I want to give up he’s too stubborn

Jhlamotte95

Jhlamotte95

Member
So I have put a post or two about this but my Chameleon will not eat anything but Supers he hopelessly addicted. I tried to just offer him Dubai’s an crickets for a full week maybe a day or two over without offering a super. Did not even show the slight mf interest in both.

Took him to a vet specialist she made it seem like I was abusing my pet because he didn’t eat anything for a full week ( even though I offered him dozens of crickets an Dubai’s everyday and more than once a day lol) She told me that “ least he is eating” in my head I’m thinking of Coarse he eating!! But what he’s eating is a treat with not much nutrition. I gut load an heavily dust to make up the fact calcium barley sticks to supers.

Should I just give into a lifetime of supers or is there anything I can do. People on this forum tell me they are not to be used as a main staple, I want to do my own research an observer my chameleons behavior because I know every Chameleon has its on personality but I can’t just ignore the facts. I want my Rango to eat like a Chameleon (variety ) not a super worm addict Lizard who can’t put the candy down until it’s too late......
 
He looks healthy kinda skinny but that’s probably good compared to definitely fat
 

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Dave85731 said:
technically you can starve them for about two weeks but suppers can be addictive but to be honest as long as your gut load is good he’ll be fine and he looks fine on the pic
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Thanks so much info on both side it’s making me worry. Just trying to be good to my little man.
 
salty dog said:
He will give in, it will just take time, if you can get some grasshoppers, his hunger strike will end very fast
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I wish but no store around me sells them. And how do you offer those when they start jumping soon an they get a chance. I have been just dropping them in his cage an he is either eating them when I’m not around or they are escaping. I’ve only seen one outside the cage but idk they are small.......
 
Jhlamotte95 said:
I wish but no store around me sells them. And how do you offer those when they start jumping soon an they get a chance. I have been just dropping them in his cage an he is either eating them when I’m not around or they are escaping. I’ve only seen one outside the cage but idk they are small.......
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And by them I mean Crix
 
Try silkworms or Black Soldier Flies. That could stimulate a response. As stated, if the feeders are gutloaded well and the proper supplements are used, there shouldn't be any major issues. We suggest a varied diet so there can be a balanced nutrition but that can be adjusted making sure the feeders are getting the right balance.
 
I know everyone likes to hate on supers. But in the 1990's everything got raise on "meal worms", because the only other thing we had was crickets. Everyone got along just fine. You can gut load a super to 10% its body weight, its not ideal since you can gut load a cricket 20% and a dubia 30%, but which is better your gut load or the bug? Plus supers have a lot lower chitin content vs cricket.

So if a cham is on a "worm strike" its not the end of the world, just like if the cham only eats crickets or only eats dubia.
 
One of my chams is very picky, unless its superworms! Im trying to break his cycle. He refuses dubia, but will eat crickets, silkworms, and hornworms on occasion. He likes moths and phasmids. Maybe let a few hornworms and silkworms pupate and morph to moths. Not a quick process but an easy variety to add.

Green banana roaches are also excellent for breaking hunger strikes!
 
There's nothing wrong with supers, the problem is that they're addictive, which for an animal like a chameleon that has evolved eating thousands of different insects, they benefit from the variety in nutrition. IMO gutload doesn't compare to eating different foods and contrary to what others say, supers don't gutload well. Their guts simply don't hold enough for how many calories they are in comparison to a roach or cricket. They will eat anything, but it just goes straight out.

Other thing, I have done this with several chameleons, just keep holding out... reptiles can go a long time without food, that's why their hunger strikes freak us out. I have gone close to two weeks with no problems at all. Got all my chams 100% on roaches that way, taking them from my hands even.

