Using a feeder run but my little baby seems afraid of it…?

[karenthecarpetchameleon]

Hi friends! I recently started using a feeder run to help my baby see the crickets I’v started feeding her by breeder recommendation, they are size small crickets (1/4”) and she’s pretty petite. She sometimes will eat a cricket out of the run but only when I place her within full view and she tends to get stressed when I handle her. She will hide for a while then come back out where she saw the crickets and eat one. I’m making a new enclosure for her tomorrow that will be much smaller (she’s a tiny carpet baby) and I offer at least 6 small crickets daily, so far the most I’ve seen her eat are 2. I haven’t witnessed a shed and have had her for 1.5 months, she’s 5 months old now.

I honestly have just been super nervous that she won’t find her crickets and eat, I really try not to handle her unless two days have gone by without seeing her eat. Am i just being paranoid?! It’s hard to monitor her poop lately as I switched some plants around and her current enclosure is so tall sometimes it just falls all the way to the bottom.

Idk if I should go back to cup feeding (which she had a hard time seeing the bugs in the little clear cup) or if things will resolve if I give her some time and space in her new enclosure I’m building tomorrow.

 

[MissSkittles]

I would say to give her some time. She may be a secretive eater, so put the buggies in the feeder run and leave her to do her thing. Make sure she can see the feeder run and buggies clearly from her basking area. You could hook up a cham cam if you want to monitor without disturbing her.

 

[karenthecarpetchameleon]

Ok, I’ll be sure to do that especially with the new build I’m making tomorrow, thanks for your input! I would LOVE to hook up a Cham cam, I’ll have to look into getting one!

 

[Beman]

Take pics of how you have it set up in the cage so we can see how easy it is to access and the location.

 

[ERKleRose]

Could the 1/4” crickets be too big for her?

 

[karenthecarpetchameleon]

Could the 1/4” crickets be too big for her?

I have some 1/8” that I ordered and some bean beetles as well as some Soldier Fly Larva that I’m planning to only use as treats?

 

[ERKleRose]

All of those can be staples (just don’t over use/overfeed the black soldier fly larvae)! Try them out and let us know!

 

[karenthecarpetchameleon]

All of those can be staples (just don’t over use/overfeed the black soldier fly larvae! Try them out and let us know!

Great to know thank you! She actually started her first shed today! Is it normal for her not to eat today or would she still be hungry? I have crickets in her enclosure as per usual but unsure what to expect

 

[ERKleRose]

Great to know thank you! She actually started her first shed today! Is it normal for her not to eat today or would she still be hungry? I have crickets in her enclosure as per usual but unsure what to expect

Congrats on her first shed! It depends on the chameleon, she’ll eat if she wants to. You can throw in some bean beetles to see if it’s just the crickets or she just might not be in the mood

Are they in a contained area, and are they the 1/8” crickets?

 

[karenthecarpetchameleon]

Congrats on her first shed! It depends on the chameleon, she’ll eat if she wants to. You can throw in some bean beetles to see if it’s just the crickets or she just might not be in the mood

Are they in a contained area, and are they the 1/8” crickets?

They are 1/4” crickets but I have them in a little cup and she seems really interested when I put them in front of her! Thanks for all your help! Things are looking great!

 

[Peppered]

just don’t over use/overfeed the black soldier fly larvae

Sorry to randomly jump in, but I was curious about this. Aside from ensuring to feed a variety of course, is there a reason for feeding less of the BSFL?

 

[ERKleRose]

Sorry to randomly jump in, but I was curious about this. Aside from ensuring to feed a variety of course, is there a reason for feeding less of the BSFL?

All good! They don’t carry a lot of gutload, and sometimes they get pooped out whole, which means there were no nutrients absorbed from them by the chameleon. They’re still a great “staple variety” feeder! Hope this helps!

 

[Naymars]

My first thought is to reposition the feeder to an area which well give her some privacy. My 2 yr old female panther is very shy and wouldn't eat from the feeder when mounted near the front of the enclosure. It is now mounted towards the back and she empties it of feeders every time.