Veiled eating patterns

[spartan44]

I've had my juvenile veiled for about a week now (Ringo) and every method I try seems to work and then not work. I started off being the rookie that I am by just putting the Wax Worms at the bottom of his cage and letting him hunt them. It worked a little but he didn't enjoy going to the bottom of his cage so I adjusted. I raised a clear cup and hung it below one of his branches so he could easily get them and he came over ASAP and ate them all. I thought I had it figured out but now it has been a day and 6 worms have been still sitting in there. He hadn't ate so i took the lid of the cup elevated it and put one worm on there, left for an hour and it was gone when I came back but the other worms are still there.

Is this normal? or should I be doing something else?
I looked at super worms at my local pet store but they were way too big for me to feed to him.

 

[SocialNumb]

You should only be using Wax Worms as a treat. Move to Crickets or Dubia ASAP and gutload them properly. You can also feed your veiled some fruits and veggies. Basically some of the stuff you gutload with. Phoenix Worms are pretty good as well.


https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

Some ideas what to gutload with that I got from here on forums:

The "wet" portion of the gutload, which should be your principle gutload, can includes things like (switch it up with a different couple of items every other week): dandelion leaves, squash (butternut, spaghetti), hibiscus leaves and flowers, grape leaves, orange, papaya, carrot, alfalfa sprouts, mustard greens, romaine, spearmint leaves, arugula (rocket), basil, apple, mulberries , clover, garland Chrysanthemum, chickweed, cilantro, okra, a few blueberries, small amounts of raspberries, very small amounts of cooked quinoa, peas, sunflower sprouts, small pieces of steamed (then cooled) yam, leek bulb, Fuki, ... Fruits and veggies such as these are important both for the nutrients they give (via the insect) to your chameleon, and also because well hydrated prey results in a better hydrated chameleon.

The dry portion (the lesser portion) of a gutload can include (blend/grind fine with a coffee grinder or food processor): spirulina; dried seaweed/kelp/dulse; bee pollen; dried alfalfa; organic raw sunflower seeds; sesame seeds; flax seed; hemp seed; poppy seeds; fennel seed, dehydrated cranberry powder; beet powder; zucchini powder; dried Mulberries; fig powder; ground dried hibiscus; ground almonds; small amounts of ground brazil nuts; small amounts of ground/chopped beechnuts; small occassional pieces of oak leaves; small amounts of kale powder; small amounts of quality whole grain breakfast cereal (especially fortified, like GM whole gran Total); barley /oats / cracked rye /wheat germ / stabalized rice bran; small amounts of quality monkey, avian or ignuana food (read the ingredients, be cautious of too much Vitamin A or animal fat).

Limit your use of grains and other items higher in phosphorous than calcium (a little can be very good, a lot is not unless you compensate to fix the ratio). Good grain choices are stabalized rice bran and crushed whole barley.
Limit use of broccoli, beans (phytic acid), cabbage, bok choy, beet leaves, parsley, cassava, watercress, kale, collard greens, spinach, swiss chard, Soy/edamame , bran, buckwheat, almonds, rhubarb, sesame seeds, pine nuts, apricot, figs, kiwi, asparagus (anything high in phytates/Phytic acid, Oxilates/ Oxalic Acid, Goitrogens). Some is fine, possibly beneficial. Just not as a regular item.

Avoid dog food, cat food, fish food, and other prepared foods that are heavy sources of animal protien and/or fat and may provide excessive preformed vitamin A and also D (a little now and then is okay, but too much can lead to gout and other issues). Similarily avoid/limit milk, meat, eggs, etc.

 

[Alexander1]

You should only be using Wax Worms as a treat. Move to Crickets or Dubia ASAP and gutload them properly. You can also feed your veiled some fruits and veggies. Basically some of the stuff you gutload with. Phoenix Worms are pretty good as well.


https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/caresheets/veiled/

Some ideas what to gutload with that I got from here on forums:

The "wet" portion of the gutload, which should be your principle gutload, can includes things like (switch it up with a different couple of items every other week): dandelion leaves, squash (butternut, spaghetti), hibiscus leaves and flowers, grape leaves, orange, papaya, carrot, alfalfa sprouts, mustard greens, romaine, spearmint leaves, arugula (rocket), basil, apple, mulberries , clover, garland Chrysanthemum, chickweed, cilantro, okra, a few blueberries, small amounts of raspberries, very small amounts of cooked quinoa, peas, sunflower sprouts, small pieces of steamed (then cooled) yam, leek bulb, Fuki, ... Fruits and veggies such as these are important both for the nutrients they give (via the insect) to your chameleon, and also because well hydrated prey results in a better hydrated chameleon.

The dry portion (the lesser portion) of a gutload can include (blend/grind fine with a coffee grinder or food processor): spirulina; dried seaweed/kelp/dulse; bee pollen; dried alfalfa; organic raw sunflower seeds; sesame seeds; flax seed; hemp seed; poppy seeds; fennel seed, dehydrated cranberry powder; beet powder; zucchini powder; dried Mulberries; fig powder; ground dried hibiscus; ground almonds; small amounts of ground brazil nuts; small amounts of ground/chopped beechnuts; small occassional pieces of oak leaves; small amounts of kale powder; small amounts of quality whole grain breakfast cereal (especially fortified, like GM whole gran Total); barley /oats / cracked rye /wheat germ / stabalized rice bran; small amounts of quality monkey, avian or ignuana food (read the ingredients, be cautious of too much Vitamin A or animal fat).

Limit your use of grains and other items higher in phosphorous than calcium (a little can be very good, a lot is not unless you compensate to fix the ratio). Good grain choices are stabalized rice bran and crushed whole barley.
Limit use of broccoli, beans (phytic acid), cabbage, bok choy, beet leaves, parsley, cassava, watercress, kale, collard greens, spinach, swiss chard, Soy/edamame , bran, buckwheat, almonds, rhubarb, sesame seeds, pine nuts, apricot, figs, kiwi, asparagus (anything high in phytates/Phytic acid, Oxilates/ Oxalic Acid, Goitrogens). Some is fine, possibly beneficial. Just not as a regular item.

Avoid dog food, cat food, fish food, and other prepared foods that are heavy sources of animal protien and/or fat and may provide excessive preformed vitamin A and also D (a little now and then is okay, but too much can lead to gout and other issues). Similarily avoid/limit milk, meat, eggs, etc.

Aside from what is already posted, wax worms should be at the bottom of your feeder list, crickets are a common staple and widely available, dubia roaches are also a great staple but less common until you are submerged into the reptile owners world of weird bugs and calcium/phosphorous ratios, silkworms are also great, hornworms are great treats and so on and so on, if you look through this forum your going to find tons of resources, sponsors and most likely tons of threads started with the same exact questions we all ask... Good luck and post some pics of your Cham, cuz we like that stuff