Jacksons chameleon tips?

[Malcom]

I am a first time owner, of a beautiful male jacksons chameleon. He's about two or three months old. He seems to be thriving in his mesh inclosure. However, i have yet to see him eat a cricket, only meal worms and fruit flies. I believe it's because he is still pretty small, should i be concerned?

Also, its pretty hard to keep his humidity abouve 50% any tips? whats this i hear about the shower?

Thanks! ... ANY other tips from experiance would be greatly appreciated

 

[blackbetty]

I had the same concern when I first got mine. Experienced owners said put a dish in and leave them be for a few days. they will find food. I was also told that 50% is fine. I mist my cage with hot water 3 times a day to raise humidity. I can get it to about 68% max and it stays regular around 45%. I use small clip fans to keep temps under wraps during the day and lower at night. Here is the link to my thread, maybe it can help with any q's you have:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/jackson-chameleon-care-need-22182/

I was thrown for a loop and not ready but mine are doing great. THey eat when they want, usually not in front of me, but are drinking great and quite active. Good luck!

And the shower is a last minute resort as it stresses the cham out. Its usually to help rehydrate chams that havent drank on their own.

 

[Malcom]

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Murrdox]

Keeping humidity up for a Jacksons is always going to be difficult, depending on where you live.

I'd keep your chameleon on fruit flies and mealworms. Try houseflies if you can get them, you can order cultures online, they're great for young chams. Make sure you supplement the mealworms, they're not very nutritious.

I've had issues getting chams as young as yours on crickets. By 4 months, usually they start going for them. Before then, they seem to prefer fruit flies and houseflies much more. They'll go for mealworms, I just prefer to avoid mealworms since they're not a good staple.

I haven't tried feeding small silkworms to a young cham. That would probably work well.

 

[MEPOKEU]

My jackson is the pickiest eater.

Some days he will love one food item and the next two weeks he'll refuse to eat it.


The only thing ive noticed he always love is flies.

check out that link if u want to buy some and raise em
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blue-bottle-flies-22254/

 

[Malcom]

Cool, yeah i'll check out that site. What do ya think about feeding cham the common house fly? i've heard different things. but i'd like to try it, seems like it would be satisfying feeding those annoying flies to my vicious cham

 

[MEPOKEU]

ive done it, but people on here will tell you not to because of parasites

 

[Titan]

I feed ALL mine wild flys, and another good one is Moths! never had any problem since. I do admit with moths, I will not feed wild caught ones that just look wierdly colored, but who knows I just feed the common grays browns and white ones. Or if of the large variety, we have hawk moths (aka. Hummingbird moths here), and the Chams eat them like some lady savering her Chocolate Bar!

 

[krunk99cam]

I am also a first time owner and I have a Jackson's. I've had him for about 2 1/2 months. He's about 7 months old, he eats crickets and love's them. I haven't tried moths or flies but I will. Oh and I found that if you take him outside on a nice day he'll love it. Mine has displayed colors that I've never seen before until I've taken him out.

 

[Malcom]

awesome, yeah i'm looking to get mine outside for a little bit here when it warms up a bit. Does your seven month old have extended horns? i'm trying to determine the age of mine, he has pretruding bumps (real small horns), you have to get up relatively close to see them

 

[Murrdox]

I fed my Jacksons a bunch of wasps when I had a bit of an invasion of my apartment that lasted a few days. Seems like everyday I found a wasp buzzing around in my windows.... which promptly was trapped by a cup (when possible) and then tossed into the cage. Evidently they were tasty, my Jacksons never passed them up.

Honestly, the Jacksons I've had I got as Juveniles. I'm not sure how old they are before they start developing their horns. They definitely get little nubs at a pretty young age though.

 

[Malicious]

I fed my Jacksons a bunch of wasps when I had a bit of an invasion of my apartment that lasted a few days. Seems like everyday I found a wasp buzzing around in my windows.... which promptly was trapped by a cup (when possible) and then tossed into the cage. Evidently they were tasty, my Jacksons never passed them up.

You wern't concerned about the stinger?

 

[Murrdox]

I kept an eye on him each time I did it. Mostly because I didn't want him to leave the wasp alone, thinking the wasp might sting him while he was basking or sleeping.

The wasps died so quickly after being captured by that tongue there's no way they could have stung him. Technically I guess he ingested the poison, but it never bothered him any.

 

[Malcom]

that is awesome.

 

[sandrachameleon]

To maintain humidity a bit better, dont use an all screen cage. Or cover the back and two sides.

Perhaps the crickets offered were too large for the small chameleon?

Baby superworms and baby silkworms are better choices than mealworms. other options include: Small moths, green or blue bottle flies, young stick insects, cabbage loppers, the occassional small isopod and perhaps the occassional small snail, ...