And so it goes for your bugs, whatever you should avoid feeding your chameleon, you should not feed your bugs! Here is a list of food items that are safe to offer your chameleon.

Dry:

Oatmeal
Wheat germ
Rice baby cereal, Gerber or Beechnut
Crushed alfalfa blacks from local feed store
Bee pollen
Monkey chow
Dried sea kelp
Dried egg yolk
Raw, unsalted sunflower seeds
Baby Parrot food

Vegetation:

Romaine lettuce
Escarole
Collard greens
Dandelion leaves
Bok Choy
Kale
Mustard greens
Carrots
Sweet Potato
Squash

Fruit:

Any citrus fruit (except lemons, as they are to bitter!)
Apples/peaches (not the seeds!)
Blueberries
Prickly pear cactus
Mango

Food item tips:

• If it's not on the previous list, research it before you feed it to your chameleon. Things like peaches, apricots, spinach etc. have toxic portions to them.
  
  
• Most grocery stores have discount sections/shelves for old produce. Here you can find mangos, prickly pears and cantaloupe, grapefruit to mention a few for a under $1 making it very affordable to feed your insects properly.
  
  
• Your chameleon will not eat a "piece" of fruit, as they do not really "chew". Offer pureed fruit or baby food in the following varieties: blueberries, apples.
  
  
• Never offer your chameleon canned/jarred fruits with added sugar or spices!

Baby food:

Baby food many be fed to sick reptiles or reptiles on hunger strikes. However, it is never advisable to force feed an animal unless absolutely necessary, as it causes tremendous stress. Baby food also has an unbalanced calcium/phosphorous level, which is unhealthy for chameleons, therefore should never be offered as the sole nutrient for a prolonged period of time. It also makes your chameleon lazy and they may stop hunting on their own. They also tend to become very poor hunters after being hand fed (they loose the ability to aim and coordinate their tongues). All fruit baby foods however, are good, like applesauce, carrots for beta-carotene and blueberries! There are techniques to feed your unreceptive chameleon insects if necessary (contact me to discuss).

Your vet may recommend special cat food instead of baby food. Keep in mind as well that you want to select a baby food that is high in protein like; veal, beef and broth. My chameleon always loved ham and egg casserole! To add extra protein, you can buy dried flies (in the fish section of your local pet store) and grind them up with a mortal and pestle and mix them in the baby food. You may want to add a small amount of liquid calcium (calcium sandoz) to thin out the mixture!