Secret to getting your chameleon to eat dubias?
- Thread starter Jmay25
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OldChamKeeper
Chameleon Enthusiast
Some like them, some don't.
Only trick there is that's practical is for the food item to be on the small side. I've noticed many keepers try and feed their pet "a big meal" instead of offering smaller sized ones. To them, bigger is not always better prey.
Only trick there is that's practical is for the food item to be on the small side. I've noticed many keepers try and feed their pet "a big meal" instead of offering smaller sized ones. To them, bigger is not always better prey.
spacecats1001
Member
Stuart pretty much only eats them when I place them on their backs so they kick their legs. He won't touch them otherwise.....I put them on a large serving spoon this way and feed.
OldChamKeeper
Chameleon Enthusiast
So you're........... spoon feeding your chameleon? That's a new one. Talk about spoiled...
Matt Vanilla Gorilla
Chameleon Enthusiast
Another way that helps is to let them run on the screen of the cage close to where the chameleon is sitting! The moving bug looks much more yummy!
theintouchable88
Member
Interesting post. I thought they all loved them. I have a healthy colony for my bearded dragon but he is only eating a few here and there so I had to lower their temp so they don't reproduce and also lower their food portions. I'm yet to get a chameleon but now that I read this I might have to let the colony die out 75% and order 100 nymphs once I get him. I would leave them free range but if one would ever to get out my aunt would probably make me get rid of them and from what I've read dubias are some of the most nutritional insect so I would hate that. They're somewhat cheap from where I get them but nothing beats almost free lol
jpowell86
Chameleon Enthusiast
Dress them up like crickets!
I'm just kidding! Seriously, the sight of new prey isn't always intriguing to them. Let him get good and hungry and then present the roach. What Matt said is a great choice. Letting them run up the screen is always a trigger for them. Sometimes they are just goofy.
Also, what OldChamKeeper said is true as well. Plus, the smaller roaches are an easier sale with a leery chameleon.
I had a melleri that wouldn't even attempt to eat a roach. He always hand feeds so that is how I presented it. He wouldn't have it. The last attempt I made, he got so pissed and gaped at me. Being impatient with the process, I just stuck the roach in his gaping mouth. Now he eats them with vigor. Sometimes it can take a while to get them to try new things.
I'm just kidding! Seriously, the sight of new prey isn't always intriguing to them. Let him get good and hungry and then present the roach. What Matt said is a great choice. Letting them run up the screen is always a trigger for them. Sometimes they are just goofy.
Also, what OldChamKeeper said is true as well. Plus, the smaller roaches are an easier sale with a leery chameleon.
I had a melleri that wouldn't even attempt to eat a roach. He always hand feeds so that is how I presented it. He wouldn't have it. The last attempt I made, he got so pissed and gaped at me. Being impatient with the process, I just stuck the roach in his gaping mouth. Now he eats them with vigor. Sometimes it can take a while to get them to try new things.
Twitchet
Chameleon Enthusiast
Joel- My panther has a very limited diet- I have never managed to get him to eat a dubia,
I try him regularly with all sorts but he has only ever taken a limited assortment- I have always wished I could extend his nutritional intake-- I took your idea from your story of the melleri above, he ate his usual locust then swift as anything i popped a dubia roach in his mouth and he chomped away none the wiser- It was a bit like the Zoltar game in 'Big' where you have to get your timing right but it was a lot of fun!
Thank you Joel, I can now feed him other things!
I try him regularly with all sorts but he has only ever taken a limited assortment- I have always wished I could extend his nutritional intake-- I took your idea from your story of the melleri above, he ate his usual locust then swift as anything i popped a dubia roach in his mouth and he chomped away none the wiser- It was a bit like the Zoltar game in 'Big' where you have to get your timing right but it was a lot of fun!
Thank you Joel, I can now feed him other things!
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AaronK
Member
Some chameleons are just picky, I tried every type of feeder in a feeder cup(this is no ordinary feeder cup, its made by Nick Barta) and my Parsons would not eat any types of feeders from the feeder cups, talk about picky. My female Parsons will only eat her dubias running on the screen, my male Parsons will only eat the dubias if I am holding them on the Manzanita branch. They are spoiled and have me well trained.
Twitchet
Chameleon Enthusiast
Ha ha same here, the male parsons will only eat a roach from forceps as long as I'm not too much in view, I have to hide and avert my gaze, never takes them from a feeding cup, the female only takes roaches if I move them very very slowly along the woodwork of the viv, as you say- well trained! I'm going to try and work more on a feeding tray so they are not reliant on me feeding them by hand, it's nice to do that though, gives some interaction with them and I know exactly how they are doing with food intake .
