Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Would it be safe and good for variety/nutrition to feed my baby veiled chameleon bugs in the backyard?

Things such as:

- rolley polleys
- small beetles
- slugs
- worms?
- spiders

etc.

Input?
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1.0 Baby Sunburst Veiled Chameleon -- Dexter

No spiders! Give nothing that could possibly sting or bite your cham. You also take a chance of giving him/her a food item that has had access to pesticides. By "rolley polleys" I take you mean pill bugs? The ones that roll up into a ball? Those are fine. Some beetles are poisonous and some just plain taste bad. Find some beetles and look them up on line to make sure they are safe. I am not sure about slugs. Chams do love earthworms but there is a variety that tastes bad. I presented one to my cham, he went for it and then spat it out and virtually wiped his mouth. He never touched another worm. Do not feed the green hornworms that you occasionally find on tomato plants. Tomato leaves are poisonous, ergo the worm is also. Try plain brown moths, cabbage butterflies, japanese beetles, june bugs...but remember...you don't know where they have been. This forum is a wealth of information, some really knowledgeable people here who will give you better information that I just did but at least it is a start for you. Good luck with your new baby!

Marilyn

Would it be safe and good for variety/nutrition to feed my baby veiled chameleon bugs in the backyard?
>>
>>Things such as:
>>
>>- rolley polleys
>>- small beetles
>>- slugs
>>- worms?
>>- spiders
>>
>>etc.
>>
>>Input?
>>-----
>>1.0 Baby Sunburst Veiled Chameleon -- Dexter

that those rolly pollies (sow bugs) are very bad, *but*, that's for Anoles. It might be a whole other story for Chams. Sow bugs arn't even insects. They are actually crustaceans. I thought I would mention it just in case.

Andy

i have heard they are good becuase they aren't made of chitin like other insects instead they have a high calcium percentage.....not sure if its true but it seems plausible

Actually, most chams love spiders. You just don't want to put a huge aggressive species of spider in with a small cham. The type of earthworm that tastes bad is the red wriggler worm. Some chams like regular earthworms, but not many. Some chams like slugs, some don't. Dull colored night moths are safer than brighter colored day active ones. The bright color tends to be a warning of bad taste. Rollie pollies (sow or pill bugs) are favorites once a cham figures out they are food. Grasshoppers (except the lubber species from the SE US), katydids, mantids, stick insects, non-hairy caterpillars, inchworms, other green insects from an area that does not get sprayed with pesticides can add variety. If you are in an area that gets broadcast spraying for tree pests or mosquitos, check with your county or city to find out where spraying has been done.

Carlton, I didn't know that chams could be fed spiders! I always learn something new here.

Marilyn

>Actually, most chams love spiders. You just don't want to put a huge aggressive species of spider in with a small cham. The type of earthworm that tastes bad is the red wriggler worm. Some chams like regular earthworms, but not many. Some chams like slugs, some don't. Dull colored night moths are safer than brighter colored day active ones. The bright color tends to be a warning of bad taste. Rollie pollies (sow or pill bugs) are favorites once a cham figures out they are food. Grasshoppers (except the lubber species from the SE US), katydids, mantids, stick insects, non-hairy caterpillars, inchworms, other green insects from an area that does not get sprayed with pesticides can add variety. If you are in an area that gets broadcast spraying for tree pests or mosquitos, check with your county or city to find out where spraying has been done.