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picky eater

chacoantegu Sep 13, 2003 07:53 PM

my female jackson is not showing an interest in her silkworms and i don't think she can be bored of them because i just got them on thursday she ate them eagerly then on friday she didn't eat any but went for crickets right away when i put them in her cup

Replies (4)

TylerStewart Sep 13, 2003 08:47 PM

Is this the first time you have used silkworms? There's a long time discussion about whether or not silkworms are or aren't good or preferred by chameleons. Lately it seems more and more people are using them for their chameleons, but I have tried them a few times and definately noticed that some of my panthers after eating 1 or 2 wouldn't take them anymore. And even some of the animals that ate several of them quickly over the next few days wouldn't eat anything at all. Probably only 1 or 2 of my chameleons seems to really like them, day in and day out. Most will take them quickly when offerred, but over the next few days won't eat anything or will only eat something else (crix, or supers or waxworms). Maybe I'm unique I dunno but after trying them 4 or 5 times it seems to be a repeating pattern and I'm not gonna screw around with them anymore. More than anything else, it just messes with the eating patterns of my animals. I would rather supplement feeding with roaches which are probably the best thing you can feed chameleons (my opinion again), and are alot easier to keep than silkworms and reproduce with little or no effort.
-Tyler Stewart

chacoantegu Sep 13, 2003 10:34 PM

yes this is my first time feeding silkworms and what you are saying about the feeding patters of them sounds exactly like mine. i have already spent too much money on the worms to give up now and i am not gonna give my chameleon anything else until she eats some silkies

iso Sep 14, 2003 02:03 AM

Two things.

Mine does the same thing. One day he wants them - one day he does not. I just offer him crickets if he does not want to eat the worms. no biggie. About 1/2 of my silks get too big to feed..so I raise them into moths...he loves those..and takes them quicker than any insect feeder I get at a store...hunting the moth is fun to watch..and keep him sharp.

Another thing I do is mix crix and silks in the same feeder cup..or put the silk on his favorite branch while he is away. If you put a silk on a branch under a heat source..he will sit on his legs and face 1/2 of his body straight up in the air. The cham usually get is right away...then looks for more..wanders his branches for a while.

second thing:
"i have already spent too much money on the worms to give up now and i am not gonna give my chameleon anything else until she eats some silkies"

You really should think about giving your cham food she wants to eat. Heck with the money. I dont think you will want her to go hungry because you spent too much money on something like a new food source. She might not like them at all. Maybe you should have bought a smaller quantity. I dont mean to be harsh, but that is really unfair to your cham.

If you dont want them..send them to me - I'll even pay you for them if it means you'll get her crix ...I dont want your cham to suffer..I can use some..but I usually take them to my local pet store to feed the chams or other herps there.

mariposac Sep 15, 2003 09:21 PM

You should try offering a variety of things - mix it up. They get bored with their food easily. Also, if you cham is old enough, try feeding two days, skipping a day, feeding three days, skipping a day. That way she will be good and hungry and ready to hunt.
I agree with roaches as a supplement. Try South American Orange-headed...mmmm...tasty.

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