New Baby Veiled Not Eating?

[wjbader]

Hello all. A first time post for a new chameleon owner. So, I got a young (about 3 mos.) veiled chameleon on saturday and she ate a couple crickets. Today, however, she hasn't eaten any! I can't free range them because her enclosure is too big, so I'm trying to hand feed her with tongs. I also tried putting her in a small carrying tote with a couple of crickets, but no dice.Should I try to cup feed her? How big of a cup should I use? I'm worried! I would fill out that information help guideline, but I'm on my phone (too much work)! Suggestions?

 

[AZJ0SH]

Hello all. A first time post for a new chameleon owner. So, I got a young (about 3 mos.) veiled chameleon on saturday and she ate a couple crickets. Today, however, she hasn't eaten any! I can't free range them because her enclosure is too big, so I'm trying to hand feed her with tongs. I also tried putting her in a small carrying tote with a couple of crickets, but no dice.Should I try to cup feed her? How big of a cup should I use? I'm worried! I would fill out that information help guideline, but I'm on my phone (too much work)! Suggestions?

She is just getting used to her cage, my cham did not eat the first 2 days I owned him I believe it's normal.

For me, since my chameleon was so small and his enclosure was so big, I decided to just kill the crix before feeding, just pick one up and squeeze it's head and then set it in his cage on a leaf.

 

[jannb]

I would recommend a smaller cage the first few months. Most babies unless coming from a very small personal breed are not going to know how to cup feed. It would be allot for a new chameleon to adjust to a new home, new people and a whole new way to have to eat. Most chameleons will not eat dead food either. What size feeders are you offering her? They may be too large.

I keep veileds and I'm attaching my blog for you below for new keepers. If you have a female I'll go ahead and give you my egg laying/laying bin blog because you'll be needing that soon.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/jannb/345-egg-laying-laying-bin.html

 

[ckmazdaspeed3]

I have a small female about the same age (a bit younger actually) and her cage is pretty big. I took a small plastic container that had been used for hummus or some dip from the grocery store and zip tied it to a branch of hers. The container is only an inch or so high so she has no problems seeing what is inside.

Now, idk how the members on here feel aboutthis, but is simply rip the rear legs off of the crickets so they can't jump out, but they are still alive and move around the bowl and get her attention... She is now like a dog and every morning when I open the cage and she sees cricket in hand she hurries over to the bowl.

Just try to find an opaque plastic container, as she may try to zap the side of a clear plastic one.

 

[AZJ0SH]

I have a small female about the same age (a bit younger actually) and her cage is pretty big. I took a small plastic container that had been used for hummus or some dip from the grocery store and zip tied it to a branch of hers. The container is only an inch or so high so she has no problems seeing what is inside.

Now, idk how the members on here feel aboutthis, but is simply rip the rear legs off of the crickets so they can't jump out, but they are still alive and move around the bowl and get her attention... She is now like a dog and every morning when I open the cage and she sees cricket in hand she hurries over to the bowl.

Just try to find an opaque plastic container, as she may try to zap the side of a clear plastic one.

I essentially do the same thing by squeezing their heads, it's fine for the cham they don't loose any nutritional value as long as you feed them within minutes of doing it to them.

I got my cham Ziggy to hand-feed this week, I will just hold a crix by his back leg and dangle it out in front of him and bam!

 

[wjbader]

Thank you for your quick responses. I would love to get a smaller cage but can't at this time. My other question is: how long can she go without food? I'm trying right now to cup feed her...

 

[wjbader]

Thanks again everyone. The cup-feeding method worked VERY well! She has eaten about 10 already today (x-small crickets). I'll try again later!