strange waxie reaction

[chameleon97]

lizz is usually calm. today i gave her a couple wax worms.(first ive gave her) and now shes running around! in circles too. her tank is kinda small (20g, but a 65 on the way), so its kinda funny. any way, should i slow down on waxies? she had 3

 

[kenya]

lizz is usually calm. today i gave her a couple wax worms.(first ive gave her) and now shes running around! in circles too. her tank is kinda small (20g, but a 65 on the way), so its kinda funny. any way, should i slow down on waxies? she had 3

Waxworms are very high fat and are addictive. You should only really offer them at a rate of one worm a week and a half or so.

Also, 20 gallon tank? As in, glass tank? You need a large, vertically aligned open air cage for chams. Glass can be deadly.

 

[Dunnigan]

I recently fed my guy some wax worms...he was going through one of his, "im not going to eat because i'm picky" stages, and i used wax worms to get him out of those stages. I gave him i think 6 and had similar results.

 

[chameleon97]

Waxworms are very high fat and are addictive. You should only really offer them at a rate of one worm a week and a half or so.

Also, 20 gallon tank? As in, glass tank? You need a large, vertically aligned open air cage for chams. Glass can be deadly.

i said 65gal on the way i ordered 1 from www.reptiledepot.com on Friday its 36x18x18

 

[chameleon97]

Waxworms are very high fat and are addictive. You should only really offer them at a rate of one worm a week and a half or so.

Also, 20 gallon tank? As in, glass tank? You need a large, vertically aligned open air cage for chams. Glass can be deadly.

i know theyre fatty, but didnt know theyre addictive. if i put them in th fridge, would the larva stage slow down?

 

[kenya]

i said 65gal on the way i ordered 1 from www.reptiledepot.com on Friday its 36x18x18

What KIND of 65 gallon? Is it a glass tank or a vertical screen cage? You should be using a screen cage and not an aquarium. Chameleons need the ventilation and can be confused by the invisible barrier of glass. They can also be affronted by their reflection- this is very stressful for them as they can't get away from the "intruder". If they don't have open airflow, the air will stay moist and stagnate. This can cause respiratory illness and fungal infections because the tank can't dry out appropriately.

Also, yes, put your little tub of waxworms in the fridge and they will do fine. The next time you want to use one, take it out and let it warm up a little. It will "puff" back up and start being active. They may look dead, but they aren't- turn black when they die.

As for a staple feeder insect, try crickets, roaches, superworms, phoenix worms, silkworms and locusts.

For treats, use hornworms, waxworms (rarely- they are like cake and ice cream), stick insects, silkworm moths, butterworms, and waxworm moths.

Avoid mealworms- they have very little nutritional value and a high chitin content in their exoskeletons. They can cause intestinal blockage (impaction) and just aren't really worth the risk.

If you have a veiled, try giving it fruit and veggies. Kale, endive, escarole, collard greens, watercress, melon chunks, squash, grapes, apple, berries etc.

 

[chameleon97]

im getting a vertical screen tank. its 3 feet tall. ive been feeding crickets as a staple. im unable to get most bugs. im getting a vivicator and ill buy dead food instead. then she can have variety. i can only buy: crix, mealworms, superworms, waxies, butterworms, mice (she too small for mice), and catch the occaisional moth. ive tried fruits and she doesnt eat them. im not stupid, i know this stuff. im just wondering how chams react to waxies. i realize that theyre fatty.

 

[chameleon97]

im getting a vertical screen tank. its 3 feet tall. ive been feeding crickets as a staple. im unable to get most bugs. im getting a vivicator and ill buy dead food instead. then she can have variety. i can only buy: crix, mealworms, superworms, waxies, butterworms, mice (she too small for mice), and catch the occaisional moth. ive tried fruits and she doesnt eat them. im not stupid, i know this stuff. im just wondering how chams react to waxies. i realize that theyre fatty.

NOTE: THE TANK IS ON THE WAY!!! BE PATIENT AND QUIT WITH THE "glass is bad" I KNOW!!!

 

[chequepoint]

Its ok, its just when you say tank, people assume something that can hold water. Cage is usually the word for a screen enclosure. Thats why people are jumping all over you every time you say tank.

I'm not sure dead food is good for your cham at all, or if he'll even eat it.

 

[Sang]

dead food is the growing place for bacteria, clean your cages often, don't allow dead refuse, fecal or other unknown matter sit in the bottom of your cage, your cham will try to eat it

 

[kenya]

NOTE: THE TANK IS ON THE WAY!!! BE PATIENT AND QUIT WITH THE "glass is bad" I KNOW!!!

Calm down. When you say "tank" I think glass tank, not screen cage.

If you ask for help, I try to help. You shouldn't jump all over me for giving you an answer you don't want to hear or "already know"

Also, dead food and mice are not good for your cham. It probably won't go for dead prey, dead prey can't be gutloaded and lack the necessary water content (chams are high moisture dependent animals, remember?), and mice can easily cause gout and edema.

You seem to have a good selection of feeder insects, provided you vary what you offer often and use a good gutload. You can also try getting ahold of some Indian walking sticks- they make a good treat, are prolific and easy to care for. If you are outside of the US, most pet shops have them (especially in England) If you are in the US, then just forget the walking sticks and order some silkworms, roaches, phoenix worms etc.

Also, though you say you have offered fruit, what about veggies? If you keep offering them, she may just go for them someday.

I don't appreciate the rudeness. Please be civil in the future.

 

[chameleon97]

im sorry i wasn't trying to be rude. just typing in caps i also am not mad at your answer, i value everyones answer. Chequepoint: by dead i mean canned. they are gutloaded, then cooked. a vivicator is a vibrating dish. you can buy canned bugs here. they are just as healthy as live food. Sang: i dont leave crap in the bottom of the tank, i didn't even say that, and im sorry about saying tank instead of cage. when i say 3 feet tall, its probably isnt glass im in canada, and i can't get stick bugs. i might order silkies. sorry if i offended anyone. i probably have a horrible reputation now

 

[chameleon97]

i dont feed her mice, and probably wont try it. im just listing all the feeders.

 

[chequepoint]

I understand. Canned bugs are still dead bugs. Have you asked someone from your local herp society on a source for live feeders? http://www.wspcr.com/index.html .

 

[chameleon97]

we have live feeder bugs..... just not too many. she gets a variety.