So Apples and Strawberries ..

[CammieBaby]

They're ok right.. Last night she ate some apple and today she ate some strawberrie.. She just gobbles it down..

 

[camimom]

They're ok right.. Last night she ate some apple and today she ate some strawberrie.. She just gobbles it down..

Yes. They are fine.

 

[sandrachameleon]

agreed. perfectly acceptable treats

 

[lumbasammler]

Hello,
sorry, but i have to disagree. Chameleons should only be fed with fruits very rarely, best is to not give them fruits at all. Vegetables are better, but should also only be fed rarely.
First reason: Fruit consume often leads to looseness
2: there is way to much sugar in fruits which is very unhealthy for chameleons as they normally feed on insects and they are not good in digesting fruits and vegetables
3: chameleons only eat fruits or vegetables if they lack water, so you should water him more instead

 

[CammieBaby]

Hey man, You wanna help me figure out a meat<< diet for my Cammie Baby? It's ok it was her first fruits.. I am working on a diet that keeps her hydrated. Since, it is hotter than Saudia Arabia here.. Since it's Death Valley tempertures all around.. Not good at all you know.. I saw someone feed they're Veiled Chameleon Applesauce.. So I gave it a shot.. SHE LITERALLY ATE OUT OF MY HAND..

 

[lumbasammler]

Hello,
next time give her some well washed salad or cucumber, but please don´t so this to often.
Cucumber is most suited, because nearly the only thing it consists of is water.
Chameleons seem to like fruits a lot, this doesn´t mean that you should feed them.
Many humans like smoking or eating fatty things, still it´s not healthy.
If your Chameleon is so eager to eat fruits, this may mean that it is really needings water, how do it´s eyes look like?

 

[sandrachameleon]

While obviously insects should form the primariy diet, It is absolutely acceptable and healthy for a chameleon to be offered vegetables and fruits. A Vieled Chameleons natural diet (in the wild) also includes plant matter. The best choices are things like dandelion greens, papaya, alfalfa sprouts, thin slivers of carrot, hybiscus leaves (and flowers), steamed soft then cooled butternut squash, etc... there is no danger in offering these as a part of the chameleons deit, though too many sugary fruits would not be a good thing. (Which is why I said Strawberries are acceptable as treats.)

"Salad" is actually not the best option, because most lettuce contains very little in the way of nutrients.
Salad like options that are worthwhile include Rocket and Mustard greens, Dandelion greens as well as small amounts of Romain and Kale

A good diet will include a wide variety of well gutloaded (on vegetables and fruits) insects. Including some soft bodied juicy prey, like hornworms or silkworms, will help with good hydration, in addition to using a dripper and mister.

Of course, you dont have to take my (and camimom's) word for it. Do a search of the forum and you'll find lots of advice on how/what vegetables to offer. For example:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/veggies-fruits-55138/
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1670/07-102R2.1
https://www.chameleonforums.com/fruits-veggies-can-chameleons-not-eat-17645/#post147595
https://www.chameleonforums.com/eating-hibiscus-43856/

 

[CammieBaby]

Cucumbers have the most pestacide sprays.. Maybe.. I can go to the farmers market sounds like a good deal.. She did attack a ficus leaf once.. But it stuck to her face like a paper air plane.. When she gets bigger, I'm going to make her a greens cole slaw salad.. Chameleon Recipes.. coming up.. anyone want to work on some ideas for the forums?

 

[CammieBaby]

It just seems like that's not enough.. People have problems all the time with their chameleon's diet. I'm going to try sprouting seeds and making leafy green slaws.. To see how she does.. The spinach I gave the crickets seems to give her a little more color. But I'm pretty sure she is missing stuff in her diet. The day after I gave her the crickets gut loaded with spinach there was a difference in her color. So I need to ask.
When gut loading crickets how often is too often when gut loading the green diet?

She was jumping to get at the fruit. Never has she shown an interest in any food. So I'm thinking her mom was fed alot of fruit. The fake out way.. hanging some mushy strawberry in her face and make her chomp it.. It gave me flutters!!!

 

[sandrachameleon]

crickets (ALL feeders) should be gutloaded always.
you want to avoid cabbage and spinnach.

You may find this blog entry useful when determining what best to gutload with:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html

edit: never hurts to increase water provided by dripper/spray

 

[DavidBuchan]

Hello,
next time give her some well washed salad or cucumber, but please don´t so this to often.
Cucumber is most suited, because nearly the only thing it consists of is water.
Chameleons seem to like fruits a lot, this doesn´t mean that you should feed them.
Many humans like smoking or eating fatty things, still it´s not healthy.
If your Chameleon is so eager to eat fruits, this may mean that it is really needings water, how do it´s eyes look like?

I think some leaves and fruits are ok - they will definitely eat them even if they are properly hydrated. The exact mix depends on the species of course, but Veileds will happily take some veg as well as staple insects - I reckon it's probably better than them not getting any plant material, don't you?
They must eat leaves and fruit in the wild.......

 

[CammieBaby]

Well, I let her bask in the direct sun for waaayy to long.. But she is doing much better than when I first got her.. Maybe you can check out my albums. Which I post some just and take even more everyday.. Eventually you'll be able to see how she is doing everyday.

 

[CammieBaby]

I was thinking.. Cucumbers and Wingless fruitflies for lunch.. What do you think? = d

 

[lumbasammler]

As i already told you, you should not feed him vegetables to often.
If you feed cucumber, please take of the paring to make sure there are no pestizides on it.