I will start off with full disclosure, I used to demonize them too. My thoughts have changed, based off my experiences.
I no longer feel that mealworms deserve the reputation they have with some dragon owners. I believe they can very easily fit into a healthy varied diet for our dragons. Variety is key IMO, and mealworms are able to help owners reach that goal.
I've fed my dragons mealworms for about 15 years now, and it's all been in the shadows because of the stigma behind them. I have a feeling there are a lot more owners who feel this same way.
I will list the most common reasons I feel they have been demonized, and then I will discuss my opinion on those points.
1. They have a hard outer shell (chitin) which is hard to digest and can cause impactions.
Yes, they do have an outershell which is harder than soft bodied worms. But this doesn't necessarily make them a bad option. I've never once had a dragon suffer an impaction from mealworms. I've never once had a dragon suffer from an impaction period! The leading causes of impaction are not food related imo. They are related to husbandry - mainly improper temperatures. Does that mean that a dragon can eat anything it wants and it be as big as it can fit in it's mouth? No, but lets have some common sense here. If you're feeding pinkies and humongous food items, mealworms are the least of your worries.
If your husbandry is proper, your dragon will have absolutely no issue eating and passing mealworms.
2. They have a high fat content
Yes, they do. But, fat is a vital nutrient. Just like it is with humans (lets not debate that though..)
Fat content alone is not a reason to avoid a feeder. Yes, there are feeders with lower fat content, but fat is not bad! EXCESSIVE FAT is bad. EXCESSIVE PROTEIN is bad! They both can lead to health issues. So many people have gotten on this train of thought that you should only feed high protein insects with low fat such as dubias, that they believe if it has high fat, it's bad. Truth be told, we see more health issues related to high protein intake, than we do with high fat intake such as fatty liver disease.
Don't get me wrong, I think Dubias are a great feeder insect, but why most people think they are great (high protein low fat) is misguided I believe. Like I said, High protein diets cause seemingly more health issues than varied healthy diets.
3. They lack nutrients
This one is false. Just false. I don't know where this one came from but if they are raised on a good diet, they will be full of nutrients for your dragons just like any other insect.
4.But there are better options out there!
In what sense? I think most people would consider fish to be a healthier option than a big steak. Does that mean you shouldn't ever eat steak because fish exist? Don't eat that bread because blueberries exist? No, thats silly. There will always be something "better" but that doesn't mean it's the only thing you eat. And that doesn't mean you should only offer your dragon the "better" feeder. There are lots of feeders that can contribute to a healthy diet. Mealworms are one of those contributing feeders.
So in conclusion, yes, I feed mealworms and have been for years. But, I use them as a means to provide a varied diet. Just like I use crickets to do that, and silkworms, and hornworms, and dubias. They all provide value to your dragon.
-Brandon
I no longer feel that mealworms deserve the reputation they have with some dragon owners. I believe they can very easily fit into a healthy varied diet for our dragons. Variety is key IMO, and mealworms are able to help owners reach that goal.
I've fed my dragons mealworms for about 15 years now, and it's all been in the shadows because of the stigma behind them. I have a feeling there are a lot more owners who feel this same way.
I will list the most common reasons I feel they have been demonized, and then I will discuss my opinion on those points.
1. They have a hard outer shell (chitin) which is hard to digest and can cause impactions.
Yes, they do have an outershell which is harder than soft bodied worms. But this doesn't necessarily make them a bad option. I've never once had a dragon suffer an impaction from mealworms. I've never once had a dragon suffer from an impaction period! The leading causes of impaction are not food related imo. They are related to husbandry - mainly improper temperatures. Does that mean that a dragon can eat anything it wants and it be as big as it can fit in it's mouth? No, but lets have some common sense here. If you're feeding pinkies and humongous food items, mealworms are the least of your worries.
If your husbandry is proper, your dragon will have absolutely no issue eating and passing mealworms.
2. They have a high fat content
Yes, they do. But, fat is a vital nutrient. Just like it is with humans (lets not debate that though..)
Fat content alone is not a reason to avoid a feeder. Yes, there are feeders with lower fat content, but fat is not bad! EXCESSIVE FAT is bad. EXCESSIVE PROTEIN is bad! They both can lead to health issues. So many people have gotten on this train of thought that you should only feed high protein insects with low fat such as dubias, that they believe if it has high fat, it's bad. Truth be told, we see more health issues related to high protein intake, than we do with high fat intake such as fatty liver disease.
Don't get me wrong, I think Dubias are a great feeder insect, but why most people think they are great (high protein low fat) is misguided I believe. Like I said, High protein diets cause seemingly more health issues than varied healthy diets.
3. They lack nutrients
This one is false. Just false. I don't know where this one came from but if they are raised on a good diet, they will be full of nutrients for your dragons just like any other insect.
4.But there are better options out there!
In what sense? I think most people would consider fish to be a healthier option than a big steak. Does that mean you shouldn't ever eat steak because fish exist? Don't eat that bread because blueberries exist? No, thats silly. There will always be something "better" but that doesn't mean it's the only thing you eat. And that doesn't mean you should only offer your dragon the "better" feeder. There are lots of feeders that can contribute to a healthy diet. Mealworms are one of those contributing feeders.
So in conclusion, yes, I feed mealworms and have been for years. But, I use them as a means to provide a varied diet. Just like I use crickets to do that, and silkworms, and hornworms, and dubias. They all provide value to your dragon.
-Brandon