Phoenix Worm Help for 4m old beardie - he wont even eat one?

Hello,
Okay so i just purchased like four hundred phoenix worms thinking that my little Spike would love them as everywhere that i have read everyone raves about them. But no of ocurse not this BD. They wiggle and squirm alot they are also on a dark feeding platter. He watches them squirm but wont even try to eat them . . . I tried even picking them up and putting them to his mouth he just looks at me and runs away. Please I have a tons of these things and I was hoping to start feeding him more worms and less crickets. How do i get him to eat the phoenix worms?? Has anyone else experienced this problem?? His appetite has been a little lower than usual maybe should I try and buy acidophiliz(sorry not sure about spelling). I tried to get the worms for him in hopes that he would eat a little more but wont even touch em I can't belive it . Someone out there please help!!!

Heather

I bought 400 for Vijah a few months ago too. He had been eating them fine when I was buying them for double cost from the local mom and pop store. I purchased 400 online and he chose to snub them. Sad days...
He never would eat them. He probably would now if I offered them, he's not as picky now.

That's not very helpful for you is it? Thankfully they do last a long time in their little cups so you can put them away and try them again after a little break.

Could your little guy be getting ready to shed? Could that be why he's not eating very much.

He might be almost ready to shed, but he already did about three weeks ago. His temps are great. Maybe I gues I will have to keep trying!! Thanks for responding!!!

At that age they tend to be in a constant shed - at least mine is. I would just keep offering them and maybe not offer crickets one day.

They are alot easier to handle than crickets.

none of my dragons will touch them, not after having roaches. But even before they ever had roaches they didn't want anything to do with phoenix worms

My baby loves them so much, I like to give them as sort of a treat. I take her out and put her on the bed with me to eat them. For a while, she associated spending time with me with eating pws! After she would eat, she wanted nothing to do with me! She's better now, but I still feed her pws on a small paper plate on the bed. I put one on the plate about a foot away from her, and she goes crazy to get to it! After the first one, I drop them on the plate one at a time, and it's just so much fun watching her.

Maybe you can mix the worms in with salad. Even if they really don't like them, at least your money might not get wasted. They last for a while.. Maybe you can put a dozen or so of them in with the salad and they will accidentally get eaten. Beardie croutons, anyone?

Hi thanks for the suggestion I will try them as a crouton topping!!!! I will try for a couple weeks if he doesn't like them i will give them away to some reptile rescue in need!

Not that this helps you any, but I bought a bunch of them too and Judah kept pooping them out whole! No problem with anything else doing this, crickets mealworms everything else fine, but those expensive Pheonix worms, come out whole! So basicly I stoped feeding them to him, he loved them scarfed them right down. I was worried that this would mess up his digestion though

That will be a good thing to do too! How wonderful to have a place like that nearby!

Not that this helps you any, but I bought a bunch of them too and Judah kept pooping them out whole! No problem with anything else doing this, crickets mealworms everything else fine, but those expensive Pheonix worms, come out whole! So basicly I stoped feeding them to him, he loved them scarfed them right down. I was worried that this would mess up his digestion though

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Everthing helps!! I can't believe it came out whole that is too funny!!! I am glad that I am not the only one that has had trouble. Thanks for the post!!

Hello,

Sorry to hear your having such a problem with the Phoenix worms, beardies can really be picky, as I have experienced the same situations with my clan, but I wanted to let you know that PW's can be maintained for 4 months or more with only a few loss'. Keep them in a COOL PLACE, and add a few drops of water when you notice the bran drying out and they will have a long shelf life, also, when they turn black they are still good, they will shed that skin, so you may find that some black worms are flat and only a shell, if you feel them still plump, they are nutritious. Giving them to a rescue is very generous of you............ it shows your heart........... but if you decide to keep them, the worms still have a long time of living and you can see if your baby gets over being a fussy eater.

Bugs and wishes to you and yours,

Sorry to hear your having such a problem with the Phoenix worms, beardies can really be picky, as I have experienced the same situations with my clan, but I wanted to let you know that PW's can be maintained for 4 months or more with only a few loss'. Keep them in a COOL PLACE, and add a few drops of water when you notice the bran drying out and they will have a long shelf life, also, when they turn black they are still good, they will shed that skin, so you may find that some black worms are flat and only a shell, if you feel them still plump, they are nutritious. Giving them to a rescue is very generous of you............ it shows your heart........... but if you decide to keep them, the worms still have a long time of living and you can see if your baby gets over being a fussy eater.

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Wow sorry it took so long to respond thank you so much for what you said!! I thought they only lasted about a month so that is good news!!!!! So it turns out that he was just about to shed, he shed his tail and I tried again!! He ate about five in one sitting . . . SUCCESS

So I will try agin when he is done shedding the rest of the body I guess this was his problem, geez they can be so picky!! :lol:

So its not a complete loss I have a feeling if I just keep trying everyday or every other day he will start to eat them as part of a regular diet!!! Thanks agin!!

I found a tub of phoenix worms in my son's "dragon" drawer. I'm guessing they are from July. They are still alive and kicking!!! I was shocked.

LOL thats hillarious!!!

yeah I ordered some in July too, and they are still alive. There was a few of the flys that have hatched though. eww weird. You just have to spray the bran stuff they are in when it gets a little dry, they last a very long time.