Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here is my situation, I have a Male Vieled that is about one(1) year old in May. As of late(Past two-three months) he has been refusing to eat anything but Superworms. I have been providing salads and crickets and silkworms for him but he is only interested in the Supers. All of his temps are okay and he drinks daily. I mist his cage and watch him drink every morning. The humidity is good in his cage also. When he was just a little guy he would eat crickets from his feeder cup. Since he has gotten older I have only put the Supers and Silkworms in his feeder cup. I have let him go 2-3 days without eating and then released 6-8 adult crickets into his cage( These crickets have been properly gut-loaded and supplemented with proper vitamins/minerals/Calcium w/D3)He won't eat them (From the feeder cup or looses in the cage) and I know he is hungry because as soon as I show him the Supers he will immediately eat them! My questions is this how can I vary his diet when he seems unwilling to eat anything else but Supers? I am starting to worry about him because this has gone on too long now for my comfort. I had a fecal sample tested two weeks ago and the vet said that everything looks fine. I am willing to try anything. If any of the more experienced cham keepers have gone through a similar situation with a VERY PICKY EATER I would love to hear how you resolved the situation. Thank you very much to all who respond.

I've noticed kinda the same thing with panthers, where they'll get stuck on superworms.... Basically, superworms should be used as an additional food, and not really a staple diet. I like using superworms, and don't think they're as bad (unhealthy) as alot of people make them out to be, but still can be troublesome ( a little hard to digest) if given in too large a number. Instead of cutting off food completely for 2-3 days, try just feeding him every other or every third day for a week or two, and gradually offer him less and less of whatever he'll eat. Start with maybe 3 supers a day, then 2 days later go with maybe 2 or 3, but eventually work your way down, and then try a food switch. Big veileds can do fine with little food. I feed my male veileds only about 3 times a week, and only a few silkworms, crickets or supers each time. I also use a large variety of food, which helps keep them from getting stuck on one food. Use silkworms, crickets and if possible, roaches as a daily food item, and throw in random superworms, houseflies, waxworms, hornworms or any other type food you can get ahold of either on one day, or feed them in addition to something else on a normal feeding day. If they always have a good mix of food, they're not as picky when you have a shortage of something and need to feed them roaches 3 times in a row, for example. Give it a shot over the next 2 weeks or so, just keep cutting back, if he's healthy, he'll eat eventually. I think the gradual loss of food is the key to making it work. Good luck!
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Tyler Stewart
Las Vegas NV
www.BLUEBEASTREPTILE.com

Thanks for the advice Tyler. I will try your method and see if I can get him interested in something other than Supers!

I have a male veiled with the same problem. He dsays no problem I am the one with the problem. He just wants his supers and he feels he can hold out till I cave in. So far he is smarter than I am because he is usually right.
What I did is lower the food way down till he only ate one or two supers twice a week then switched to silkworms.
It worked pretty good he eats them occasionally.

n/p
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1.1. Vield Chameleon(Jessy James)
1.1.3 Sugar gliders(Bonnie & Clyde)
2.0 Ferrets(Butch & Sundance)
1.1.3 Parakeets(Prettyboy,Sassy)
1.0 Doberman (Aries)
1.1 Cats(Riley, Zoe)
1. leopard gecko
1. plated lizard
0.1 red rat snakes
1.0. ball python

Hey John, Yes, I did get him from the Kammers! I purchased him approximately one year ago. He is one of Smaug's sons. He has grown up to be an amazing Cham. I will try and post a pic of him for you guys, his name is Floyd. Why do you ask?

because i got mine from the same hacthing, one year ago from smaug. kinda cool, yes i would like to see a pic. so i could know if mine is growing slow or its growing like the rest of his brothers and sisters. thanks
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1.1. Vield Chameleon(Jessy James)
1.1.3 Sugar gliders(Bonnie & Clyde)
2.0 Ferrets(Butch & Sundance)
1.1.3 Parakeets(Prettyboy,Sassy)
1.0 Doberman (Aries)
1.1 Cats(Riley, Zoe)
1. leopard gecko
1. plated lizard
0.1 red rat snakes
1.0. ball python