New Jackson's parent, third day! Hasn't eaten yet ☹️

[Tanneraps]

Took home (Ponce de Chameleón or Chameleonardo Dicaprio, still debating) on Saturday morning. Have gotten some very helpful feedback here for a new parent, and so far things are looking good! The only thing I'm really concerned about now is that he hasn't eaten .

I know it's nothing to freak out about for a couple days while he adjusts to his new space, I've seen him drink and his general behavior seems pretty normal. I am cup feeding, starting with small meal worms (changing that up based on some new info), and in a separate dish left some small bits of banana, and changing it all out half way through the day.

He's now on day 3 in his new space and hasn't eaten. Basically, when do I begin to worry there may be a bigger issue? And does anyone have any tips or tricks? Where to place dish or cup, don't change it out so often, etc.

 

[QuinnieLeeBlu]

@JacksJill can help!

 

[Tanneraps]

@JacksJill can help!

Haha she already has with a few things! Does every new chameleon parent experience all this anxiety?

 

[JacksJill]

Jackson's don't eat plant material like some other species do so save the banana for your cereal. Try a
letting the worms climb up the screen where he can see them. Just do one at a time. Sometimes the cup can be intimidating at first.

 

[QuinnieLeeBlu]

Haha she already has with a few things! Does every new chameleon parent experience all this anxiety?

Yes we all do!

 

[Tanneraps]

Jackson's don't eat plant material like some other species do so save the banana for your cereal. Try a
letting the worms climb up the screen where he can see them. Just do one at a time. Sometimes the cup can be intimidating at first.

Oh you're kidding me (face in palm), there is so much contradictory information out there! A couple different websites recommended the occasional fruit and greens for Jackson's too.

 

[JacksJill]

They are mixing them up with veiled.

 

[Tanneraps]

They are mixing them up with veiled.

Okay, banana is gone haha, thanks again. So when do I begin to really worry here? We're on day 3.

 

[JacksJill]

Day four or five. Have you put a worm on the screen and let it climb around to get his attention. Watch from as far away as you can.

 

[Tanneraps]

Day four or five. Have you put a worm on the screen and let it climb around to get his attention. Watch from as far away as you can.

No, but I'll try that out ASAP. I placed the cup at the bottom and near a perch spot he seems to like, I figured it would give him a decent vantage point.

 

[Shanar808]

My current female adult Jackson’s does not like mealworms. Not sure why but she has never been interested in them no matter how I’ve tried feeding them to her. However, she went straight for the newly hatched darkling beetle when I first offered that with her bsfl and also ate the white pupae (nearly beetle stage) without any problems. Crickets and flies seem to be the favorites though, have you tried any of these feeders yet?

 

[Tanneraps]

So I picked up some crickets and the little guy went for them instantly, from the tweezers! I feel terrible that he must have been very hungry, but I am so relieved that he finally ate. All these meal worms are going outside in a bird feeder.

 

[Mendez]

So I picked up some crickets and the little guy went for them instantly, from the tweezers! I feel terrible that he must have been very hungry, but I am so relieved that he finally ate. All these meal worms are going outside in a bird feeder.

Be careful with tong/tweezer feeding, if you hold on to the bug even a moment too long, you risk straining your cham's tongue.

If you haven't tried already, try hanging a feeder run and putting crickets in there. That's how I got my jackson's chameleon to start eating. A feeder run allows the insects to climb up the inside of the run without escaping. The more freedom you provide the bugs to move, the more interested your cham will be in hunting them. Also, when you put insects in the feeder run, you can easily walk away and count the insects to see if she ate any later. You can hang the feeder run in a place she frequents a lot.

 

[Gingero]

These videos should help:

 

[JacksJill]

Glad he's eating now you can breathe and relax.