Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was researching info on my long quest to learn ALL I can about chameleons (been at that for 4 years, LOL) And I came across a picture I had encountered before. It was of a panther eating a small house gecko, and another of a Male veiled chomping down on a little green anole. So I came to ponder...Would an Anole or House gecko be a good "once in a while" snack? I mean once in a GREAT while, like 4-5 months. I would feel horrible feeding an adorable little gecko or anole to a chameleon, and I know for a fact that it is not nessecary, but do they contain alot of vitamins and nutrients?? Just curious, Thanks in advance for all responses!

Michele

Hey,

Well, There are a few good and negative points to each. Pinky mice are the most commonly used vertebrate, mainly because it actually isn't a vertebrate, considering that they haven't developed a spinal cord yet at the young age. Chameleons don't have a stomach for digesting bones for the most part. There isn't that much research on this that I know about. Pinky mice are loaded with calcium which is obviously very benificial to the chameleon, but they are also very fatty. I don't really know about small lizards. I don't think it would hurt your cham, in my opinion, if it is very rarely. However I have never fed them, so it is just a guess. Pinkies can be good for a female that just layed her eggs, so that she can gain back the weight, and a cham that has stopped eating, to spark his appetite. But, I am rather sure that chams eat all sorts of things in the wild. On average, they have a variety of 50 insects, and also vertebrates such as baby birds, mice, lizards, even baby snakes. Some chameleons will also accept small amounts of plant matter. But, I will ask some other people to try to find out more info for you.

Ank-Inc.
Adam.

Threy can digest vertebrates (pinky's have spinal cords and
vertebre, they're bones are just not calcified completley) perfectly
well. I've fed my old veiled (well, my stupid brother did...) a fuzzy
on occation, and he had no problem with it. I examined hisfeces,
and there was almost no trace of it, just a few hairs. He digested
the whole thing.

Now, just because they can doens't mean you should.
Economically, you get a whole lot more nutrition out of a few
insects than a single mouse - insects have more protein, and
adequate calcium levels (If properly gutloaded).

The potential for introducing parasites is there, as well.
for me, any benifit gained form feeding mice or lizards is
outweighed by the parasite potential.

Keep in mind that they'll try to eat things they shouldn't: My big
male veiled was trying to shoot his tongue at my melleri the
other day, when I had him out - the melleri is 13" long.

Pinkies actually do have spines, they are just not as strong and such as adults. And chams can digest vertebrates without problems...I don't know where you heard otherwise. Anyway, lizards don't really contain as many nutrients as a diet of varied insects, so I'd stick with some different species of bugs such as crickets, silkworms, young/certain species of roaches maybe, superworms, etc. But remember, any food is only going to be as nutritious as you make you (to an extent), so make sure you gutload your feeders.

>>Pinkies actually do have spines, they are just not as strong and such as adults. And chams can digest vertebrates without problems...I don't know where you heard otherwise. Anyway, lizards don't really contain as many nutrients as a diet of varied insects, so I'd stick with some different species of bugs such as crickets, silkworms, young/certain species of roaches maybe, superworms, etc. But remember, any food is only going to be as nutritious as you make you (to an extent), so make sure you gutload your feeders.

is that any feeder lizard that you feed your chameleon will more than likely be wild caught. We all know the issues with wild caught animals (parasite load and other communicable diseases they carry can be spread to your chameleon via consumption). When you go through all the hassle to provide as clean and sterile an environment as you possibly can for your chameleon, why would you want to introduce a cespool of bacteria, protozoa, and who knows what else? Better to look for for that extra protein kick elsewhere, versus a WC feeder lizzy.
Just my opinion, hope it helps.
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Victor Gomez
gomezvi@yahoo.com

LOL, I think I'll just stick with gut-loaded insects for right now. You all pointed out variables I hadnt thought of, such as parasites, disease, and digestion complications. Also, If I were to use any feeder lizards, they would most deffinetly be CB! I would never leave my cham to the possibly of Parasites from a WC feeder. Thanks for the info though, its been of much help

Michele