Picky Baby Veiled

[Alastair&Anna]

Hi! I was wondering if there was anything I could do to encourage my baby veiled to eat dubias. I recently got new feeders on Friday (dubias, BSFL, wax worms, and superworms (wax and supers are treats)). And he so far has only tried the BSFL and the supers. I was wondering if there is anything I can do to make the dubias more enticing to him. He was raised on crickets so he might just be getting used to the change. (i ran out of crickets haha) I cup feed, so I count out what I put in and then count what he ate when I take the cup out. I am worried he isn't eating enough, so should I just go back to crickets or should I give him some more time to learn? Thanks!

 

[Serbianchameleon]

I guess it’s because dubias dont move much. They are active at night. So he is not interested in something that looks like a rock and its not moving. Try to feed him dubias with fingers or catch them with tweezers and then imitate it like dubia is walking on a leaf or branch to see if he tries to eat it then. Toss out wax worms, they have low nutrition and hard skeleton for chameleons. Wish you luck!

 

[sergeantapone]

My little guy seemed to eat dubias from nearby branches great at first (1 week ago), now he just lets them walk around him, and he's never eaten them out of a cup. I wonder if they didn't agree with him somehow?? Sorry, I don't have any good advice to give.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I'm... working on getting mine to eat dubias as well.

Personally, I don't like using hunger/starvation as a motivator while young reptiles are in their growing stages, so I may let it go until he's finished growing.

I guess it’s because dubias dont move much. They are active at night. So he is not interested in something that looks like a rock and its not moving. Try to feed him dubias with fingers or catch them with tweezers and then imitate it like dubia is walking on a leaf or branch to see if he tries to eat it then. Toss out wax worms, they have low nutrition and hard skeleton for chameleons. Wish you luck!

I agree with this except for the bolded sentence. Are there more than one kind of waxworm, because the ones I've fed have soft exos. They're only being used as a treat anyway, so I'd go ahead and use them, do a little more research on them, and decide from that point. YMMV.

 

[Alastair&Anna]

I'm... working on getting mine to eat dubias as well.

Personally, I don't like using hunger/starvation as a motivator while young reptiles are in their growing stages, so I may let it go until he's finished growing.


I agree with this except for the bolded sentence. Are there more than one kind of waxworm, because the ones I've fed have soft exos. They're only being used as a treat anyway, so I'd go ahead and use them, do a little more research on them, and decide from that point. YMMV.

He actually has been eating them. He ate more than 2 days ago lol. I am planning on getting more crickets, I just don't have any right now. He does like the supers lol but that is to be expected. I think he did try the dubias because one was missing yesterday. I am going to get more crickets this weekend to feed with the other bugs and to use as treats. To the second thing you said "Personally, I don't like using hunger/starvation as a motivator while young reptiles are in their growing stages, so I may let it go until he's finished growing" I strongly agree because that is what I was worried about haha. Thanks for all of your input.

 

[Beman]

Make sure that they are size appropriate. They will back off feeders that are too big. They need to be mixed in with other feeders and a lot of them so they move around. I have had no issues adding dubia in doing this.

How old is this baby?

 

[Alastair&Anna]

Make sure that they are size appropriate. They will back off feeders that are too big. They need to be mixed in with other feeders and a lot of them so they move around. I have had no issues adding dubia in doing this.

How old is this baby?

He is 2 months old and I have had him for a week today! I got him the smallest bugs available! 1/4 size dubias (extra small) and the smallest they offered with everything else! I have 13 dubias, 4 BSFL, and one super in the cup that I am feeding him out of. Would if help if I decreased the size of the cup?

 

[Beman]

He is 2 months old and I have had him for a week today! I got him the smallest bugs available! 1/4 size dubias (extra small) and the smallest they offered with everything else! I have 13 dubias, 4 BSFL, and one super in the cup that I am feeding him out of. Would if help if I decreased the size of the cup?

What size crickets was he eating prior? 2 months is very young. Make sure he is eating every single day at least 15-20 feeders.

 

[Alastair&Anna]

What size crickets was he eating prior? 2 months is very young. Make sure he is eating every single day at least 15-20 feeders.

He was eating 1/4 pin heads I think, I'll try to get more crickets today.

 

[Beman]

He was eating 1/4 pin heads I think, I'll try to get more crickets today.

were they 1/4 inch size or pin heads? These are pretty different in size. Pin heads are tiny.

 

[Alastair&Anna]

were they 1/4 inch size or pin heads? These are pretty different in size. Pin heads are tiny.

Oh then I think just 1/4 size

 

[Beman]

Oh then I think just 1/4 size

Get the crickets... Mix in the other feeders with what the baby already identifies as food. It will hit the others trying to get the crickets. Baby IMO is too young to go off crickets. Unless your breeding your own dubia the food intake at this age is extreme and very expensive if your using Dubia over crickets.

 

[Alastair&Anna]

Get the crickets... Mix in the other feeders with what the baby already identifies as food. It will hit the others trying to get the crickets. Baby IMO is too young to go off crickets. Unless your breeding your own dubia the food intake at this age is extreme and very expensive if your using Dubia over crickets.

Ok! Thanks! I'll get them later today after school!