Just got a veiled, I must admit it's very refreshing and surprising to have a chameleon that eats anything and everything and I mean everything you put in front of it.
nightanole
Chameleon Enthusiast
Mine would not eat them till he was a sub adult. Around that time he was up to 2 dozen crickets a day so i could mix some in his hanging feeder for his morning and evening dozen. it took a solid year of having the dubia before they became a staple.
On the other hand i adopted a beardy who was raised on meal worms. It took all of 10 seconds to figure out that think was food, even though it was 10x the size of a worm and looked nothing like one.
On the other hand i adopted a beardy who was raised on meal worms. It took all of 10 seconds to figure out that think was food, even though it was 10x the size of a worm and looked nothing like one.
Peachypink
Chameleon Enthusiast
I don't feed crickets, can't stand them.
The few tricks I have learned is the feeder cup like Nick Barta's or a make you own version....I used a 1/2 gallon milk just to make mine. When they crawl up the back of the "cup" they are more visible and they go for them better. My panther recently has gone on a dubia strike but I can get him to eat them if I put them on the branch or leaf right in front of him. My other panther that passed away had no problem with them. I used to hold them upside-down, kinda cradled in my first two fingers and he would jump at them.
The other thing you can try is to only offer the dubia for about 2 weeks. Don't offer any other feeder. That will usually get them eating them.
I have yet to have a cham I haven't gotten to eat them. Sometimes begrudgingly on their part but they did.
I had a beardie for years until she recently passed away but she was awesome to have around since she ate them like they were the best thing in the world! When they got too big for my cham, I just fed them off to her. And when my colony had too many adults, she took those down too. Now that I don't have her, it kinda sucks that I have so many big ones!
The few tricks I have learned is the feeder cup like Nick Barta's or a make you own version....I used a 1/2 gallon milk just to make mine. When they crawl up the back of the "cup" they are more visible and they go for them better. My panther recently has gone on a dubia strike but I can get him to eat them if I put them on the branch or leaf right in front of him. My other panther that passed away had no problem with them. I used to hold them upside-down, kinda cradled in my first two fingers and he would jump at them.
The other thing you can try is to only offer the dubia for about 2 weeks. Don't offer any other feeder. That will usually get them eating them.
I have yet to have a cham I haven't gotten to eat them. Sometimes begrudgingly on their part but they did.
I had a beardie for years until she recently passed away but she was awesome to have around since she ate them like they were the best thing in the world! When they got too big for my cham, I just fed them off to her. And when my colony had too many adults, she took those down too. Now that I don't have her, it kinda sucks that I have so many big ones!
Some just never do but I've had sucess with one trick. First patients, second perseverance, third select a dubia that is smaller than the space between the eyes. Place the dubia on the side of the cage within the chameleon's vision and let it run. This will usually catch their attention although it may not work in the beginning. Now be patient and continue placing a few every day. If you see a reaction from the chameleon try this method a few times a day. Good luck!
jpowell86
Chameleon Enthusiast
Joel- My panther has a very limited diet- I have never managed to get him to eat a dubia,
I try him regularly with all sorts but he has only ever taken a limited assortment- I have always wished I could extend his nutritional intake-- I took your idea from your story of the melleri above, he ate his usual locust then swift as anything i popped a dubia roach in his mouth and he chomped away none the wiser- It was a bit like the Zoltar game in 'Big' where you have to get your timing right but it was a lot of fun!
Thank you Joel, I can now feed him other things!
This made me laugh so hard.
I am glad you were able to slip a dubia in without him realizing it. It's kind of pathetic how they don't really care what it is once they start chewing it!
Volta
Member
Yoshiman has only been eating dubias since 4 months I treat him with hornworms every once Im awhile. I just let them crawl on the screen or branch. If he grabs them he does if not that's cool too. I'll put a little portion of food for them in cage if they don't get eatin I let them do there thing till next cage cleaning they'll be there don't worry.a lot if times I catch them huddled up by heat lamp so easy to spot for Yoshima when hungry. Happy Roaching.
I find Dubia to be too stationary to grab the attention, and I think that is why placing them on the screen, on a branch, on their backs, or in tongs work. For my preference, the Orange Head has more movement, is meatier at all sizes, and is a better Roach as a feeder. The Orange Head doesn't climb smooth surfaces of fly, and the shiny surface may also be an attraction for the chameleon.
CHEERS!
Nick
CHEERS!
Nick
ZacharyLeesWife
Avid Member
Love all the replies! I have two very stubborn roach hating veileds, they're always very disappointed to see dubias for breakfast. I have tried it all! The best trick was leaving the roaches on their backs. Eventually I decided that I could be stubborn too and didn't give them any treats until they ate their roaches. @Twitchet I did the same thing when Dilly was sick! She is a grump and always gapes at me, so when she wasn't eating very well I'd pop a dubia or horn worm in her mouth. She always munched it right down! She could have spit them out, but she never did.
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