Panther chameleon eating habits

Ashgreen

Ashgreen

New Member
panther chameleon.
6m/o
Male
18”-18”-45” (temporary)
Had him 1 week

Hello I have a male panther chameleon I call him shame. (Big mouth reference)
He didn’t eat for the first 3 days as much as I tryed. I tryed leaving food in the cage free, leaving it in a bowl and hand feeding. Eventually he started eating silent brown crickets I was made up. Then sometimes he wouldn’t eat so I’d change his food, he would eat alittle then not eat again etc etc. I’m putting all his food in a bag with calcium powder before I feed him but no change. Could anyone help me with this I would appreciate it thanx
 
Thehippie said:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/
Click to expand...
Your Chameleon - The species panther chameleon , sex male,
age of your chameleon. 6months (I think)

How long has it been in your care?1 week

Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?try not to as he is still settaling in but once a day due to him crawling on my whilst I’m sorting out the thermometer probes.

Feeding - crickets, mario worms, wax worms, meal worms, but he hardly eats them.

What amount? until he stops (usually after 3 crickets or two mario worms) he dosnt eat the meal/wax worms.

What is the schedule? I try him after his morning spray 8:10am and try again once I get home 5:30pm

How are you gut-loading your feeders? Cucumber and beastie fest by Komodo

Supplements - What brand nutrition cal-Komodo and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Nutie cal Komodo and 3 days

Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? Spray and pray

How often until it drys.

and how long to you mist? 30 seconds (as it seems to stress him out)

Do you see your chameleon drinking? He drinks from the leaves and sometimes if I spray softly he will drink from the bottle.

Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Brown with white tip.

Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?not that I’m swear of.

History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. I was told he was well mannered but I’m guessing that’s just a salesman trying to get a sale.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage Exo Terra glass.

What are the dimensions?18”-18”-45” (temp until I get his 4food by 2 foot up and running)

Lighting - What brand, Exo Terra.

model, and types of lighting are you using? Unsure was recomended by the reptile shop I got him from

What is your daily lighting schedule? UVB-daylight from 8am-8pm

Temperature - What temp range have you created 100 by day 80 by night room temp at the bottom.

Lowest overnight temp? 75 but usually 80

How do you measure these temps? Exo Terra temperature gage

Humidity - What are your humidity levels? Around 70.

How are you creating and maintaining these levels? Spraying with a bottle.

What do you use to measure humidity? Exo Terra humid gage.

Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Plastic.

Placement - Where is your cage located?living room

Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? No, no one uses the living room

At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? 3-4 foot.

Location - Where are you geographically located? Near Liverpool UK
 
well first off he will not eat immediately, u just got him, it takes a week or 2 to settle for chams and they also don't like being handled daily, think of them more like fish. don't touch just look.

what is the wattage of your uvb it should say on the packaging?

misting should be at least 2 mins each time and 5 min showers every day mist 3 times per day

mealworms = BAD they cause impaction in the digestive track waxworms also bad they cause unnecessary fat, feed in the morning to give the cham time to digest during the day time

supplements need to be calcium with out D3 twice to three times a week, calcium with D3 twice a month and reptile multivitamin twice a month.
 
Ashgreen said:
Your Chameleon - The species panther chameleon , sex male,
age of your chameleon. 6months (I think)

How long has it been in your care?1 week

Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?try not to as he is still settaling in but once a day due to him crawling on my whilst I’m sorting out the thermometer probes.

Feeding - crickets, mario worms, wax worms, meal worms, but he hardly eats them.

What amount? until he stops (usually after 3 crickets or two mario worms) he dosnt eat the meal/wax worms.

What is the schedule? I try him after his morning spray 8:10am and try again once I get home 5:30pm

How are you gut-loading your feeders? Cucumber and beastie fest by Komodo

Supplements - What brand nutrition cal-Komodo and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule? Nutie cal Komodo and 3 days

Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? Spray and pray

How often until it drys.

and how long to you mist? 30 seconds (as it seems to stress him out)

Do you see your chameleon drinking? He drinks from the leaves and sometimes if I spray softly he will drink from the bottle.

Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Brown with white tip.

Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?not that I’m swear of.

History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you. I was told he was well mannered but I’m guessing that’s just a salesman trying to get a sale.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage Exo Terra glass.

