snake owner, new to chameleons

[HarlequinOpal]

I just purchased my first chameleon. She is a panther chameleon and is about 2 1/2 months old now. She's eating on average 4-8 crickets, 2-4 hornworms a day(baby hornworms and small crickets) is that too much? I think it's just right, I feed her about 8:30 a.m and again sometime after 4:00(usually when I notice her hunting) She never looks too full, and she eats everything I give her....I just worry cause I read if you feed females too much it creates larger clutches, and I do plan on breeding her I just don't want to put her through too much. And when should I bump up the food intake? Also about what age should I start trying to handle her? I know never for a long period of time, just for a few minutes. She seems great and healthy. I live in a dry climate but her humidity is great, she eats all her food, she drinks regularly off her schefflera plant, sleeps only at night. I am just a worry wart and want her to be healthy.

 

[waynek]

when they are growing giving them as much as they can eat is ok . in the wild that is what they would do . as they get older they will eat less .

 

[jamjam]

chams are the other way around you dont bump up their feeding you slow down. now your good to feed her like a little piggy. at 2.5 months dont have to worry about clutches for a good period of time however eating lots at young age will ensure healthy development. id continue feeding her til she wont eat any more rule of thumb is how much they will eat in a span of 5 mins and could do that couple times a day.

you could already be handling her, handling all comes down to the cham itself. my breeder is on mat leave and is home all day long with the chams so shes able to hand all of them constantly and most of them have no temper issues or mind at all. but than on the other hand some people have chams who hiss the moment they see them.