Lastly, in special cases, just shove a roach or whatever in their mouth while chewing a superworm! I had one cham with a messed up tongue, for a year I gave him 1 super every other day and while he was chewing I would hold a small dubia or other roach against the side of his mouth, he would bite down on it when it went into his mouth. I've done this for several stubborn eaters and it works perfectly and won't hurt them. I do this a lot for feeders that are nutritious, but my chams refuse to eat, like my Parsons won't usually eat any worms, so when I want to get him some extra hydration I'll do that with a silk or hornworm.
 
snitz427 said:
One of my chams is very picky, unless its superworms! Im trying to break his cycle. He refuses dubia, but will eat crickets, silkworms, and hornworms on occasion. He likes moths and phasmids. Maybe let a few hornworms and silkworms pupate and morph to moths. Not a quick process but an easy variety to add.

Green banana roaches are also excellent for breaking hunger strikes!
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Hmmm wonder which cham that is :LOL:
 
Jhlamotte95 said:
He looks healthy kinda skinny but that’s probably good compared to definitely fat
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As some have stated, get something that's GREEN. Seriously... if its moving and green, it seems to stimulate something in chams. I've had chams eat Katydids within SECONDS even though they've never seen one. I caught a green anole in my porch the other day and went to show him to my chams and two of them tried to eat it. I've also tested this with a bic lighter [for science]. Its something to do with the green. At least that's my personal experience and opinion.

You can go out and catch grasshoppers. I caught about 20 of these the other day at the Lowes garden center [which at least this specific lowes doesnt do pest control].
received_406648606713555.jpeg

I also live in Florida... and those were anywhere from 1"-2.5". My point is that if you look, you can come across things. [Yes, I ALWAYS carry deli cups for bugs]

As someone else mentioned, Nick Barta runs fullthrottlefeeders.com and he has green banana roaches which are notorious for hunger strike breaking. There are other sources for them and other bugs. You can get "green lacewings" through most nurseries (a green stick/leaf bug).

Just remember with anything you catch outside it may have risks. I personally think that trusting pet shops to keep their feeders clean and safe is more risky. Point is, you know your area and your animals.

Best wishes!
 

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jamest0o0 said:
There's nothing wrong with supers, the problem is that they're addictive, which for an animal like a chameleon that has evolved eating thousands of different insects, they benefit from the variety in nutrition. IMO gutload doesn't compare to eating different foods and contrary to what others say, supers don't gutload well. Their guts simply don't hold enough for how many calories they are in comparison to a roach or cricket. They will eat anything, but it just goes straight out.

Other thing, I have done this with several chameleons, just keep holding out... reptiles can go a long time without food, that's why their hunger strikes freak us out. I have gone close to two weeks with no problems at all. Got all my chams 100% on roaches that way, taking them from my hands even.

Lastly, in special cases, just shove a roach or whatever in their mouth while chewing a superworm! I had one cham with a messed up tongue, for a year I gave him 1 super every other day and while he was chewing I would hold a small dubia or other roach against the side of his mouth, he would bite down on it when it went into his mouth. I've done this for several stubborn eaters and it works perfectly and won't hurt them. I do this a lot for feeders that are nutritious, but my chams refuse to eat, like my Parsons won't usually eat any worms, so when I want to get him some extra hydration I'll do that with a silk or hornworm.
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Got really close to trying that just didn’t know if he was gonna get pissed
 
nightanole said:
hmm wonder if you could "glue" a bug to a super. Something like a dab of corn syrup or honey or melted normal sugar. make chameleon granola.
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I use manuka honey occasionally like this, only a little to get certain things to stick that otherwise wouldn't like gutload and random stuff I'm experimenting with. Too much probably isn't good from all the sugar, but a little helps. Has the benefit of being somewhat of an antibiotic as well so I like to think maybe it cleans his mouth out a little.

Green bananas are great, but even the 'giant' females are small and you'd need a lot to use as a staple. Excellent variety feeders though
 
nightanole said:
hmm wonder if you could "glue" a bug to a super. Something like a dab of corn syrup or honey or melted normal sugar. make chameleon granola.
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I try to put other feeders in the cup with supets and shake it so they are kinda piled up. He will usually get at least two bugs like that... so i can sneak in a silkworm with the super. His face tells me he knows exactly what I did!
 
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