*sigh* the evils of superworms

[lysinlight87]

lol I had learned from other threads that ataraxia dislikes supers & now I know why...

I think I'll weigh Neelix tomorrow, & monitor him from there.

Basically it went like this:

2 weeks holiday- friend reports that every day he eats 3 locusts, 1 superworm & a wax worm. She hand-fed him.

I returned last Tuesday & decided that 2 weeks of wax worms is quite enough & feed those off to my hedgehog (except the pupae).

Wednesday- he eats 3 locusts & a super worm.

Thurs- 3 locusts & a super worm

Friday- 1 locust, 1 super worm

Saturday- 1 locust, 1 super worm

Sunday- As above. Crickets ignored

Yesterday- 1 locust, 2 super worms. Crickets offered & rejected

Today- Nothing. He was offered crickets & locusts.

Could the wax worms have also contributed to the problem? He's gone from 5 feeders per day to nil.

It is also around a month since his last shed.

 

[Chamfor4boys]

Hey I'm reading your guys post just bought my 4 sons a panther chameleon and the guy I bought it from said he has been feeding it meal worm for two months than two months of cricket than two months of a mix of them both now wondering if this is ok to follow or change it up any info would help

 

[lysinlight87]

Hi,
I think it's a good idea to offer them a mixture daily cos you can gutload them with different things and then you're chameleon is getting a mixture of nutrients everyday. Also, different insects have different nutritional values anyway. Meal worms (& super worms?) are difficult for them to digest, so to go 2 months with just meal worms probably wouldn't be very healthy for your cham. I think crickets make a good staple, then you compliment the diet with other insects. I'm a fairly new owner though, so I'm sure you could get more details from more experienced owners. If you start a new thread on this matter, you'll probably get some more specific replies

 

[carol5208]

Cham4 boys. ~ I would not feed any one feeder for months on end. Mix feeders daily or during the week and better choice for mealworms would be silkworms. You can order them at Coastal Silkworms online or Mulberry Farms. Welcome to chameleon ownership. Do you have all the correct lighting and supplements for your chameleon? What are you housing yourpanther in???

 

[Chamfor4boys]

Yea I have a 16x16x30 not sure which make and a mist king that I need to put on a timer ( my wife and three of my boys are right now when I'm at work)and zoo med duel lights he's nine months old I ws told so I was reading around that about 12 months they should have 24x24x48 encloser so I will be building one maybe starting this weekend i love doing that kind of thing have plans for cage and been reading on live vs fake plant and as of now have fake but that will change with new cage

 

[Chamfor4boys]

Yes have supplements also cal calamity d3 vitamin supplement and read about dosing on site but there are so many different answers what I read was cal dusting every feeding and calwithd3 twice a month and vits twice a month

 

[GarynTampa]

Rango was my pride and joy (and still is...lol) and he would amaze my friends and neighbors, eating crickets from my hand, one after another.

I finally caved in and got his some super worms...he devoured them, often impacting him for a day.

Now, that's all he will eat from my hand.

He still has quite an appetite and will hunt down and eat a dozen crickets a day, let free in his enclosure.

I wish there was a "fat-free", soft shelled super worm...that would make my day!

Gary
Tampa, FL

 

[DavidBuchan]

Yes have supplements also cal calamity d3 vitamin supplement and read about dosing on site but there are so many different answers what I read was cal dusting every feeding and calwithd3 twice a month and vits twice a month

That's what the forum generally recommends for a panther cham. Sounds like you have got everything right so far. Here's a great inspirational thread for a new enclosure - https://www.chameleonforums.com/official-enclosure-picture-thread-49688/
Here's a link to info about different feeders and gutload - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/74-feeders.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html

 

[DavidBuchan]

I wish there was a "fat-free", soft shelled super worm...that would make my day!

Gary
Tampa, FL

Silkworms

 

[DavidBuchan]

I wish there was a "fat-free", soft shelled super worm...that would make my day!

