silkworms and feeder bugs

HylianHealeys":1ozo9u37 said:

Silkworms are a good staple bug for bearded dragons. Unfortunately they are pretty smelly, especially when you feed them mulberry leaves (really boosts nutritional value). If avoiding odor is important to you, dubias are probably your best option, although dubias must be given as part of a varied diet since they don't contain linoleic acid (an essential fatty acid).

I'm not experienced in breeding silkworms, so I'm afraid I can't give you any pointers in the that direction. I have heard that it's a pretty simply process, though.

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Gtauferner":1pl2vzzh said:

Hello! I am curious as to if feeding silkworms for a staple diet to bearded dragons is okay. I have been able to find them for a reasonable price on costalsilkworms.com and wanted to know if anyone has any idea as to how easy or tough it is to breed them. Also what the steps are for that. If they are difficult to breed then id like to have more options on bugs that are easier. I am currently buying crickets 50 at a time every 2 or 3 days because my beardie is only about 3 months old. I also throw in some horn worms every so often for variety.
I am perfectly fine with any other bug (no problem with being grossed out) and i just dont want them to smell too bad. The crickets themselves do not stink up my room but they definitely have a pungent smell when getting close to the tank

<<<< silkworms are a near perfect feeder ,
highly nutritious
low in fat
good moisture content
high in insect proteins
high in Ca
low in P
soft bodied
slow moving
don't bite back
the food they eat (mulberry leaves or chow) is very nutritious so it's a double hit
and they come in sizes from very small suitable for the youngest hatchlings (even just hatched) to large (2 - 3 are good meal for an adult bearded dragon).
Most lizards love them once they get a taste.

An excellent way to use silkworms for your hatchling is 2 meals of crickets + 1 meal of silkworms each day.
I was using 30mm long silkworms for Peppa & Toothless every day as one of their 3 daily insect meals at the same age , and they were each gobbling down up to 8 silkworms per day.


EDIT: I mean using silkworms for a staple as a bug. I understand that dragons need their veges and i am not excluding that. I was just told by many that dragons need a varied bug diet but just recently with the research i have done, it seems as if silkworms are good as a staple

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