Feeding quesiton...

[zeppy123]

I've been doing some more research on feeding beardies and I've read that silkworms are the best food. I know you can get baby silkworms for baby beardies. Also, we found a local supplier that offers these feeders in bulk. Are silkwoms a good choice? Easy to care for? etc. I want to give little Xena the best life possible and not make any of the mistakes I made with Zeppy as a baby.

P.S. Her appetite picked up today and Mom and I need to run and get crickets tomorrow. She finished them off today. Originally we hadn't bought as many because she wasn't eating many.

 

[zeppy123]

I should have this question moved to feeding.

 

[techdave]

Yes, silks are very good for beardies. They have an enzyme in them that is very beneficial to their digestive system. Just make sure you follow the "space between the eyes" rule.

 

[Goonie]

[Moved from General to Feeding]

 

[Kaiser]

They're great staples, but they're relatively difficult to care for, I do believe. They die quickly if not properly cared for, will only eat mulberry leaves (or commercially available mulberry mashes), and are highly sensitive to contamination (I do believe you have to use gloves when handling them, and need to sterilize any equipment you use with them). So if you plan on keeping them in bulk for long periods of time, you may have to do a bit more research on how to care for them so that they can survive until they are fed off.

 

[zeppy123]

Thanks for letting me know that. I think I will stick with gut-loaded crickets.

 

[FBradshaw]

Black soldier fly larvae(Repti-worms or Phoenix Worms) can be kept refrigerated at around 50 to 60 degrees and survive for months. They are also a great staple food.

 

[Kaiser]

Thanks for letting me know that. I think I will stick with gut-loaded crickets.

You're welcome. But who knows, it may be easier than it actually sounds? Perhaps try a few every now and then, and see if they really are that difficult to handle. But yes, FBradshaw made a very good suggestion. If you're looking for something different, I too would recommend black soldier fly larvae (Reptiworms in particular, though I'm sure Phoenix Worms is good too) as staple. They're very convenient and very healthy.

 

[zeppy123]

The reason why I was looking for something different is I want them to be relatively easy for her to round up at her age. She is not that good of hunter yet. I want to make sure she gets all her needed nutrition and not to have me rounding up crickets that take off and hide under her rubber mat cage floor.

 

[FBradshaw]

These worms relatively stay put if you put them in a food dish. They do wiggle around so they keep their attention though.