Baby spits out his reptiworms?

[Dooter]

I just ordered some reptiworms for Stanley - I was excited because these seem like a good alternative to crickets. But he doesn't seem to like them.

He won't eat them out of his dish, but if I try to hand-feed them to him, he'll take a bite - then spit them out. :roll:

I've been working on trying to convince him to eat them for about a day now, but I might have to cave and buy more crickets if he doesn't start eating soon - ugh. :?

Anyone have any tips on getting him to eat them?

 

[Evergreen]

What are the chances! I just got my first order of reptiworms yesterday and my boy was hesitant with them at first too. I had fed him wax worms in the past though and being a similar size and shape it was probably easier for him to accept them then if he'd only had crickets.

As for what you can do I'd just make sure they are easily available to him and I wouldn't think he'd keep up his picky food act after a couple days. Or maybe buy a few crickets and hand feed those and the worms every other with tongs? Don't know if that would trick him into it but if no one else has any ideas I guess its worth a shot!

Good Luck!

 

[Dooter]

Yeah, part of me wants to call his bluff and let him really try them - I think he's mad about the calcium +d3 powder, honestly, because he got a bit of an attitude about it being on the crickets too. Well, he's not going to get out of taking his vitamins! Little turd!

 

[Evergreen]

I didn't think you had to dust the reptiworms...?

 

[Dooter]

I didn't think you had to dust the reptiworms...?

Well, its either that or his greens, and generally the babies eat prey before they'll eat their greens, so it kinda makes more sense to dust the prey.

At any rate, I'm now sure that its just the worms he hates. I just tried offering him an undusted worm, and the same thing: as soon as he gets it in his mouth – PATOOIE - he spits it out. I guess he just genuinely hates them. At least he's trying, lol - I'll give the little booger credit there!

Off to get more crickets tomorrow... :roll:

Maybe I'll try dubia roaches with him next week.

 

[Evergreen]

Oh, I just thought I had read somewhere that the reptiworms were naturally high in calcium so the supplemented power wasn't necessary for them like it is when feeding roaches or crickets...

Anyways that's a bummer he wont eat them. Do you have any other animals you could fed them to? Hopefully you didn't buy the big 500+ cup! It is pretty cute that he keeps trying them, like he knows you want him to eat them but once he tastes them he decides its not worth it, just like getting a little kid to eat their veges

Dubia are great though. While I was feeding the worms a dubia escapee from the day before ran out of its hiding spot and Felix lost complete interest in the worms and proceed to stare at the crack the roach disappeared in for at least an hour. Silly boys!

 

[Dooter]

Oh, I haven't heard that about Reptiworms! That would make them an even MORE perfect feeder! Too bad it doesn't look like they're going to work out with Stanley. I bought the 300 count - and I don't have any other animals that would eat them. I think the dog would be displeased with them as well, lol! :lol:

He IS a sweetie for keeping trying them!

That is hilarious about your guy stalking the rogue Dubia! I used to have a big, old male Beardie that OBSESSED over superworms - he even knew the container I kept them in, and if he could even see that from across the room, he'd start flipping out and head-bobbing and racing around his enclosure until he got some!

 

[bunnyrut]

don't dust the reptiworms.

they are the black soldier fly larvae are the only ones that don't need to be dusted.

 

[PhillyBeardie83]

No, reptiworms (sometimes known as Phoenix worms) do not need to be dusted. If you simply dust the greens as usual your beardie should be fine. They really are an ideal feeder because they are high in nutrients and low in chitin. If your little guy doesn't like the non-dusted reptiworms, you can try putting a few reptiworms on top of the greens at feeding time. Also know that not every dragon will like every feeder offered. Keep trying a variety of bugs until you find something he/she likes. Good luck!

 

[Dooter]

Thanks!

Yeah, I keep trying with the Reptiworms, and he is just not having any of it. He'll attack them, and then very deliberately spit them out and walk away. :lol:

I've got some small-sized dubias on the way (which USPS has lost track of, imagine that :roll: ) so I plan to try those with him (whenever USPS decides to find the package...), and alternate with crickets (seriously, I really hate crickets. They jump everywhere, they die easily, they stink, they hide in the dragon's enclosure, etc... they are a PITA. ) Oooooh, but Stanley just WUVS him some crickets! Figures!