What are the dimensions?18”-18”-45” (temp until I get his 4food by 2 foot up and running)

Lighting - What brand, Exo Terra.

model, and types of lighting are you using? Unsure was recomended by the reptile shop I got him from

What is your daily lighting schedule? UVB-daylight from 8am-8pm

Temperature - What temp range have you created 100 by day 80 by night room temp at the bottom.

Lowest overnight temp? 75 but usually 80

How do you measure these temps? Exo Terra temperature gage

Humidity - What are your humidity levels? Around 70.

How are you creating and maintaining these levels? Spraying with a bottle.

What do you use to measure humidity? Exo Terra humid gage.

Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind? Plastic.

Placement - Where is your cage located?living room

Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? No, no one uses the living room

At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor? 3-4 foot.

Location - Where are you geographically located? Near Liverpool UK
Click to expand...
Only handle him if he asks for it (crawls onto you). Always reward handling with a treat, going to a free range set up, or going outside (when warm enough). Cut out mealworms, waxworms only as treats, morio worms for variety, not as a staple. Add in more variety, like silkworms, butterworms, roaches (dubia, red runner, orange headed, and ivory headed cannot climb or fly), snails, mantids, black soldier flies and larvae, locusts, grasshoppers, and blue bottle flies, to name a few. Could you post a picture of your gutload's ingredients, please? Never heard of that supplement, there are many ways to supplement:
1-phosphorous free calcium without D3 every feeding, phosphorous free calcium with D3 every two weeks, and a multivitamin without D3 every two weeks
2-phosphorous free calcium without D3 every feeding and a multivitamin with D3 (like Zoo Med Reptivite with D3) every two weeks
3-an all in one supplement (like Repashy Calcium Plus LoD or Sticky Tongue Farms Minerall) every feeding (gutload your feeders your cham will eat the night before with Sticky Tongue Farms Vitall if using Minerall; Minerall has an indoor and outdoor formula).
4-Arcadia supplements using the Arcadia insectivore supplement schedule off of their website
Invest in an automated mister. Panthers need to misted at minimum of 3, but preferably 5 or more, times a day for at least 2 minutes, but preferably 5 minutes or longer, each time. Make sure to mist down the entire cage, especially the plants and gently mist your cham as well, for he needs it to clean out his eyes. Is your uvb linear or a compact coil? If it's a compact coil, get either a t5HO or T8 linear uvb fixture and bulb (either Arcadia 6% or Zoo Med 5.0). Basking temp is way too high! It needs to be 85-87*F. Overnight temps need to be in the 60s, possibly low 70s, chams need a temp drop at night. Could you post a pic of your cham and his cage, please
 
ERKleRose said:
Only handle him if he asks for it (crawls onto you). Always reward handling with a treat, going to a free range set up, or going outside (when warm enough). Cut out mealworms, waxworms only as treats, morio worms for variety, not as a staple. Add in more variety, like silkworms, butterworms, roaches (dubia, red runner, orange headed, and ivory headed cannot climb or fly), snails, mantids, black soldier flies and larvae, locusts, grasshoppers, and blue bottle flies, to name a few. Could you post a picture of your gutload's ingredients, please? Never heard of that supplement, there are many ways to supplement:
1-phosphorous free calcium without D3 every feeding, phosphorous free calcium with D3 every two weeks, and a multivitamin without D3 every two weeks
2-phosphorous free calcium without D3 every feeding and a multivitamin with D3 (like Zoo Med Reptivite with D3) every two weeks
3-an all in one supplement (like Repashy Calcium Plus LoD or Sticky Tongue Farms Minerall) every feeding (gutload your feeders your cham will eat the night before with Sticky Tongue Farms Vitall if using Minerall; Minerall has an indoor and outdoor formula).
4-Arcadia supplements using the Arcadia insectivore supplement schedule off of their website
Invest in an automated mister. Panthers need to misted at minimum of 3, but preferably 5 or more, times a day for at least 2 minutes, but preferably 5 minutes or longer, each time. Make sure to mist down the entire cage, especially the plants and gently mist your cham as well, for he needs it to clean out his eyes. Is your uvb linear or a compact coil? If it's a compact coil, get either a t5HO or T8 linear uvb fixture and bulb (either Arcadia 6% or Zoo Med 5.0). Basking temp is way too high! It needs to be 85-87*F. Overnight temps need to be in the 60s, possibly low 70s, chams need a temp drop at night. Could you post a pic of your cham and his cage, please
Click to expand...
I will take note of all this I will try figure out how to get pics up and answer all of your questions when I’m home from work
 
