]

I do have a UVB lamp on top of the cage.
today he was kinda afraid of me could it be because I was wearing bright yellow?
he eats well and drinks lots of water even sometime from the dripper nozzle it self I saw him today pulling himself all the way towards the nozzle so I moved it a little that he could reach it from the top of his branch

 

[ISA my Veiled]

This is what I do for my chameleons, it works out really well all the time. I rarely have escapes, I bring this video up every time someone has questions like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_od47TlbXA

Hope it helps

 

[pejman]

good one I will look into it