Silkworms

 

[ataraxia]

I knew I would find you on this thread!!!

Well hello there sambava queen

lol I had learned from other threads that ataraxia dislikes supers & now I know why...

Many dont believe me till they too experience it. They are the devil in worm form. Just stand your ground no matter how stubborn he wants to be. If you cham is in good health..Best things is to not offer any feeders for 5-7 days. Make him hungry and think feeders are scarce. Sounds a bit harsh but they can handle it.

 

[Chamfor4boys]

Well I'm glad my research has been right so far looked on a lot of web site and they were conflicting in almost all areas so I found this four and started reading and it has been very informative yes the cage pics are what I'm looking to do ill have to post pics of Thor and the cage I'm gonna build for him will defiantly read more about the feeding thank you for the info

 

[carol5208]

Well hello there sambava queen



Many dont believe me till they too experience it. They are the devil in worm form. Just stand your ground no matter how stubborn he wants to be. If you cham is in good health..Best things is to not offer any feeders for 5-7 days. Make him hungry and think feeders are scarce. Sounds a bit harsh but they can handle it.

you are too friggin funny John!!!! you know you secretly love supers, but just don't wanna admit it. hehe

 

[lysinlight87]

Many dont believe me till they too experience it. They are the devil in worm form. Just stand your ground no matter how stubborn he wants to be. If you cham is in good health..Best things is to not offer any feeders for 5-7 days. Make him hungry and think feeders are scarce. Sounds a bit harsh but they can handle it.

I don't know if I could do that, I'm too soft

 

[GarynTampa]

I tried silkies and Rango looks at them a LONG time before taking them. After a few weeks, he simply lost interest in them. Now I have a cup of cacoons left over.

Gary
Tampa, FL

 

[DavidBuchan]

I tried silkies and Rango looks at them a LONG time before taking them. After a few weeks, he simply lost interest in them. Now I have a cup of cacoons left over.

I know the feeling. The chams aren't fooled They know what's good for them and they want chips and burgers....... Rinty takes silks (but not black ones) sometimes. Jasmine and Ashleigh eat pretty much anything that can be described as food so I'm lucky not much gets wasted............

 

[kokom05lb]

Ringo only wants to eat 1 cricket a day now instead of hes regular 5-8 cricket a couple weeks ago. I'm going to have to banned the supers from.... MY HUSBAND!!! I'm like, you cant do that! You cant feed him a super everyday! But he wont listen....

 

[DavidBuchan]

Ringo only wants to eat 1 cricket a day now instead of hes regular 5-8 cricket a couple weeks ago. I'm going to have to banned the supers from.... MY HUSBAND!!! I'm like, you cant do that! You cant feed him a super everyday! But he wont listen....

I gave my Dad strict instructions not to give any mealworms while I was away. I come back to find he's had 2 per day for 2 weeks...........no listening, no shame either. Just like a grandparent

 

[Swayne8998]

They are not just the devil hunger strike-wise... One attacked my poor Yoshi while he was eating it Lucky for my Yosh'ers, he does not go on strikes... He is like David's 'Jasmine and Ashleigh'

As other's suggested, offer only foods like crickets or something that he generally doesn't totally favor. He will come around. If you want, once he's broken, you can slowly introduce supers back into the diet (ex: once a week, then twice a week the following week, etc.).

 

[GarynTampa]

Well...Rango has fooled me again today.

He had stopped eating crickets from my hand since I started giving him "super" treats. In my previous post here I was sort of upset about his mood swing.

This morning, I went in to feed him and ZAP...ZAP...ZAP...3 crickets from my hand. Just like 'ole times again.

I started to give him another superworm just for being his old self again...but I didn't.

I'm taking him in to brreed with a georgeous Ambilobe female on Friday...maybe if he's really good , I'll give him another "treat" when he get's back home!

Gary
Tampa, FL