Live food always felt very icky to me as I am feeding them to my chameleon. All those creepy crawlies just make the hairs on the back of my neck stand and brings chills down my spine. Makes me wonder if live food is actually necessary for chameleons?
Chameleons don’t actually need live food to survive but they are more nutritious. Live food is more of a preference and a way to make them feel comfortable. Since chameleons hunt very often and are used to live food, feeding them live food will replicate their natural habitat more.
Everyone has their preferences when it comes to eating. Some people just like certain foods more than others. It works just the same for a chameleon as it would for you. So what difference does live food make for a chameleon?
Why Do Chameleons Eat Live Food?
We’ve been told to give chameleons as much live food as possible but most people have no idea why. There are a few reasons why live food is better for their quality of life but isn’t necessary.
Here are a few reasons why chameleons eat live food.
For The Hunt
Chameleons may not look like it but they are considered predators in the wild. They spend a lot of time hunting for food in the wild while they climb from branch to branch.
They don’t do much of anything else other than hunt so it is their only hobby. Chameleons are very effective hunters as well since they can hide very well among the trees.
Since chameleons have been hunting for millions of years now, they always anticipate that there is a need to hunt for food. They won’t know that food is readily given even if they are in a domesticated setting.
Chameleons have not been domesticated for long as well. Their domestication only started about 50 years ago. This doesn’t give them ample time to get used to being fed so they will still have the urge to hunt.
A chameleon that doesn’t hunt will just be very bored since they don’t do much else.
Nutrition
Live food has more nutritional value than dried or dead food. This is because they retain all of their natural nutrients as they are still alive.
Dried and dead food lose a lot of their nutritional value when compared to live food. This is because the drying process might disrupt the structure of the food which changes its nutritional content.
Some processes are known to destroy certain minerals in foods as well and not to mention the nutrition carried over from the live food’s diet will also be gone by then.
Moreover, live food can carry more nutrition with them because they also transfer whatever they ate to the chameleon. This is why some experts advise feeding your chameleon’s live food nutritional things.
It is done to supplement your chameleon for things that can’t be found with just live food. Dead food doesn’t lose as much nutrition when compared to dried food but they come with their own set of problems…
Safety
Live food is more prone to catching diseases and parasites because they are alive and moving around. The thing here is, live food has a way to fight back.
Live food still has the immune system working to fight any possible infections or parasites that might affect them. On the other hand. dead food no longer has a working immune system to fight back anything.
The infection will just spread further and be allowed to cultivate. Not to mention the fact that dead food attracts deadlier pathogens as well.
Animals typically only eat food that is absolutely safe for them unless the situation is dire and food is very scarce. Even if you dare to feed your chameleon dead food, they will be smart enough to just spit them back out.
Hydration
Some live food is fed to your chameleon due to its water content. Live food such as Superworms and hornworms contain a lot of water in them which keeps your chameleon hydrated.
More information about them can be found in their respective article just by clicking the links above. Chameleons are not the best when it comes to drinking water.
They usually drink from the air or small dewdrops from the leaves which might not be enough to keep them hydrated. Dehydration is a serious problem for chameleons and can very easily kill them.
Dried food is completely devoid of its water content. They need to be fully dried as water can be contaminated very easily, even when in the body.
Dead food will be able to retain some of its liquids but we’ve already discussed why they pose a huge risk when fed. Since live food is so beneficial to a chameleon, are there any alternatives to them?
The Alternatives to Live Food to Feed Chameleons
Live food may provide chameleons a lot of things that other foods can’t but that doesn’t mean they need it. Chameleons can also eat the same live food but dried up.
Dried food is perfectly suitable to meet their nutritional needs even though they might lack a mineral or two. Besides, whatever minerals or vitamins that might be lacking in dried foods can be supplemented in different ways.
Some powders are specifically used to dust on dried food to supplement their nutrition. Not to mention it gives some flare to the taste as well.
Dried food is easily accessible as it is sold in any pet store you can find but it will never be as good as live food. They have been processed to clear it of pathogens, so it’s completely safe for your chameleon.
Chameleons aren’t picky when it comes to survival and won’t just straight up stop eating dried food because it doesn’t feel like it. They are called opportunistic eaters for a reason and they will eat anything available to survive.
Feeding them live food is simply a preference because they prefer having live food as they’ve been hunting it for millions of years now. This is why they don’t quote on quote need live food.
Dead food that isn’t processed, on the other hand, should never be fed to your chameleon under any circumstance. Even if you are aware of why the food died, you won’t know what happened to the food after that. Better be safe than sorry and avoid it.
What Are Some Of The Live Foods I Can Feed My Chameleon?
Here some of the live foods that are readily available and beneficial for your chameleon.
Crickets – You can find these anywhere in any pet store sold as live feed specifically for reptiles. They contain a lot of calcium and are considered one of the best in terms of protein out of all live food. Moreover, crickets also contain a hefty amount of protein, which is beneficial for your chameleon’s growth.
Roaches – Same as crickets, but doesn’t contain as much calcium. Still nutritious though.
Mealworms – Very high in water, found in all pet stores as well. Considered one of the most staple foods for any reptile.
Superworms – They are better than mealworms in every aspect. More water, more protein, more calcium, and even larger. These can keep your chameleon full for a while without the need of feeding them again but their fat content should be regulated.