Thehippie said:
well first off he will not eat immediately, u just got him, it takes a week or 2 to settle for chams and they also don't like being handled daily, think of them more like fish. don't touch just look.

what is the wattage of your uvb it should say on the packaging?

misting should be at least 2 mins each time and 5 min showers every day mist 3 times per day

mealworms = BAD they cause impaction in the digestive track waxworms also bad they cause unnecessary fat, feed in the morning to give the cham time to digest during the day time

supplements need to be calcium with out D3 twice to three times a week, calcium with D3 twice a month and reptile multivitamin twice a month.
Click to expand...
Will it stress him out further if I’m to move him to a bigger cage
 
ERKleRose said:
Only handle him if he asks for it (crawls onto you). Always reward handling with a treat, going to a free range set up, or going outside (when warm enough). Cut out mealworms, waxworms only as treats, morio worms for variety, not as a staple. Add in more variety, like silkworms, butterworms, roaches (dubia, red runner, orange headed, and ivory headed cannot climb or fly), snails, mantids, black soldier flies and larvae, locusts, grasshoppers, and blue bottle flies, to name a few. Could you post a picture of your gutload's ingredients, please? Never heard of that supplement, there are many ways to supplement:
1-phosphorous free calcium without D3 every feeding, phosphorous free calcium with D3 every two weeks, and a multivitamin without D3 every two weeks
2-phosphorous free calcium without D3 every feeding and a multivitamin with D3 (like Zoo Med Reptivite with D3) every two weeks
3-an all in one supplement (like Repashy Calcium Plus LoD or Sticky Tongue Farms Minerall) every feeding (gutload your feeders your cham will eat the night before with Sticky Tongue Farms Vitall if using Minerall; Minerall has an indoor and outdoor formula).
4-Arcadia supplements using the Arcadia insectivore supplement schedule off of their website
Invest in an automated mister. Panthers need to misted at minimum of 3, but preferably 5 or more, times a day for at least 2 minutes, but preferably 5 minutes or longer, each time. Make sure to mist down the entire cage, especially the plants and gently mist your cham as well, for he needs it to clean out his eyes. Is your uvb linear or a compact coil? If it's a compact coil, get either a t5HO or T8 linear uvb fixture and bulb (either Arcadia 6% or Zoo Med 5.0). Basking temp is way too high! It needs to be 85-87*F. Overnight temps need to be in the 60s, possibly low 70s, chams need a temp drop at night. Could you post a pic of your cham and his cage, please
Click to expand...
 
This post is extremely helpful. So I have a question --- I am a "possible new owner" learning at the moment before I bring my guy home. With all of the variety of worms and flies, and crickets. How much does anyone order at a time for a single juvenile cham? and with the live crickets? how much do I buy at a time to last lets say for a week or so? How do you store live crickets (in those feeder boxes) and do they stink??? Just now sure how to order and/or feed on a daily basis and how much to order at a time where it is still "good food" and doesn't go bad ? Also -- can someone please explain "gutloading to me" . IN addition, in adding the vitamins and supplements, how is that done ? In the little dripper ? or is it a powder you add to the worms?
 
I store mine in a 10 gal tank, nothing fancy. Buy 250 at a time. With two adult Chams and a varied diet it lasts about a month.
943EDE52-571A-4B40-8076-6CF26E3AA710.jpeg
 
Thehippie said:
Thank you!!!! I finally get to see him tomorrow after being out of town for a week!!!
Click to expand...
So question -- when you go out of town, does someone care for him in your absence? I am trying to preplan to know as well, but are there any automatic feeders out there that release live into these cages? Curious
 
I have used this successfully with large crickets just make sure to put a SMALL sliver of moist raw fruit in each compartment. Chameleons can easily go for a few days without eating...
9C59D547-BDE3-46D2-A21C-EA3C68C372B9.png
 
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