My Cham is not eating!!!!

[LennyandLilly]

Hello anyone...My Panther Cham of a year, just wont eat. Its not that hes unhealthy or sick, hes just stubborn. I try cup feeding and also put dubias on the screen walls. But once the roaches go to the bottom, he out. Now I just got him a bigger cage, and its worse. The roaches hide and then hit the bottom! Uggggh!! Any suggestions, and how long can a Cham go without eating??

 

[Curlytails]

Hello anyone...My Panther Cham of a year, just wont eat. Its not that hes unhealthy or sick, hes just stubborn. I try cup feeding and also put dubias on the screen walls. But once the roaches go to the bottom, he out. Now I just got him a bigger cage, and its worse. The roaches hide and then hit the bottom! Uggggh!! Any suggestions, and how long can a Cham go without eating??

surprisingly long! 1 week is were you should get worried. mine is having the same problem and he is wasting awayi fear i may lose him...

 

[NickTide]

Have either of you tried different foods? Dubias are my base food but when they go on hunger strikes they don't last long because I give them a different food. I use black soldier flies as regular feeder now and they never refuse them. Before I had them, my chams would refuse food from time to time. I used stick insects and green banana roaches in the past. When I first got them, I caught flies from outside... After that they are dubias and super worms.

 

[LennyandLilly]

surprisingly long! 1 week is were you should get worried. mine is having the same problem and he is wasting awayi fear i may lose him...

Oh no!! Please keep me updated. Mine i know is just being stubborn. He'd rather come crawling out of his cage, then notice the food im giving him. Then the little Dubia suckers are crawling away (to the bottom). Please keep me updated!!

 

[LennyandLilly]

Have either of you tried different foods? Dubias are my base food but when they go on hunger strikes they don't last long because I give them a different food. I use black soldier flies as regular feeder now and they never refuse them. Before I had them, my chams would refuse food from time to time. I used stick insects and green banana roaches in the past. When I first got them, I caught flies from outside... After that they are dubias and super worms.

Ok, I so will try some of your different things. He's just being stubborn and wants to play when he see me, instead of eating.

 

[LennyandLilly]

surprisingly long! 1 week is were you should get worried. mine is having the same problem and he is wasting awayi fear i may lose him...

Also notice what NIck Tide said. We may need to change it up.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Also notice what NIck Tide said. We may need to change it up.

... and don’t be afraid to play hardball with him if need be, he will not starve himself to death. I know I’d doesn’t always feel like it but remember, we are the ones in charge, not them! It’s kind of like making your kids eat their vegetables!

 

[LennyandLilly]

... and don’t be afraid to play hardball with him if need be, he will not starve himself to death. I know I’d doesn’t always feel like it but remember, we are the ones in charge, not them! It’s kind of like making your kids eat their vegetables!

I totally get you! My boyfriend tells me that all the time.....I;m waundering if his new cage is too big. The roaches crawl away by the time hes interested. I always leave a cup of crickets and dubias for him, but still nothing. Uggggggghhh

 

[44937]

I'm tagging along for ideas on free ranging dubias..... what does everyone else do to minimize dubias from hiding in the bottom corners of the enclosures? That's their natural instinct as nocturnal (dark environment) feeders so getting them running around during the day is difficult. Putting them in cups with bsfl seems to keep them moving around a bit but I can't stop them from hiding when free ranging.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

I'm tagging along for ideas on free ranging dubias..... what does everyone else do to minimize dubias from hiding in the bottom corners of the enclosures? That's their natural instinct as nocturnal (dark environment) feeders so getting them running around during the day is difficult. Putting them in cups with bsfl seems to keep them moving around a bit but I can't stop them from hiding when free ranging.

To put it simply, it just doesn’t work. If turning Dubai’s loose in the viv they are going to hide. The only thing you might get away with is having nothing on the floor of your viv.

 

[Hannah1966]

I'm tagging along for ideas on free ranging dubias..... what does everyone else do to minimize dubias from hiding in the bottom corners of the enclosures? That's their natural instinct as nocturnal (dark environment) feeders so getting them running around during the day is difficult. Putting them in cups with bsfl seems to keep them moving around a bit but I can't stop them from hiding when free ranging.

This is going to sound a little bit crazy but my older male chameleon, "Puff" that was a rescue, will eat the "Dubies" and the BSFLs when they are put in a tall 3-4" tall square clear glass container in his 24"x24"x48" naturalistic enclosure. If he gets bored hunting in that corner I just move the container to another corner. I know they are smart hunters, but sometimes you need to just play their silly game of being picky.

If you have trouble finding the glass container (the weight helps keep it in place) find a craft store where they do flower arrangements and have a large selection of glass containers.

Hope this helps!
Best of Luck and Blessings to You and Your Cham!

 

[AngelRod88]

Have either of you tried different foods? Dubias are my base food but when they go on hunger strikes they don't last long because I give them a different food. I use black soldier flies as regular feeder now and they never refuse them. Before I had them, my chams would refuse food from time to time. I used stick insects and green banana roaches in the past. When I first got them, I caught flies from outside... After that they are dubias and super worms.

Hey i seem to have this same issue with my veiled cham hes not eating much and today i notices there was yellow dots on his poop im not sure if this is normal or if its something to worry about he drinks water and seems ok no sings of dehydration.

 

[timw1]

Maybe those dots are something that grew on the poop? This is an old thread you posted on, maybe start your own

 

[AngelRod88]

Ok thanks i will

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Hey i seem to have this same issue with my veiled cham hes not eating much and today i notices there was yellow dots on his poop im not sure if this is normal or if its something to worry about he drinks water and seems ok no sings of dehydration.

You should also start a thread to have your overall husbandry reviewed, those wood chips will kill your Cham if ingested.