Staple Feeders

[BIGTUNA]

i just want to know a list of good staple feeders for my cham. don't really like crickets any more there a pain.

 

[Hoj]

dubia are also a good staple, but variety is key imo
welcome to the forum by the way.
i moved this thread to the correct section for you.

 

[joneill]

Unfortunately, crickets are a great staple feeder. You can also use roaches (dubia, turkish, lobster) as well as hoppers. Avoid feeding too many worms (especially super worms) as their shells are tough to digest.

 

[joneill]

When I said avoid feeding too many worms, I meant the ones with a hard exoskeleton like mealworms and superworms (think you call these morioworms in the US). Obviously the soft-bodied worms such as silkworms and hornworms are the best feeder since they are full of protein and water without a hard shell that would be difficult to digest.

 

[pssh]

Superworms are fine to feed fairly regularly, but sometimes the animals get hooked and wont eat anything else! So try to avoid that.

IMO, you don't want any one feeder to make up more than 25-30% of their food. Other feeders that you can feed regularly are feeder roaches (people mostly prefer dubia and discoids, but almost any kind is fine,) superworms, silkworms, hornworms, butterworms, soldier grubs, safe grasshoppers, etc.

 

[sandrachameleon]

i just want to know a list of good staple feeders for my cham. don't really like crickets any more there a pain.

A varied diet is best (meaning, no staple)

Here's a good list of feeders and info about each:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/74-feeders.html

 

[BIGTUNA]

thanks guys! i called the guy who sold me the cham and he said that starting with crickets is best but i can always try to switch to Dubia later on for a staple. can horn worms also be a staple and also what do your chams dig??? going to try and start with around three different types of food.

 

[pssh]

You want to avoid a staple feeder. Hornworms are okay, but you need to feed them "hard" insects too (like crickets, dubia, meal/super worms, etc.)

 

[sandrachameleon]

thanks guys! i called the guy who sold me the cham and he said that starting with crickets is best but i can always try to switch to Dubia later on for a staple. can horn worms also be a staple and also what do your chams dig??? going to try and start with around three different types of food.

I agree with Pssh

Aim for more than just three choices. No less than five, if you want my opinion.

Hornworms as a staple can result in runny poops / diarrea

My chameleons all LOVE terrestrial isopods (which are also easy to breed, easy to gutload, naturally high in calcium)
they also love indian walking sticks (also easy to breed, etc)

 

[drcrossfire]

Where can I get Indian walking sticks.. And how do I breed them?

 

[sandrachameleon]

Where can I get Indian walking sticks.. And how do I breed them?

They are probably not legal for you to have where you live. Maybe there is a native one you could use instead. Or maybe you dont care about the legalities (they seem rather popular despite this prohibition)
http://www.amentsoc.org/insects/care...k-insects.html
Indian Walking Sticks

 

[drcrossfire]

Are there any legal ones that are easy to get? I dont really see anywhere to buy stick bugs~~

Diapheromera femorata would be nice since they are already in the region