Location of insect feeder in habitat?

[SueAndHerZoo]

I recently purchased a feeder on Etsy from Sticky Tongue and I think it's great, but I'm not sure where in the enclosure to have it. The instructions said to put it lower than where the chameleon usually hangs out and I did, and the first day he seemed to spot some movement and went to it to eat. But since then she hasn't gone back to the feeder. And I'm finding the dubia roaches don't move much when they are in there so there's nothing to attract the chameleon's attention. Should I move the feeder up higher and closer to where the chameleon usually basks so that she might catch a glimpse of movement better?
Sue

 

[Beman]

I recently purchased a feeder on Etsy from Sticky Tongue and I think it's great, but I'm not sure where in the enclosure to have it. The instructions said to put it lower than where the chameleon usually hangs out and I did, and the first day he seemed to spot some movement and went to it to eat. But since then she hasn't gone back to the feeder. And I'm finding the dubia roaches don't move much when they are in there so there's nothing to attract the chameleon's attention. Should I move the feeder up higher and closer to where the chameleon usually basks so that she might catch a glimpse of movement better?
Sue

I keep mine sitting just below basking level. This way they see the movement. Too far down and they do not always respond to it if it is not a method of feeding they are used to.

 

[Lindasjackson]

I keep mine sitting just below basking level. This way they see the movement. Too far down and they do not always respond to it if it is not a method of feeding they are used to.

I do the same at just below basking level and I also add a couple worms like Bsf to the dubia to keep them moving. Maybe even a cricket or two in the past but at present I’m not feeding crickets any more.

 

[Beman]

I do the same at just below basking level and I also add a couple worms like Bsf to the dubia to keep them moving. Maybe even a cricket or two in the past but at present I’m not feeding crickets any more.

I suppose it depends on the feeder run type too. I have used both the Shooting gallery and the Full throttle feeder. The full throttle I keep just below basking with the top at basking level. The shooting gallery I always kept up in direct sight of the basking level until they got used to eating from it and understood I was pouring in feeders. Then I moved it back down.

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Thanks, guys. I think I'll go pick up some crickets to get things moving in there. Perhaps once she realizes this is the place for food she'll even go after the flow-moving dubias, but right now she needs something to attract her attention. I think I'll move it up higher, for now, and hope that once she realizes this is her "trough" I can move it down a little.
Sue

 

[Lindasjackson]

Good idea!

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I recently purchased a feeder on Etsy from Sticky Tongue and I think it's great, but I'm not sure where in the enclosure to have it. The instructions said to put it lower than where the chameleon usually hangs out and I did, and the first day he seemed to spot some movement and went to it to eat. But since then she hasn't gone back to the feeder.

IME, this type of feeder is mostly for crickets. For everything else, I use a clip on bird feeder.

And I'm finding the dubia roaches don't move much when they are in there so there's nothing to attract the chameleon's attention. Should I move the feeder up higher and closer to where the chameleon usually basks so that she might catch a glimpse of movement better?
Sue

Roaches are both nocturnal and photophobic; playing dead clustered in a corner helps them survive predators.

I feed roaches with another feeder insect. This is useful in 2 ways.

1. The other feeder—if active—will help keep the roaches moving and better stimulate Ms/Mr Chameleon's feeder response.
   
   
2. Roaches lack an essential nutrient—linoleic acid (Omega 6 fatty acid), so including another type of feeder provides this nutrient.

If I put 6 roaches in his cup, he'll ignore them.
If I put 6 roaches and a few of a more active feeder in the cup together, he''l usually eat the others, but he'll also eat 3-4 of the roaches.

The cricket feeder is semi-permanently mounted with the center of the back track around his eye level.
The other, I occasionally move around—as long as it's below basking height. He knows what it looks like and that it contains food, and he can see feeder insects moving in it even from below. It kinda simulates his having to hunt rather than being spoon fed.

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

IME, this type of feeder is mostly for crickets. For everything else, I use a clip on bird feeder.


Roaches are both nocturnal and photophobic; playing dead clustered in a corner helps them survive predators.

I feed roaches with another feeder insect. This is useful in 2 ways.

1. The other feeder—if active—will help keep the roaches moving and better stimulate Ms/Mr Chameleon's feeder response.
   
   
2. Roaches lack an essential nutrient—linoleic acid (Omega 6 fatty acid), so including another type of feeder provides this nutrient.

If I put 6 roaches in his cup, he'll ignore them.
If I put 6 roaches and a few of a more active feeder in the cup together, he''l usually eat the others, but he'll also eat 3-4 of the roaches.

The cricket feeder is semi-permanently mounted with the center of the back track around his eye level.
The other, I occasionally move around—as long as it's below basking height. He knows what it looks like and that it contains food, and he can see feeder insects moving in it even from below. It kinda simulates his having to hunt rather than being spoon fed.

Thanks, I'll pick up a bird feeder and hang that, too so she has options. Hearing the roaches are nocturnal and hide from light explains a lot - I guess they're playing dead when I was starting to think they actually all WERE dead!

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Thanks, I'll pick up a bird feeder and hang that, too so she has options. Hearing the roaches are nocturnal and hide from light explains a lot - I guess they're playing dead when I was starting to think they actually all WERE dead!

IME, the dead ones lie upside-down and their legs don't kick. They also desiccate overnight.