Veiled chameleon feeding
A chameleon’s diet should consist primarily of mealworms, crickets and a mixture of dark leafy greens. Food must never be larger than the distance between the chameleon’s eyes. Dust crickets with a calcium supplement until they are slightly white, and supplement mealworms with a multivitamin. Feed chameleons twice daily: once first thing in the morning and once mid-afternoon.
Juveniles
Feed small mealworms, 3/8″ crickets and finely chopped greens. Before the first feed, remove any leftover greens and mealworms. If there is feces in the food bowl, clean and sanitize it before feeding.
- First feed: per chameleon, 3–4 small multivitamin-dusted mealworms, 1/4 teaspoon of greens, and 4–5 calcium-dusted crickets.
- Second feed: mist any remaining greens with water and add another 1/4 teaspoon per chameleon. Top mealworms back up to 3–4 per chameleon and add 2–3 calcium-dusted crickets.
Large juveniles and sub-adults
Same routine with larger food: 1/2″ crickets for large juveniles and 3/4″ for sub-adults, about 6–8 crickets per chameleon. Medium mealworms for both, and 5–6 mealworms for sub-adults. Greens don’t need to be cut as finely; increase to about a tablespoon per chameleon.
Adjusting amounts
If your chameleons finish everything within the first few minutes, gradually increase the amounts until they eat about 3/4 of their food in the first 30 minutes.
Both reptiles and rodents can carry diseases that are transferable to humans. Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling your pet or the frozen rodents you feed them.
