Veiled stares at his feeder dish all day

[Duma]

anyone else's chameleon do this? He knows I put his food in the dish. The crickets jump out obviously but he knows that's where they start. He pretty much just sits on that branch and stares at the bowl all day. I thought wasn't feeding him enough but I feel like at this point I'm feeding him too much. Yesterday I fed him about 9 medium crickets and 5 small super worms. He is about 6 months old.

 

[marley patches]

I don't know about food but my male has stared at me for hour while I was watching tv or playing on xbox1 LOL

 

[Crashbandit05]

Maybe try a bit deeper feeder cup? It took my chameleon about two weeks before he started using his feeder cup.

 

[Duma]

he uses it and fully understands it. he doesn't understand why there's not constantly food in there!

 

[Remkon]

Maybe he just think's it's a very pretty feeder dish...
I wish my chameleon was a little more attached to his feeder dish, but he still doesn't care for it much.

 

[KapitalJ]

My guy will do this as well. Not all day by any means. But he will sometimes sit there for a bit, staring...

 

[Decadancin]

My guy will do this as well. Not all day by any means. But he will sometimes sit there for a bit, staring...

Hey @KapitalJ , I don't think its because he's missing any meals ! He's just making sure he didn't miss anything.

 

[Decadancin]

anyone else's chameleon do this? He knows I put his food in the dish. The crickets jump out obviously but he knows that's where they start. He pretty much just sits on that branch and stares at the bowl all day. I thought wasn't feeding him enough but I feel like at this point I'm feeding him too much. Yesterday I fed him about 9 medium crickets and 5 small super worms. He is about 6 months old. View attachment 165562

I wonder if there is a "grazing" type of response at times. I know that cats will eat even when not hungry just because food is available. I don't think chameleons would, but not sure. Either way he looks so disappointed that there isn't a nice silk worm in there .

 

[KapitalJ]

I will agree with that @Decadancin

 

[jannb]

It definately doesn't sound like you are over feeding him. I recommend taking the feeder cup out after you finish feeding him .

 

[Twitchet]

Could you add two more dishes and alternate which one you put the food in, then he might start hunting around the cage for which bowl is in use today? or add a few crickets in each every day then he feels there might be a benefit to walking around a bit more and checking what is there

 

[kimmytheriault]

My veiled chameleon, who is approximately the same age, also did this too. He was never sated.. ever. So much so that I also was afraid I was under feeding him, then (like you) I was afraid I was over feeding him. I must have read the caresheets fifty times to make sure I was in the proper range. He is a bit better about it now that his diet is much more varied - in the beginning (for the first few weeks) I was basically only feeding crickets and superworms. I don't really know if there is a correlation between the varied diet and his calming down with the insatiable appetite, but it seems to be what happened. He definitely appears more satisfied when he is eating assorted feeders from day to day - maybe because it's more natural, as in the wild they wouldn't live off of one type of bug.. For instance, one day he may have crickets, a few superworms, and a hornworm or two. The next day he will have dubias, silkworms, and a moth. etc etc.. but that isn't to say he doesn't still do this from time to time.. I catch him doing it sometimes still.

I understand completely though, I ended up feeling bad for my poor guy as he sat there longingly staring at his dish! Good luck! And, you have a nice looking fella there!

 

[Duma]

@kimmytheriault thank you very much! I will try the more varied diet. I am waiting for my silkworms to grow as we speak! I will move and change the food bowls too!