Butter and wax worms for a staple?

[smurfthebeardie]

1. Cricket (before gut loading)
1:12 calcium-phosphorus
21.3% protein
6.0% fat
3.2% fiber
70% water
Gut-load & dust to increase calcium

2. Wax Worms
1:7 calcium-phosphorus
15.5% protein
22.2% fat
7.7% fiber
62% water
High phosphorus, dust to increase calcium

These are the stats taken from Beautiful Dragons.
I can't help but notice that crickets have a ton of phosphorus. Waxworms don't have as much. By these stats waxworms don't look like too bad of a staple compared to crickets. I am posting this to ask for advice. Would waxies be ok if I dusted them with calcium (and maybe protein)?
They are high in fat, but how much is a good percentage exactly?

My local Petsmart started carrying waxworms yesterday. Their crix cost 10 cents a piece. Waxies are only 5 cents a piece.
Online crix are not economically correct for me yet. Smurf will not use them all before they are too big or die. Plus I have no space to keep them.

And I know I am going to be told roaches, but my parents are still against it.
Thanks for reading my argument with myself. Any advice is appreciated.

-Dave

 

[diamc]

Hi Dave, wax worms really aren't a good staple because they have a VERY high fat content. Beardies do love them but then they won't eat anything else. If you don't want to feed crickets and can't get any roaches, you could order some silkworms, hornworms or butters. If your beardie is at least 15" long, then you could get supers. It's a good idea to use more than one live feeder to keep them interested.

 

[smurfthebeardie]

So butters would be an ok staple?
Worms seem to have too much fat in general. and I'm sick of the smell of the crickets.

 

[diamc]

Here's some info about butters from Mulberry Farms.

Butterworms are approximately 1 " to 1 3/4" length like a catarpillar,
but are fatter and smooth to touch, like Waxworms.

**The Calcium content is twice that of any other feeder insect

Nutritional Information
Moisture 58.54
Ash 1.04
Protein 16.20
Fat 5.21
Calories/Fat 87.73
Calcium (ml/100 grs) 42.90**

Butters would be fine to use as a staple with another healthy feeder.

 

[smurfthebeardie]

Thanks for all your help.
One last question... Where can I get the cheapest butters? The best price I've found is 25 cents a piece, which unfortunately will mean the prolonged stay of the crickets.

 

[diamc]

http://www.mulberryfarms.com/horn2.htm
http://www.carolinapetsupply.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=60&products_id=161&zenid=af5f6edfb54fa2f9904642f11dcf3a8f
http://www.nyworms.com/butterworms.htm
http://www.premiumcrickets.com/Products/Butter-Worms-25__BUTTER25.aspx
http://www.recorpinc.com/pricing-live-pet-food.html
http://www.herpfood.com/nsilk.html
http://www.thebutterwormstore.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=60
http://www.bugorder.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=8&cat=Butterworms+
http://www.capitaldragons.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=17_26&zenid=9a9c80ec20f5844389eae7f612445aa0

I prefer Mulberry farms and they always send extras.