I think my jackson is too addicted to waxworms

Question
QUESTION: Ive had my jackson chameleon for about 5 months now and he is roughly a year old but ever since i got him he never eats crickets and mainly just waxworms. Ive tried fasting him for 3 days now trying to get him to eat crickets and locusts in the enclosure.

Do you think i should try fasting him some more for like 5 days in total so that hes really hungry and should eat the locusts or crickets in there? I really dont want him to eat waxworms for the rest of his life.

ANSWER: Hi Ken, have you tried hand feeding him the crickets or locusts? Try switching to something like Silkworms. They are very nutritious and healthy and resemble waxworms. He might not notice the difference and try to eat one.

5 days will not hurt him but I would feel bad going any longer then that.

Remove waxworms completely and offer a lot of different choices;
Crickets
Locusts
Mealworms
Super/King worms
Silkworms
etc.

He might find something he likes. Hand feeding will definately help him realise its food as well.

Good luck
Yexalen

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QUESTION: I tried the crickets and locusts he looks at them but with little or no interest and its been five days should i wait longer? and would he be stressed?

But as soon as i put in the waxworm he immediately looks at it and tries to eat it but before he does i took it away because i dont want him to eat it!

I do however dust the waxworms with calcium and sandfire chameleon dust so that he gets some nutrients in the waxworms.

Should i just accept that he will only eat waxworms even though it may shorten his lifespan?

Sorry for the hard question any help will be appecriated.

ANSWER: Hello Ken, I wouldn't go any longer then a week without feeding him.

Have you had any luck finding silkworms? Have you tried any other worms? He may not be able to tell a difference.

I wouldn't accept the fact that he wont eat anything else. It really is not healthy for him and can cause him to suffer as he gets older.

If nothing else seems to work then hand feed him. If that doesn't work then talk to a vet for other options. They can not charge you for asking questions. Perhaps call or email one, they dont even have to be in your area. Find a good one online and send them an email and see if they have an opinion on what you can try next.

Good luck
Yexalen

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi I tried the mealworms he looks at them but with little interest. I dont want to feed to many mealworms either i heard that have maybe to much chitin content in them.

i did however tried butterworms and he went and ate them!! I read that theses have less fat and more calcium/protein in them.

So far it seems my chameleon will eat either waxworms or butterworms. I tried getting silkworms but they are very hard to get and expensive.

Have you had any experience with feeding butterworms and how are they compared to waxworms?

Answer
Hello Ken, mealworms are high in chitin but thats just their outer shell and all it does it make it more difficult to digest. Which can cause stomach pains. I don't like feeding them either but compared to waxworms they are much better.

I am very happy to hear he likes the butterworms.
They are much better then waxworms and mealworms. They can be fed as a daily item only if you offer him a variety of other items as well. I would stop feeding waxworms completely right now.


Butterworms=   16.2% Protein    5.2% fat        59% Water
Waxworms=   1:7 Ca:P   15.5% Protein 22.2% Fat 7.7% Fiber  62% water

Thats the nutritional info I have on each.
Silkworms are still better for him but they can be expensive and hard to get ahold of.

I hope that helped
Good luck
Yexalen