What Is Your Chameleon's Favorite Food?

By: Mary Ann Porsuelo
Submitted: 2008-09-29 23:43:49
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One of the difficult parts of having a chameleon as a pet is definitely the part where you have to feed it live prey. You have to invest time, money, and effort. You're lucky your chameleon's favorite food is the grasshopper and you've got a lot of them on your backyard. There have also been reports where chameleons also like to eat flowers, leaves, or fruit, and that will not give you as hard a time as looking for live prey will.

Flowers and fruits aside, what is your chameleon's favorite food? Live prey like insects and worms are still considered to be nutritious food sources for chameleons. Surely, your chameleon has a favorite among them:

Crickets: They are abundant and are often the staple of a chameleon's diet (thought it should not be the only prey that is fed to your chameleon). Try to include some grains, leaves, vegetables, and fruits with the crickets.

Mealworms and Grain Beetles: Grain beetles are the adult form of mealworms, and the chameleon eats either one. Mealworms and grain beetles are also inexpensive and can go with the leafy and fruit diet like crickets.

Waxworms and Wax Moths: Wax moths are the adult form, and both the worm and the moth are favorites of most chameleons. Chameleons may love the moth more than the larvae. These should only be fed to your chameleon once in a while though, because it is high in fat.

Superworms and Beetles: Beetles are the adult form of superworms, and these should only be fed to the adult or larger species of the chameleons. The superworms may look like mealworms, but they are bigger and have a slightly different color. They might be too big for small chameleons.

Fruit Flies: Baby chameleons generally require and prefer small prey, and fruit flies fit the bill. You can start your own colony of fruit flies if you want; it's easy to do if you learn how to.

Houseflies: Just be informed not to use housefly larvae or maggots as food for your chameleon.

Silkworms and Silk Moths: Silk moths are obviously the adult forms of the silkworms, and are great for larger chameleons. For small chameleons, however, stick to the silkworms. Silkworms are an ideal food source for chameleons of all sizes, and it is also very nutritious.

Hornworms and Sphinx or Hawk Moths: Sphinx or Hawk Moths are the adult forms, and the large chameleons love them. The hornworms can be fed to a chameleon of any size.

Tropical Roaches: Take note that when it comes to roaches, it should be cultured or non-infesting. These are an inexpensive food source for your chameleon, and are also an ideal addition to your chameleon's diet when included with leaves and fruits.  

These are just some of the live prey that your chameleon wants and needs. You can also include walking sticks, grasshoppers, locusts, katydids, garden pests, pantry pests, wild moths, and other nocturnal insects.

Ultimately, though, it will depend on your chameleon's preference on what it wants to eat. It will be your job to figure out its favorites and dislikes. So.. what is your chameleon's favorite food?

The author of this article is currently working on Chameleon Care. Feel free to contact her at keywriterm@gmail.com for any inquiries or concerns.

Article source: Expert Articles

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