Moths & Butterflies – Sometimes, worms will mature into moths and butterflies when left on for too long. Don’t just set them free as chameleons can eat these as well. Not to mention, this keeps their diet varied enough to keep them invested in eating as well as chameleons can get fed up too.
How to Take Care Chameleons’ Live Food?
Live food needs to be taken care of as well. This is so that they won’t die unexpectedly, leaving you with dead food that you absolutely don’t want to feed to your chameleon.
Not to mention the fact that live food will not have as much nutrition if not fed properly. Feed your live food with nutritious food such as fruits and vegetables that are packed with nutrition.
This keeps them alive and healthy to transfer all those precious vitamins and minerals to your chameleon. If you feel the need to, you can also sprinkle some vitamin dust to supplement their already packed nutrition.
As previously mentioned, this also has the added benefit of giving them a boost in taste as well. They will need water as well to keep them hydrated.
Prepare a dish of water for them and change it now and then to prevent contamination. Be sure not to have a dish that is deep enough to potentially drown your live food though.
As for containment, any container will do. Just make sure that there is enough ventilation so that they have a fresh supply of oxygen to stay alive.
Ways to Give Live Food to Chameleons
It is fairly easy to give live food to your chameleon. There are many methods and the one you choose will highly depend on the amount and convenience for you to feed them.
Here are a few ways you can feed your chameleon live food.
Hand Feeding
This is the most basic way you can feed your chameleon live food. Simply feed them by hand whenever it is convenient for you to do so.
This also has the added benefit of allowing them to be more comfortable with your presence. Your chameleon will slowly associate your hand with food and get comfortable.
The next time you put your hand into their enclosure, it will think that you are there to give them food, and not to make them into food. One suggestion is to lure them slowly into your hand.
Back away bit by bit as they advance towards the live food in your hand. They will unknowingly walk into your hand. Doing this will make them more comfortable with your touch and become less aggressive.
Bowl Feeding
Another very simple method of feeding your chameleon live food is just by placing it in a bowl. This method works like the hand-feeding method but it doesn’t have the same benefits. Just put the bowl in their usual feeding place so that they will know its food, chameleons aren’t that smart.
Controlled Release
If feeding them by hand is not convenient for you, you can create controlled releases that drop live food into their enclosure at certain times.
This is for the busy people who aren’t around their chameleons all the time to keep them well-fed. Not to mention, this gives them a schedule to eat so that they will roughly know when feeding time is.
After some time, your chameleon will know when to be ready to eat and just wait for the food to drop. Now that we know how to feed them, how often should we be feeding chameleons live food?
How Often Should I Feed My Chameleon Live Food?
Live food should be fed to chameleons as much as possible. They don’t need it but it will be able to keep them comfortable as it replicates their natural way of life the best.
How often to feed them will depend on the age of the chameleon. Younger chameleons will need to be fed as much as possible. This is because they are primed for growth and will need all the nutrition they can get.
On the other hand, adult chameleons don’t have to be fed as often as young chameleons. They are perfectly fine being fed every other day.
Adult chameleons are very efficient at energy expenditure which slows down metabolism. Food can spend days in their stomach before it is being digested.
Make sure you don’t just keep feeding them live food non-stop. It is highly unlikely for a chameleon to overeat, but it is still possible.
After all, you wouldn’t want your chameleon to suffer from the complication of being overweight. Remember to feed them on time as well.
Yes, they are very efficient animals that don’t need much energy but they still need it in the end. An underweight chameleon will have just as many complications as an overweight one.
Can Live Food Harm My Chameleon?
There are a few concerns when it comes to feeding live food to a chameleon. Here, I will address some of these concerns to help you understand if live food can harm your chameleon.
Physical Harm
Some live food like Superworms and crickets may bite back when your chameleon feeds on it. It isn’t life-threatening, so it shouldn’t be much of a concern.
Your chameleon might feel uncomfortable and be afraid to eat it for a while. This will mellow with age as your chameleon grows wiser and knows how to avoid it.
Poisons & Toxins
Many live foods are poisonous or come with toxins depending on what they eat. This is why it isn’t recommended that you pick live food from a garden and feed it to your chameleon.
Stick with live food that you can buy from a pet store. They are completely safe for your chameleon with a slight chance of parasites. Stick to the list I’ve given If you insist on bringing them natural live food.
Conclusion
Chameleons don’t need live food, but it is recommended that you feed it to them as much as you can. This is because live food has some benefits that dried food doesn’t have and not to mention it replicates their way of life as well.
However, live food needs to be taken care of or else it won’t be as nutritious as it should be. On top of that, you can also add on to their nutrition which supplements what they are lacking.
Proper care for live food also ensures that none of them die and contaminate the other which can transfer to your chameleon. There are numerous ways to feed your chameleon.
Experiment around to see what suits your convenience and your chameleon’s liking. Make sure you feed them often enough so that they don’t become malnourished, but not so often that they become overfed.
Live food may bite back but it doesn’t cause life-threatening injuries. Some live food has poison or toxins, so stick to the ones that you can buy in pet stores just to be on the safe side.
Worms and bugs are icky and all but nothing beats an owner’s love towards their pets. I really hate touching live food but the things I do for love I guess.
