How to Feed a Veiled Chameleon

Dice up the fresh vegetables small enough that the veiled chameleon does not choke.

A native of Yemen and Saudi Arabia, the veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus), can tolerate a wide range of heat and humidity. A hardy lizard in its natural habitat, it does require diligent attention to succeed in captivity. Its main diet consists of insects, but it will also nibble on fresh greens. The veiled chameleon requires a well-balanced diet --- similar to what it would consume in the wild --- to prevent nutritional deficiencies. The lack of adequate calcium and vitamin D3 can cause the chameleon to suffer from a bone density disorder. Feeding insects that were raised on a nutritious diet will help to ensure that the veiled chameleon receives adequate nutrients.

Things You'll Need

• Crickets, mealworms, cockroaches, pill bugs, houseflies or waxworms.
• Plastic bag
• Clear bowl
• Commercial reptile calcium supplement
• Carrots, spring greens, dandelion greens or watercress
• Drip water dispenser

Instructions

1. Provide five insects per day for the veiled chameleon every other day. Feed chameleons younger than 6 months every day. The chameleon's diet should consist of mainly crickets with one or two other insect species added to the bowl. Add either mealworms, cockroaches, pill bugs, houseflies or waxworms as treats to the meal each day to offer the chameleon diversity.

2. Drop the five insects into a plastic bag filled with a commercial reptile calcium supplement. Shake the insects up and down in the power to thoroughly coat their bodies.

3. Add grated carrots, spring greens, dandelion greens or watercress to the chameleons food dish. Remove any vegetables that the veiled chameleon does not eat and replace with fresh veggies each day.

4. Place the coated insects into a clear bowl that has smooth sides so the insects cannot escape. Place the bowl in front of the veiled chameleon in its cage.

5. Provide the veiled chameleon with a drip water dispenser. Fill it with fresh water daily. Place the drip water dispenser into the tank or cage so that it can slowly drip onto a plant's foliage. This will allow the veiled chameleon to lick the water from the leaf which replicates the way it would naturally consume water in its native habitat.

Tips & Warnings

• Feed crickets a high-quality commercial insect food prior to feeding them to the chameleon.

• Consider adding oranges, alfalfa pellets, carrots, melon, collard greens and fish food flakes to the crickets diet one to three weeks before feeding the insects to the veiled chameleon so their body has had ample time to absorb important nutrients.

• During the spring, summer and fall months gather live bugs from a pesticide free landscape to feed to the chameleon.

• Avoid giving the veiled chameleon water with chlorine.

• Keep the humidity in the veiled chameleon habitat at 30 to 60 percent.

• Do not feed the veiled chameleon bees, hairy caterpillars or wasps.

• Avoid feeding an abundance of waxworms because they contain excessive protein.

References

• King Snake; The Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) Purchase and Captive Care; Petra Spiess; July 1997
• Grizzly Run: Veiled Chameleon
• Lizard Landscapes: Veiled Chameleon Care Sheet
• The Lizard Lounge: Veiled Chameleon Care Sheet
• Reptile Luv; Veiled Chameleon Caresheet (Chamaeleo calyptratus); JE Chameleons

Resources

• UK Chameleons: Veiled Chameleon Care Sheet