whats better feeding in a dish or letting them loose?
- Thread starter Paco
- Start date
reptoman
Avid Member
I personally do both. I keep some feeders in a cup but I let others run across the top or sides of the screen cage to get my chams attention and he will chase them down. The advantage to cup feeding is knowing how much your cham is eating and also to keep crickets or roaches from hiding inside the cage. It may take some time to get your cham to feed from a cup if he has always been freeranged.
ColorCham427
Avid Member
Cup, bowl, containers etc. kick butt compared to free range. Keeping track of the insects, keeping them safe from hiding in the cage... It's awesome.
Insects you honestly don't have to cup feed are: Grasshoppers, katydids, mantids, and moths! lol.. yes moths don't have to be in the cup either.
Foods I cup feed are crickets, superworms, silkworms, and roaches.
I don't use butterworms, waxworms, mealworms nor phoenix worms, but if I did, I would cup feed those too.
Hornworms! Hornworms have a devastating grip with their feet and some chameleons aren't prepared for such a tough "reel in" so to speak.
If I were you and you were using hornworms I wouldn't place them on a vine unless they're smaller sized worms, like 1.5 inches or smaller.
If they are bigger than that, cup feed them. Their grip is freakishly strong for their size. You don't want your chameleon's tongue to strain.
If you do decide to cup feed, make sure to clean it.
Insects you honestly don't have to cup feed are: Grasshoppers, katydids, mantids, and moths! lol.. yes moths don't have to be in the cup either.
Foods I cup feed are crickets, superworms, silkworms, and roaches.
I don't use butterworms, waxworms, mealworms nor phoenix worms, but if I did, I would cup feed those too.
Hornworms! Hornworms have a devastating grip with their feet and some chameleons aren't prepared for such a tough "reel in" so to speak.
If I were you and you were using hornworms I wouldn't place them on a vine unless they're smaller sized worms, like 1.5 inches or smaller.
If they are bigger than that, cup feed them. Their grip is freakishly strong for their size. You don't want your chameleon's tongue to strain.
If you do decide to cup feed, make sure to clean it.
PedroANDAshley
New Member
I would recommend doing it both.
Just every now and them make him work for his food.
Reptoman had a good idea for you.
Because they start to get lazy tongue if cup fed too much (even though i love it lol)
and if they were to ever shoot their tongue too far they could strain it or might not be able to shoot as far any more.
Just every now and them make him work for his food.
Reptoman had a good idea for you.
Because they start to get lazy tongue if cup fed too much (even though i love it lol)
and if they were to ever shoot their tongue too far they could strain it or might not be able to shoot as far any more.
Paco
Member
ookk that makes sence, my cham sometimes wont eat from the bowl, always eats when sumthing is near him, sometimes i put the bowl near him and he will eat then
hes kindof spoiled.
PedroANDAshley
New Member
LOL!
TELL me about it
Pedro is lazy some times too.
I gotta put the the misting nozzle right next to his mouth and he'll lick it like a bottle LOL cuz hes too lazy to go to the leaves
TELL me about it
Pedro is lazy some times too.
I gotta put the the misting nozzle right next to his mouth and he'll lick it like a bottle LOL cuz hes too lazy to go to the leaves
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
I both bowl feed and free-range. I only free-range when I am there to watch to ensure the prey is quickly eaten, or if it is something that isnt going to go far or be harmful if forgotten such as silkworms. Bowl feeding allows me to monitor how much is eaten without having to watch. Its also safer for me because my cages, being home made, do not necessarily prevent bug escapees.
I do NOT think bowl feeding leads to laziness or tongue issues.
I do NOT think bowl feeding leads to laziness or tongue issues.
Paco
Member
okay kool =) thanks for the info. so basicly both? and what about hand feeding?
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
You can feed out of a container and still give your cham's tongue muscles some needed exercise. Don't use a small cup, use a larger storage box (such as a Critter Keeper plastic terrarium). The cham can perch near the rim and shoot from more of a distance. I also offer flying insects such as night flying moths and cultured houseflies. They are attracted to the lights which helps keep them in view of the cham and they love to hunt them.
Seeco
Avid Member
As for hand feeding, it's good to have them comfortable enough to eat from your hand, but don't get them hooked on it. What I do is, when I am refilling their cups, I first hand feed one cricket and put the rest in the cup.
Some important things with the cup:
1. It can't fill with water. There should be no moisture inside it.
2. It must be tall enough and smooth enough that crix cant get out.
3. You cham must be able to escape if it falls in.
4. Don't leave poop or dead crix inside it.
Some important things with the cup:
1. It can't fill with water. There should be no moisture inside it.
2. It must be tall enough and smooth enough that crix cant get out.
3. You cham must be able to escape if it falls in.
4. Don't leave poop or dead crix inside it.
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Personally, Im not a big fan of hand feeding. Which isnt to say my chameleons wont or havent eaten from my hands. they have. But i try to avoid it.
I see no particular benefit to hand feeding, yet there are potential (though not huge) risks. Firstly, you might flinch, causing over extension of the tongue. Secondly If the tongue gets caught/stuck on you, your first reaction may not be to slowly move your hand towards the chameleon so it can "bite" tongue and prey back into its mouth. Third, You may have germs on your hands that the tongue could pick up. Fourth, the chameleon may associate your fingers with food and shoot at fingers/fingernails etc even when food is not present. Fifth, You may not release the bug in time, causing a delay in the tongue retracting.
Paco
Member
ohhh ok so do it as long as you do it carefully?
