can a juvi beardie eat earthworms

[BEARDIE144]

i was wondering can beardies eat earth worms cause a pets store has them and i was thinking to by them but i gotta make sure beardies can eat them :?:

 

[augsburg1530]

The problem with earthworms is the parasites. Worms are full of parasites and your dragon stands a high risk of getting problem parasites from eating earthworms. I personally wouldn't do it.

Eric

 

[PuffPuff11]

What is weird about this is that my vet said I could dig up earthworms from outside and give them to my beardie.
I have heard many people saying not to feed anything wild caught and I understand why, diseases, parasites, insecticides.. but if they were wild... they would be catching wild insects...
When Puff is outside over the summer I saw him eat a few wasps and he is fine, I would think a wasp would be worse than a earthworm.

I guess the answer is yes beardies can eat earthworms but there are better feeders you can buy.

P.S. I dug up few earthworms one day because I ran out of worms!

 

[sammyjackson]

I have heard of cases of beardies dying because of eating wild insects with pesticides , so if I am not sure is going to be good I dont give it to my beardie. I care too much to risk her health. In the wild they eat whatever they find but they also have a very short life span than in captivity and this is probably one of the reasons.

 

[BEARDIE144]

guys there not wild caught there night crawlers they sell them at a pet store can i feed my beardie those ?

 

[BEARDIE144]

sorry i sounded mean

 

[patrickb]

What is weird about this is that my vet said I could dig up earthworms from outside and give them to my beardie.

You should find a new vet. That is just horrible advice.

I wouldn't be as worried about the pesticide problem as I would the parasite problem. Earthworms are potentially loaded with parasites that could be passed onto your pet, even the nightcrawlers you buy at a bait shop.

 

[BEARDIE144]

thanks dude means alot
:mrgreen:

 

[Poisoned1]

I have heard many people saying not to feed anything wild caught and I understand why, diseases, parasites, insecticides.. but if they were wild... they would be catching wild insects...

Also please remember beardies would be in the outback where in the wild there is no pesticide. Also remember in the wild it's survival of the fittest they will eat whatever they can find. A beardie's life expectancy in the wild is if i remember about 2-3 years as opposed to being well cared for in the home and living over 8 years.

 

[Grixxly15]

An other reason not to feed earthworms besides pesticides and parasites is the fact that they have like what was it 86% moisture or something? Been a while since i checked but I think it is 86%. They will cause extreamly runny poo in bearded dragons if feed often. You always have the risk of dehydration with runny poo's.

 

[Paradon]

Actually, nightcrawlers are way more nutritious than crickets and roaches. I don't see the problem in feeding them those unless the worms were raised under rabbits cages so they eat rabbits' poo. Then you'd got to worry about parasites because they would be too much bad microbes. In anything they eat, even crickets, roaches, greens and veggies, they can get parasites and it can bloom out of control if they are stress out, but if you keep your beardies correctly you should have any problem with parasites too often, but that's no guarantee. That's why it's important to do fecal test once or twice a year to see if there are any parasite problem.

 

[Grixxly15]

Actually crickets and roaches are more nutritious then an earthworm.