Chameleons
Reptile
Chameleons are obligate insectivores with a reputation for being picky — most will only take moving prey, and almost everything they eat, they eat whole. Feeder quality has an outsized effect on their health.
What to Feed
Dubia roaches, sized to roughly the width of the chameleon's mouth, are the best all-around staple — high protein, manageable fat, and roaches don't burrow or hide the way mealworms do in a planted enclosure. Mealworms and superworms can round out variety for adults but shouldn't be a daily staple due to their chitin-to-nutrient ratio.
How Much & How Often
- Juveniles (0–4 months): As many Small dubia roach nymphs as they'll eat in a 10–15 minute feeding, 2 times a day.
- Sub-adults (4–9 months): Tapering from daily toward every-other-day feeding of Medium dubia roach nymphs as they approach adulthood.
- Adults: Every 1–2 days, 4–6 Large dubia roach nymphs per feeding, adjusted for body condition.
Dusting & Gut-Loading
Supplementation, not gut-loading, is the main way chameleons get calcium and vitamin A — dust every feeding with calcium, and add a D3-inclusive dusting about twice a month for adults under good UVB, up to weekly for fast-growing juveniles (more often if UVB is weak or absent). Chameleons are unusually sensitive to over-supplementation, so err conservative rather than frequent. Gut-loading still matters — see our gut-loading guide — but it supports the supplement routine rather than replacing it.
What to Watch For
Keep insects no wider than your chameleon's mouth, and use a feeding cup or station to stop loose insects from hiding in foliage, causing hunting stress, or going uneaten as a hazard. Watch for swelling around the limbs or throat, a sign of over-supplementation with vitamin A or D3.