Ran out of food

[Fchamel]

Hi everyone! I feel so stupid right now! I went to feed Carly thinking some supers were still alive from my last order and all are dead! She is fed every other day. I don't have any other food, and I can't go out to get more because of weather. Can she skip today and tomorrow? I feel horrible! I legit thought that I had food here.

 

[kinyonga]

How old is she?

 

[Fchamel]

About a year. Have been keeping her on thus feeding schedule for a while since she is a small female. She has maintained a healthy size.

 

[dinomom]

About a year. Have been keeping her on thus feeding schedule for a while since she is a small female. She has maintained a healthy size.View attachment 303134

Healthy reptiles should be able to go a week at least if necessary

 

[kinyonga]

She should be fine skipping two days....in fact at the age she should only be fed 2 or 3 times a week at most 4 or 5 crickets....or equal calories in other insects.

 

[Fchamel]

Will get food tomorrow and feed Wednesday

 

[Fchamel]

She should be fine skipping two days....in fact at the age she should only be fed 2 or 3 times a week at most 4 or 5 crickets....or equal calories in other insects.

Her weight and size has been healthy with her current schedule, but if I notice an increase in weight/size I will decrease food intake. I appreciate your input though!

 

[kinyonga]

If you overfeed her and if her basking temperature is above 80F. she will likely produce big clutches, may become eggbound, develop MBD, prolapse or develop follicular stasis.

 

[Fchamel]

If you overfeed her and if her basking temperature is above 80F. she will likely produce big clutches, may become eggbound, develop MBD, prolapse or develop follicular stasis.

I will finish out her June schedule and create a new feeding schedule for 3 times a week in July.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Her weight and size has been healthy with her current schedule, ....

She should be fine. In the wild, it's not uncommon for chameleons not to be able to get to the market on occasion...

I've run out of crickets, and all three of my local suppliers are out due to weather & shipping delays. I'm filling in with roaches & few giant mealworms. Getting giant mealies & supers is obscenely expensive locally in those little cups, but better than nothing, and I try to keep something on-hand for emergency interruptions.

 

[Fchamel]

She should be fine. In the wild, it's not uncommon for chameleons not to be able to get to the market on occasion...

I've run out of crickets, and all three of my local suppliers are out due to weather & shipping delays. I'm filling in with roaches & few giant mealworms. Getting giant mealies & supers is obscenely expensive locally in those little cups, but better than nothing, and I try to keep something on-hand for emergency interruptions.

Thanks!

 

[DonKeesh]

Go catch something outside. They love wild insects especially grasshoppers!

 

[Fchamel]

It is not usually recommend to catch food outside because of where the bugs have been and what could have been on them. I appreciate it though!

 

[DonKeesh]

It is not usually recommend to catch food outside because of where the bugs have been and what could have been on them. I appreciate it though!

There's no documentation of that ever causing an issue. But do what makes you comfortable.

 

[Beman]

Keep in mind... Weight gain in a female can either be fat or egg production. So do not base your feeding schedule on this. All females by the time they are 9-10 months old really should be on a 3 days a week schedule with the proper basking temp. If then you are seeing a steady weight and then an increase this is most likely due to egg production once they hit maturity. This then allows for you to have something to track and record. So that you will know how she gains weight prior to the next clutch and have a better idea when it is going to happen.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I've run out of crickets, and all three of my local suppliers are out due to weather & shipping delays. I'm filling in with roaches & few giant mealworms. Getting giant mealies & supers is obscenely expensive locally in those little cups, but better than nothing, and I try to keep something on-hand for emergency interruptions.

Finally got some (LG) crix locally; Mr. Grumpypants (not official) scarfed down 8 this morning, and he gave me this look like... "More... more... I'm still not satisfied!"—Tom Lehrer

Dubias, Supers & Giant Mealworms are on the FedEx truck for today.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

There's no documentation of that ever causing an issue. But do what makes you comfortable.

There are so many toxins in our air, water, and soil, I wouldn't know where to begin.
https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/environmental_chemicals.html
If they're in the environment, they're in the organisms that live in that environment.

I agree with doing what makes one comfortable (or less uncomfortable).

 

[Fchamel]

Keep in mind... Weight gain in a female can either be fat or egg production. So do not base your feeding schedule on this. All females by the time they are 9-10 months old really should be on a 3 days a week schedule with the proper basking temp. If then you are seeing a steady weight and then an increase this is most likely due to egg production once they hit maturity. This then allows for you to have something to track and record. So that you will know how she gains weight prior to the next clutch and have a better idea when it is going to happen.

Thank you for adding to this thread! The reason why I have kept Carly on the every other day schedule was for these reasons
1. No increase in weight or size
2. No eggs laid or being in the process of egg-laying

I went to feed her today after 3-4 days of not feeding her, I understand they are gutz, but it truly looked like she was absolutely starving.

I will be sure to keep an eye on her weight and size, also the process of egg-laying. But for now, seeing the way she reacted after no food for days, was upsetting.

 

[DonKeesh]

View attachment 303230​

There are so many toxins in our air, water, and soil, I wouldn't know where to begin.
https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/environmental_chemicals.html
If they're in the environment, they're in the organisms that live in that environment.

I agree with doing what makes one comfortable (or less uncomfortable).

Agreed but wouldn't by that logic chameleons in the wild also be exposed? I've fed wild prey for decades with zero issues or concern. The benefits of feeder variety outweighs any concerns of nefarious trace elements in my book.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Agreed but wouldn't by that logic chameleons in the wild also be exposed? I've fed wild prey for decades with zero issues or concern. The benefits of feeder variety outweighs any concerns of nefarious trace elements in my book.

I don't disagree. What it boils down to is the environment in question.

For many—even most—there may be no issue. OTOH, if I lived in the vicinity of a Love Canal, Hinkley, CA, or any other Superfund sites, I would be very hesitant to not feed any wild-caught insects to my pets.

As to documentation, not many folks have their chameleons necropsied, and further testing for specific toxins might be required, so... we just don't know.