Breeding Superworms

[icelore]

He came to me eating exclusively supers he was weaned off them eventually, but they worked well in his diet at the time. Nutritionally, I couldn't find anything wrong with them except for the high fat content, and I don't have an issue with high fat foods as long as a healthy weight is maintained.

Clearly, as with all feeders, it's not so much the number fed that makes a difference, but the net weight, especially in proportion to other foods.

As with all things, opinions seem to run the gamut, especially on forums.

 

[KayaMcrackin]

He came to me eating exclusively supers he was weaned off them eventually, but they worked well in his diet at the time. Nutritionally, I couldn't find anything wrong with them except for the high fat content, and I don't have an issue with high fat foods as long as a healthy weight is maintained.

Clearly, as with all feeders, it's not so much the number fed that makes a difference, but the net weight, especially in proportion to other foods.

As with all things, opinions seem to run the gamut, especially on forums.

I totally agree with you.

 

[Claudiusx]

You do realize that the amount of supers you were/are feeding has an equal fat amount to over 3 pinkies combined?

You might not notice any ill effects right now, but diets high in fat in reptiles who cannot metabolize fat the same as warm blooded creatures can and usually does lead to some very severe consequences later in life.

The number does make a difference. Unless you were feeding baby superworms..

As with all things, opinions seem to run the gamut, especially on forums

This recommendation is not an opinion. However, what you just posted is opinion.

Feed your dragon what you like, but it's extremely irresponsible to recommend what you've been doing for 5 months to another just because in those 5 months you've seen no ill effects, when many on this forum (including myself) who have been doing this for over 10 years and have seen the effects this can cause, are suggesting the opposite of you.

-Brandon

 

[KayaMcrackin]

You do realize that the amount of supers you were/are feeding has an equal fat amount to over 3 pinkies combined?

You might not notice any ill effects right now, but diets high in fat in reptiles who cannot metabolize fat the same as warm blooded creatures can and usually does lead to some very severe consequences later in life.

The number does make a difference. Unless you were feeding baby superworms..

As with all things, opinions seem to run the gamut, especially on forums

This recommendation is not an opinion. However, what you just posted is opinion.

Feed your dragon what you like, but it's extremely irresponsible to recommend what you've been doing for 5 months to another just because in those 5 months you've seen no ill effects, when many on this forum (including myself) who have been doing this for over 10 years and have seen the effects this can cause, are suggesting the opposite of you.

-Brandon

wait so your trying to say me feeding my bearded dragon who is about 19 inches, superworms as a staple is a bad thing?

 

[Claudiusx]

That depends.

Is your 19 inch dragon an adult, or is your dragon still growing?

For an adult, superworms can be a staple as they don't need the high amounts of protein that growing dragons do. 5-6 superworms a day will more than fill their insect needs.

For a dragon still growing, they shouldn't be used as a staple because a growing dragon needs much more insects and protein. Thusly, if you were to try to give a growing dragon as much protein as it needs through only superworms, you would be introducing WAY too much fat into said dragons diet. Superworms can still be fed to a growing dragon over 16 inches long, but they should be limited, and shouldn't be the staple. Other insects should also be fed alongside the superworms.

-Brandon

 

[icelore]

The number does make a difference. Unless you were feeding baby superworms..

They were. He was a smaller dragon and that's what was available.

As with all things, opinions seem to run the gamut, especially on forums

This recommendation is not an opinion. However, what you just posted is opinion.

Feed your dragon what you like, but it's extremely irresponsible to recommend what you've been doing for 5 months to another just because in those 5 months you've seen no ill effects, when many on this forum (including myself) who have been doing this for over 10 years and have seen the effects this can cause, are suggesting the opposite of you.

I didn't make any recommendations, nor did I contradict the opinion you have about the amount that is acceptable to feed. I only said what I personally did, and stated that I didn't think you needed to limit them to 10. That part was my opinion: no, you don't need to limit them to 10. Responding with personal actions isn't in any way irresponsible - that's the point of forums - sharing experiences. By hey, that's just my "opinion" on forums.

Hope that clarifies things.

 

[Claudiusx]

It doesn't really clarify anything.

no, you don't need to limit them to 10.

Exactly why I made the comment I did.

Feed your dragon what you like, but it's extremely irresponsible to recommend what you've been doing for 5 months to another just because in those 5 months you've seen no ill effects, when many on this forum (including myself) who have been doing this for over 10 years and have seen the effects this can cause, are suggesting the opposite of you.

