Jamire
New Member
Hey guys,
So I have been raising my ambanja/ambilobe chameleon for almost 2 months now. And although the breeder claims his hatch to be in October, he does not seem to be developing like most chameleons I see at 5-6 months. He has small tinges of blue/green in the body and faint oranges all around. But not much colour in general. Only about 2.5 inches long in body with an overall length w/ tail of 6 inches ish.
Anyway, I have been feeding him crickets and mealworms since I got him (only available food of appropriate size) gutloaded with veggies mainly being carrots and baby kale (it keeps the longest) with alternating gutloads of parsley, turnips, snap peas, romaine, bell peppers, apples, oranges.
The bugs do very well. The mealworms do too well, they all pupate eventually and my guy don't like no beetles.
He never ate a lot. Never more than 4-5 crickets a day, or 4 mealies. OR 2+2. I figured since he has good feces and urates and is active its okay. He is just a light eater.
I have now tried butterworms and he looks buts runs away more than wants to eat them. Then, I found a local source for DUBIA ROACHES. Baby nymphs and a little bigger size. Similar to cricket size. Perfect right? I get home and put him in front of his face (2 in his normal feeding cup) HE stares them down hard, and turns quite colourful. but backs away. No dice.
He looks at these foreign bugs and looks like he wants to take a bite, but always backs off. And then I will put in some crickets and he will literally jump to snap them up. 4 in a sitting. Then nothing else, no interest.
I threw out the rest of my mealworms, as they were mostly beetles and mid-stage pupae and the oat bedding was old and I noticed had a mold spot (Total killer, I would hate to make my guy sick with bad food)
Anyone have experience with light and picky eaters? Im worried cause he is skinny and I wish he would grow up big and strong.
Any pointers?
So I have been raising my ambanja/ambilobe chameleon for almost 2 months now. And although the breeder claims his hatch to be in October, he does not seem to be developing like most chameleons I see at 5-6 months. He has small tinges of blue/green in the body and faint oranges all around. But not much colour in general. Only about 2.5 inches long in body with an overall length w/ tail of 6 inches ish.
Anyway, I have been feeding him crickets and mealworms since I got him (only available food of appropriate size) gutloaded with veggies mainly being carrots and baby kale (it keeps the longest) with alternating gutloads of parsley, turnips, snap peas, romaine, bell peppers, apples, oranges.
The bugs do very well. The mealworms do too well, they all pupate eventually and my guy don't like no beetles.
He never ate a lot. Never more than 4-5 crickets a day, or 4 mealies. OR 2+2. I figured since he has good feces and urates and is active its okay. He is just a light eater.
I have now tried butterworms and he looks buts runs away more than wants to eat them. Then, I found a local source for DUBIA ROACHES. Baby nymphs and a little bigger size. Similar to cricket size. Perfect right? I get home and put him in front of his face (2 in his normal feeding cup) HE stares them down hard, and turns quite colourful. but backs away. No dice.
He looks at these foreign bugs and looks like he wants to take a bite, but always backs off. And then I will put in some crickets and he will literally jump to snap them up. 4 in a sitting. Then nothing else, no interest.
I threw out the rest of my mealworms, as they were mostly beetles and mid-stage pupae and the oat bedding was old and I noticed had a mold spot (Total killer, I would hate to make my guy sick with bad food)
Anyone have experience with light and picky eaters? Im worried cause he is skinny and I wish he would grow up big and strong.
Any pointers?
although even now he still won't touch dubia or crickets lol.
