Picky eating - he no like Crickets.......

[DavidBuchan]

So, I've been trying to get my picky male Veiled to eat his crickets like a good boy.........I've offered black ones, brown ones, big ones, little ones........and he doesn't eat every day anyway (he's 11 months), It's been about 6 days since he ate anything and today I cracked and fed him a locust......which he happily snapped up, and I might have smoked too much Pineapple Express today but I swear he looked me in the eye and looked grateful.
Anyway, to all other keepers who have 'dealt' with picky eaters - how long should I keep this up? Is it even worth it if he'll happily eat locusts and worms up?

 

[Pilotman800]

When my little guy was on his hunger strike, I ONLY offered him crickets until he gave up and ate them. When he did start eating them, he would only eat in small amounts, and starting eating more crickets every day that passed.

Its hard to not give up and give him something else to eat. You just have to stick to it and tell yourself that you're the owner. He's like the little kid who wants only candy. You can't just give it to him. You need to make it clear that he eats what you have to offer.

 

[okiroo]

wow he's tuff going that long without food. sounds like a super picky eater. why use crikets if you have the lo's? those are staples aswell arnt they?

 

[DavidBuchan]

wow he's tuff going that long without food. sounds like a super picky eater. why use crikets if you have the lo's? those are staples aswell arnt they?

Yeah, he was sucking his belly in today and making himself look thinner than he really is (I don't think he's lost anything this week). I think I got played........and the locusts would do, but crickets do gutload better, the locusts won't eat much which isn't leafy and green (not a terrible situation to be in, but variety is just so important I want him to eat what he's given)

 

[ChameleonFan1989]

Chams are just like kids who won't eat their greens just keep being persistent

 

[okiroo]

Yeah, he was sucking his belly in today and making himself look thinner than he really is (I don't think he's lost anything this week). I think I got played........and the locusts would do, but crickets do gutload better, the locusts won't eat much which isn't leafy and green (not a terrible situation to be in, but variety is just so important I want him to eat what he's given)

lol. how cute is that. smart cham.

 

[jman10350]

I think you should just keep being persistent but if he starts actually losing weight then start feeding him the locusts and try different species of worms like hornworms mealworms poenix woems etc.

 

[DavidBuchan]

I think you should just keep being persistent but if he starts actually losing weight then start feeding him the locusts and try different species of worms like hornworms mealworms poenix woems etc.

He never refuses a mealworm, waxworm or bluebottle. Those are worst for him of course........he ate a few Phoenix worms when I first got them, but soon decided he wouldn't eat any ever again. He ate a few of the Black Soldier Flies too (maybe 10), but soon changed his mind about them as well. He's just a little rebel without a cause, and I'm just starting to find it hard to be firm, that's all

 

[DavidBuchan]

When my little guy was on his hunger strike, I ONLY offered him crickets until he gave up and ate them. When he did start eating them, he would only eat in small amounts, and starting eating more crickets every day that passed.

Its hard to not give up and give him something else to eat. You just have to stick to it and tell yourself that you're the owner. He's like the little kid who wants only candy. You can't just give it to him. You need to make it clear that he eats what you have to offer.

How old was yours? How long did he hold out for?

 

[Pilotman800]

How old was yours? How long did he hold out for?

He was around three months old. He held out for like 4 days if I remember correctly. Let me check my old thread on it.

edit: You were actually the last one to reply to my old thread about his hunger strike, haha... It lasted around 3-4 days. He would only eat a couple crickets per day, but slowly started eating more.

 

[DavidBuchan]

He was around three months old. He held out for like 4 days if I remember correctly. Let me check my old thread on it.

edit: You were actually the last one to reply to my old thread about his hunger strike, haha... It lasted around 3-4 days. He would only eat a couple crickets per day, but slowly started eating more.

Oh, of course that thread is only 6 days old....mine has eaten one medium locust since I was on that thread. He's a very naughty boy.......

 

[Pilotman800]

Oh, of course that thread is only 6 days old....mine has eaten one medium locust since I was on that thread. He's a very naughty boy.......

Wow, very picky, huh? Stand your ground!

 

[ataraxia]

I seriously might use this as my signature LMAO.
I might have smoked too much Pineapple Express today but I swear he looked me in the eye and looked grateful.

Classic LOL!

Its frustrating as hell but he can refuse crickets for a extremely long long time.

 

[DavidBuchan]

Its frustrating as hell but he can refuse crickets for a extremely long long time.

Thanks, I just knew I had had to get on the forum for some heavyweight reassurance after I fed him that locust today - I had a day off and overthought it.........the other lizards are being so good about food though (monitor hand fed a fuzzie mouse today ), and I haven't had to properly deal with his silliness yet, because of the locusts and other variety he's had. He'll hold out a while yet, I'm sure.......

 

[Cainschams]

Six days is not that long for a healthy chameleon to go without food. If your other feeders will eat everything the crickets will eat and you are still getting all the good gutload into your chameleon then I say there is no use in crickets. Crickets, IMO, are hands down the best feeder. They will eat anything!!! He is also getting older and doesnt need as much food since the growth rate slows. Watch you do not start to over feed.

 

[DavidBuchan]

Six days is not that long for a healthy chameleon to go without food. If your other feeders will eat everything the crickets will eat and you are still getting all the good gutload into your chameleon then I say there is no use in crickets. Crickets, IMO, are hands down the best feeder. They will eat anything!!! He is also getting older and doesnt need as much food since the growth rate slows. Watch you do not start to over feed.

Thanks, I think maybe it's a sign that he was getting a little too much food. I put my female on a strict diet, but I been letting him get away with it a bit......like I said, I just over thought it and needed to reassure myself I'm not making my boy go hungry unnecessarily, lol. He needs to get into line, I need to be strict with him, I know that
I am wondering how long is a long time for him to go without food though, and I know I'm not going to let his ribs show, but how long is he likely to be able to comfortably hold out do you reckon?

 

[Bernie]

Had similar issues myself lately. My Cham's are both young, 6months and 4.5months. Both gone off crickets completely which is a pain. Crickets are the best feeders for gutloading and they are much cheaper than other feeders too.

My Cham's will eat worms no problem, and will eat locusts too. Although tend to slow down on locusts after a few days of eating them.

I gave in the other day and bought some waxworms as an appetite test. I was well and truly done over.

So thats it now, I need to be tougher and stronger willed. My Veiled is so stubborn though, he'll just munch his plants!

 

[DavidBuchan]

Had similar issues myself lately........
I gave in the other day and bought some waxworms as an appetite test. I was well and truly done over.

So thats it now, I need to be tougher and stronger willed. My Veiled is so stubborn though, he'll just munch his plants!

I think it was the waxworms that started mine off being so naughty (my fault because it was all he would hand feed - I spoil them too much of course).......I try to never mention them except in a negative light now.
If you want worms get Calciworms, that's my motto from now on......(or silks, or reptiworms I guess but I've not tried them yet)

 

[Bernie]

I think it was the waxworms that started mine off being so naughty (my fault because it was all he would hand feed - I spoil them too much of course).......I try to never mention them except in a negative light now.
If you want worms get Calciworms, that's my motto from now on......(or silks, or reptiworms I guess but I've not tried them yet)

I think we're all guilty of spoiling them at some point, and as a result, end up facing the consequences and coming on here in a worried state Sometimes we all prefer to learn the hard way!

I am sure my fiance feeds our Cham's waxworms much more than she lets on. Sometimes she'll say "I fed the Chams a waxworm earlier". Which, in female terms, means about 5 really!

 

[SageZA]

My Veiled has also gone off crickets.