European-Chameleon Diet
Old world chameleons are found across most of continental Africa, Madagascar and southern portions of Europe. The European (or common) chameleon, in particular, is generally considered local to a few pine forests in Portugal, Spain, Greece and parts of Italy, and shares many habits and features with its north African cousins, including diet. Almost all chameleons are insectivores, and the common European chameleon is no exception.
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Wild Diet
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Wild European chameleons will eat just about anything they can fit into their mouths, from insects all the way up to small bird hatchlings, frogs and other lizards. The primary diet, however, consists largely of crickets, snails, moths, flies and other similarly-sized invertebrates. European chameleons obtain a large amount of their mineral load from the lime-rich soil they live on, traces of which are ingested by their prey.
Captive Diet
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In captivity, chameleons have no control over the variety in their diet, and chameleons in general are noted for being both finicky and somewhat difficult to keep. The novice chameleon-keeper's sometimes does not supply a quality diet for his charge; most chameleons simply will not thrive on a steady diet of feeder crickets alone. Feed European chameleons a variety of foods, including crickets, mealworms, waxworms, flies, cultured snails (wild snails are known to carry parasites) and occasional winged insects such as moths.
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Minerals
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Mineral deficiency is one of the most commonly-seen problems in captive chameleons. Invertebrates contain almost no calcium and sometimes minimal trace elements, so supplemental minerals must be supplied. The easiest way to do this is to dust insects with a commercial calcium/mineral supplement just prior to feeding them to your pet. There are numerous varieties of mineral supplements available, and several tailored specifically to chameleons.
Gut Loading
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Gut loading is the practice of feeding insects a high quality diet in the 24 to 48 hours prior to offering them to the chameleon. Many store-purchased insects are offered low-grade food or no food at all upon arriving from the shipper, and so offer minimal nutritional value for the chameleon. Keep the insects in a separate container once you've brought them home (or culture them directly in your home) and offer a quality mixed diet of fruits, vegetables, low-fat cat or dog food and mineral supplements, which will later provide the best nutrition for your reptile.
Water
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It's easy to overlook the importance of water in your chameleon's diet. The average household tap does not provide a suitable source because many city tap sources are treated with chlorine, fluoride and other chemicals that can be harmful to a reptile over time. Dechlorinated tap water makes the safest choice for chameleons; your water can be treated with a commercially available product used for both fish and reptiles.
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References
- Photo Credit Angry chameleon image by Victor B from Fotolia.com