Responding with personal actions isn't in any way irresponsible

I disagree. There are numerous ways how it could be irresponsible. This thread being an example of it. You mentioning that you don't think they need to be limited because in your very limited experience, you have seen no problems. When people with actual long term experience, state otherwise.

-Brandon

 

[icelore]

You agreed that they didn't need to be limited to 10 yourself, yet that is the comment of mine that you are nitpicking? Ok then.

And though it is your personal opinion that responding with personal experiences is irresponsible, clearly I disagree. That's why I use forums, to read what other people do or think about a given subject. Your goals may vary, and that's fine. Regardless, you objected to me "giving recommendations" initially, and as I pointed out (which obviously did need clarification) I did not.

 

[Claudiusx]

I firstly was commenting to say they don't need to be limited to 10 a week, it's when you mentioned feeding 12-15 per day that I directed the rest of my statements towards you.

Lets not play games here. You can say all you want that you didn't give any recommendations. But clearly, you mentioning that you fed 10-15 per day is enough to suggest that this is ok.
You know why? Because you didn't follow it up with anything like, "but you shouldn't do this" or "I only did this for a little while though" Or even "but I don't really know if this is right or not"

That would be the responsible way to go about it. That, would be a decent way to "share your experiences".

-Brandon

 

[icelore]

I firstly was commenting to say they don't need to be limited to 10 a week, it's when you mentioned feeding 12-15 per day that I directed the rest of my statements towards you.

I had commented with my feeding habits before you offered your information about how many you felt were appropriate.

That, would be a decent way to "share your experiences".

I don't know what kind of superiority complex you have, but no one needs you telling them what way is "decent" or appropriate to share their experiences byway of what caveats should or should not be included. I'm all for respectful dialogue, but when you take it upon yourself to attempt to dictate how a person should communicate, you've strayed way off the subject at hand and into offensive, and vastly inappropriate, territory, so clearly this conversation is at an end.


Dragonkate - I hope your worms turn into beetles and start producing lots of yummy worms for you and your beardie soon!

 

[Claudiusx]

had commented with my feeding habits before you offered your information about how many you felt were appropriate.

I never said the contrary? The first part of my post was directed at that statement, then the rest was directed towards you.

YOU are the one who said you don't understand how sharing experience could be irresponsible. I was simply showing you how it can be. Must of struck a nerve or something. :dontknow:

Don't expect to be able to give out awful advice (even if you are just alluding to it) without getting some kind of call out on it. And yes, that is how it will be on any forum you go to, real life, or anywhere else.
Or should I replace the word advice with "sharing experience"?

When you put another dragons life in peril by making a less than scrupulous suggestion, you can guarantee I, or someone else, will be there to "contradict" as you so eloquently like to say. You can't be mad at anyone other than yourself.

-Brandon

 

[KayaMcrackin]

That depends.

Is your 19 inch dragon an adult, or is your dragon still growing?

For an adult, superworms can be a staple as they don't need the high amounts of protein that growing dragons do. 5-6 superworms a day will more than fill their insect needs.

For a dragon still growing, they shouldn't be used as a staple because a growing dragon needs much more insects and protein. Thusly, if you were to try to give a growing dragon as much protein as it needs through only superworms, you would be introducing WAY too much fat into said dragons diet. Superworms can still be fed to a growing dragon over 16 inches long, but they should be limited, and shouldn't be the staple. Other insects should also be fed alongside the superworms.

-Brandon

Hes still growing.
i didnt want this to turn into a big debate. everyone has their opinion and experience with what they do.
ive seen so many people on here and on youtube that fed supers to beardie for over 10 years and had no problems at all. im not saying either of you are wrong but that every beardie is different and people can only do what is best for their pets and as long they are healthy and growing there's no reason to get bent out of shape.
so far feeding my bearded dragon supers has been great for me but i will take what you said into consideration. a lot of other feeders are very expensive and hard to breed. the easiest ones are mealworms and supers. and we all know we CAN NOT feed mealworms to bearded dragons. but thank you.

 

[SuckerDad]

I feed Puff almost exclusively Supers because he just won't eat anything else. He used to eat Crickets, but he quit once Supers were introduced. He also used to eat pellets but that stopped also. Greens he will take small amounts of then stop. So he gets just Supers. I tried waxworms and he likes them but they are a pain trying to let them warm up so they will move each time. I have not had any other worms to try other than mealworms. He likes them fine but they are really no different than Supers. Of course I wouldn't dare suggest this is how you should raise your Dragon as that would be highly reprehensible. I am just pointing out my own personal experience with my Dragon. Heck the next time I go in and have a fecal test done, I'll have em check his cholesterol while they're at it. Just to make sure what I am doing isn't killing him.