Is it ok not to feed a Cham a few things
- Thread starter Rocco105
- Start date
gegeland
Member
Are you asking if it is okay for you to only feed your chameleon one feeder?
If that is what you are asking, how would you like it if you were fed the same thing everyday? Variety is important, as chameleons gain key nutrition from all kinds of different feeders. There are some staple feeders that should be fed regularly that are healthier than other feeders. Chameleons also may go on food strikes from a lack of variety. Hope this answers your question...
If that is what you are asking, how would you like it if you were fed the same thing everyday? Variety is important, as chameleons gain key nutrition from all kinds of different feeders. There are some staple feeders that should be fed regularly that are healthier than other feeders. Chameleons also may go on food strikes from a lack of variety. Hope this answers your question...
Olimpia
Biologist & Ecologist
From the good list of recommended feeders, you can definately pick and choose what you're willing to work with. No one is going to force you to keep/feed roaches if you don't want to.
-Crickets
-Locusts
-Hornworms
-Butterworms
-Silkworms
-Roaches
-Stickbugs
-Flies
-Certain butterflies
-Waxworms <--- Only give these as a treat. They're like a double chocolate fudge cake to reptiles, which makes them irresistable, and also very unhealthy. Feed in moderation.
Mealworms aren't very good because the shell to meat ratio is very poor. Superworms have much more meat compared to their shell, so they're better. However, like others have aleady said, it's better for your chameleon to get a few different insects, so they can get more nutrients from more sources.
-Crickets
-Locusts
-Hornworms
-Butterworms
-Silkworms
-Roaches
-Stickbugs
-Flies
-Certain butterflies
-Waxworms <--- Only give these as a treat. They're like a double chocolate fudge cake to reptiles, which makes them irresistable, and also very unhealthy. Feed in moderation.
Mealworms aren't very good because the shell to meat ratio is very poor. Superworms have much more meat compared to their shell, so they're better. However, like others have aleady said, it's better for your chameleon to get a few different insects, so they can get more nutrients from more sources.
ColorCham427
Avid Member
You can feed one feeder. Crickets ARE what they eat, variety is key. Variety with crickets is what they are eating.
Switch up the foods, have a good schedule.
Silkworms and hornworms are awesome. Silkworms are better though in nutrition. Dubia roaches are great too, and they are what they eat too!
Superworms are nice treats, some people use those as staples, I don't anymore because it seems that superworms are the addictive feeder!!!
Switch up the foods, have a good schedule.
Silkworms and hornworms are awesome. Silkworms are better though in nutrition. Dubia roaches are great too, and they are what they eat too!
Superworms are nice treats, some people use those as staples, I don't anymore because it seems that superworms are the addictive feeder!!!
Elizadolots
New Member
I feed my dogs the same food every day and they are happy to get it. I hold the bowl up and shake it and my boydog gets all excited..the girldog just eats what's there.
I don't think they have this big need for variety that people suggest. I do think variety is valuable from a health stand point, but from a "willing to eat" stand point...nah...
I also think that good gutloading of a standard feeder can make for a healthy chameleon.
I'd find the feeder that is best accepted (some are really opposed to particular feeders) and gut load those really well.
If I had the chance to toss in some other insects, I'd do it, but to me, a well gutloaded cricket is worth a bunch of other feeders my chameleon isn't interested in.
I don't think they have this big need for variety that people suggest. I do think variety is valuable from a health stand point, but from a "willing to eat" stand point...nah...
I also think that good gutloading of a standard feeder can make for a healthy chameleon.
I'd find the feeder that is best accepted (some are really opposed to particular feeders) and gut load those really well.
If I had the chance to toss in some other insects, I'd do it, but to me, a well gutloaded cricket is worth a bunch of other feeders my chameleon isn't interested in.
pssh
Avid Member
It's best not to feed only one feeder, and hopefully you can at least regularly have three 'staple' feeders and mix it up every now and then.
If you're avoiding roaches, I would recomend crickets/locusts/stickbugs(if you can find them,) silkworms, and superworms with other worms, flies, butterflies, moths, snails, Rollie pollies, and other good stuff to mix it up every now and then.
I like my dubias, especially the small ones. They just look like big Rollie pollies and the adults look like weird beetles. Not all chameleons like dubias though. Luckily my two will always eat them. They love it when I hand feed themand the buggies kick their leggies.
If you're avoiding roaches, I would recomend crickets/locusts/stickbugs(if you can find them,) silkworms, and superworms with other worms, flies, butterflies, moths, snails, Rollie pollies, and other good stuff to mix it up every now and then.
I like my dubias, especially the small ones. They just look like big Rollie pollies and the adults look like weird beetles. Not all chameleons like dubias though. Luckily my two will always eat them. They love it when I hand feed themand the buggies kick their leggies.
eisentrauti
Avid Member
Please show me the species which can be kept just with a very small variety of feeders for several generations... and now erase pardalis and calyptatus from the list... and now the list is empty.
A healthy chameleon who stops eating nearly everything gets just too much food. In the wild they need to eat everything they can get to survive.
And I really disagree with your statement that the keeper should accept that the chameleon favours maybe one or two sorts of insects. Would you give your child only Coke and Chicken McNuggets because it likes it more than water and healthy food ???
