Mealworms?

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So I have been trying multiple different feeders for my beardie Sunny and none of them have worked out. I mainly did crickets but they smell and die so fast no matter what I do. I tried getting them in bulk, getting them from different places, different keepers, different foods, and they still die! I made a plan to try and breed/buy dubias, but quickly realized that is not an option because they are illegal in my state :(. I tried other types of roaches but it got expensive (as did crickets) because they were harder to find and breed. I didn't know what do do because Sunny seems underweight and he needs more live food. So... I kind of made a rational decision and bought 2,000 mealworms. I looked it up and there was mixed information so I wasn't sure what to do. I plan on feeding him these (they are small and still have soft outer-skeletons) along with greens and other staple veggies. I just wanted to make sure that this will not cause harm to him, (I probably should've done this before buying 2,000 insects)! I know they are high in fat and protein, but as he is kind of skinny I think that is what he needs. I wont be feeding him these daily anyways because he is almost two years old and I am trying (and failing) to get him to eat way more veggies. Please help I love him so much and don't want to make him sick.
 

Claudiusx

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At 2 years old your dragon is an adult, and won't be needing insects as often anymore. I feed my adults insects 3 times a week, and a daily salad. Mealworms won't be any risk to an adult. Sure, they aren't the best option, but the danger of impaction isn't really there if your husbandry is proper. IMO, it's not really there for juvies either with proper husbandry.

Another cheap option you could do is superworms. They live forever basically as long as you keep them fed.

No crickets, no dubia... that really limits your options for cheap feeders.

-Brandon
 

Claudiusx

BD.org Sicko
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it will provide the fats and protein. His main nutrition should be from healthy salads at this age.

-Brandon
 

Drache613

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Hello,

I tend to agree. Mealworms aren't really necessarily bad, unless of course, that is all they are
fed, without any other feeders or greens, etc. They are alright & along with superworms &
salads he should be fine.
Have you considered silkworms or hornworms, or even calcium/phoenix worms?

Good luck,
Tracie
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
In addition to the feeders suggested above , locusts might be available as feeder insects commercially locally.

Google is your friend in locating local feeder insect farmers / online sellers if there are zero options in local pet shops.

I know some people in NZ who had to resort to using Repashi GrubPie to be their staple insect protein source.
 

FrankTheBeardie223

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Drache613":3vye5fo3 said:
Hello,

I tend to agree. Mealworms aren't really necessarily bad, unless of course, that is all they are
fed, without any other feeders or greens, etc. They are alright & along with superworms &
salads he should be fine.
Have you considered silkworms or hornworms, or even calcium/phoenix worms?

Good luck,
Tracie

Hello! Thank you for the suggestions. The silk and hornworms were a little too pricey for my taste unless I just fed them very occasionally for a treat. I fed my previous beardie phoenix worms and my reptile vet said that although they are high in calcium, they lack other nutrition benefits, but I can always give them another shot as long as i give him other foods to make up for it. Thank you so much!
 

Claudiusx

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
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Drache613":1taa946m said:
Have you considered silkworms or hornworms, or even calcium/phoenix worms?

Good luck,
Tracie

All are quite expensive, but one thing you might want to look into which ends up being a bit cheaper than buying them live, is buying silkworm eggs and raising them. This is only a bit cheaper though if you are successful. I'm in the process right now of trying for the second time to hatch silk eggs. My first try failed, but it was of my own fault lol.

Silkworms are my all time favorite feeder, followed closely by butterworms. Too bad all the good stuff is as expensive as it is.

-Brandon
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
FrankTheBeardie223":15wu4hqs said:
Drache613":15wu4hqs said:
Hello,

I tend to agree. Mealworms aren't really necessarily bad, unless of course, that is all they are
fed, without any other feeders or greens, etc. They are alright & along with superworms &
salads he should be fine.
Have you considered silkworms or hornworms, or even calcium/phoenix worms?

Good luck,
Tracie

Hello! Thank you for the suggestions. The silk and hornworms were a little too pricey for my taste unless I just fed them very occasionally for a treat. I fed my previous beardie phoenix worms and my reptile vet said that although they are high in calcium, they lack other nutrition benefits, but I can always give them another shot as long as i give him other foods to make up for it. Thank you so much!

Well, do what I and most keepers here do.
Buy maybe 20 silkworms and keep them as starter breeding stock , let them mature , pupate and become moths, each female moth can lay up to 400 eggs.
Then set aside some eggs to hatch and become a new generation of silkworms and place the rest in little airtight glass sample bottle or ziplock bags and make them go dormnant by chilling a door shelf in the refrigerator (about 7-10 degC) until you need to hatch more.
or
Buy some silkworm eggs and hatch them (very much cheaper than buying silkworm lavae) then do the above.
or
breed your own silkworms always making sure some of the worms are allowed to go full lifecycle..

In about a month or 6 weeks after hatching the worms will be getting to about 3/4 inches long and getting about the right size for a hatchling to eat,

If you have access to a mulberry tree , you can farm your silkworms in a few tubs (small 600ml food tub for eggs to hatch and very small silkworms, 4 L tub for larger worms and you will get your silkworms very cheaply.
If you have to buy silkworm chow , it's not cheap but a 250g bag goes a long way if you make up chow in 30g - 40g batches.

Silkworms are not available commercially in winter. But silkworm eggs are available year round.
 
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