How did your baby dragon like ReptiWorms?

[Gentlemommy]

I'm considering switching to these from crickets. Or at least supplementing. My baby is eating so many crickets, and as I buy them from the store vs online in bulk, it's costing me a fortune!!! The ReptiWorms seem like a perfect feeder...the require no maintenance from me, are good nutrition, no noise, smell, and cheaper than crickets. So what's the catch? :wink: Are they really as amazing as the website promises?
I am not interested in breeding anything, and roaches are not a consideration at.all. :silent:

 

[aepstein]

I've actually been wondering the same for my little guy.
Although for different reasons; Gonna try to put them in salads to trick him into tasting it...

Several people I know use them, however. And say they're very nutritious; some don't even dust in calcium because they're so good...I'm skeptical of buying them myself, as my baby only seems interested in hopping/hunting crickets...but if you find they work, definitely share your results!

I wanna say they're pretty cheap too, but you have to order online..

 

[Gentlemommy]

Yeah, I'd be ok ordering a couple hundred worms online, as they seem to be no maintenance and they don't smell or escape. I can not handle having 500 crickets in my house though, hence the frequent trips to the store. I know, I know, I'm a big baby. I have this whole complicated system with the crickets so that I don't touch them and there is no chance of them escaping in the house as it is lol. The thought of reaching into a bin of hundreds of crickets gives me panic attacks. :shock: Howver, a bag of forty crickets cost me $6.50, and last two days. So per week I'm looking at spending about $23-$25. That's insane. I'm not sure how many ReptiWorms my little guy would eat (any help on that? He's about six inches long currently) and what size I'd order. I looked at the small size, and for 300 it's $10. If that would last us 2 weeks, it would help considerably.

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. You can order the large. Phoenix/repti worms are small. No need to dust as they are a great source of calcium. Mine love them, but I don't buy very often as 3 dragons can go th them very fast.

 

[aepstein]

Yeah, I'd be ok ordering a couple hundred worms online, as they seem to be no maintenance and they don't smell or escape. I can not handle having 500 crickets in my house though, hence the frequent trips to the store. I know, I know, I'm a big baby. I have this whole complicated system with the crickets so that I don't touch them and there is no chance of them escaping in the house as it is lol. The thought of reaching into a bin of hundreds of crickets gives me panic attacks. :shock: Howver, a bag of forty crickets cost me $6.50, and last two days. So per week I'm looking at spending about $23-$25. That's insane. I'm not sure how many ReptiWorms my little guy would eat (any help on that? He's about six inches long currently) and what size I'd order. I looked at the small size, and for 300 it's $10. If that would last us 2 weeks, it would help considerably.

I completely understand. My baby eats nearly 60 a day... Have you considered a critter keeper? They make them for feeding crickets- it's basically a pen with dark tubing. Crickets climb up tubes, you take the tube out, and tap them into your beardies tank.

I agree it's expensive to feed the little guys. I'd go ahead and order the worms, but maybe supplement occasional crickets as well. It's always good to have variety for your little guy.

I plan on buying worms for my salads, as an enticing motivator to eat greens. Haha

 

[Gentlemommy]

Hi. You can order the large. Phoenix/repti worms are small. No need to dust as they are a great source of calcium. Mine love them, but I don't buy very often as 3 dragons can go th them very fast.

Thanks for the information! I think I'll order 100 large ones to start and if he likes them, go to mostly reptiworms with cricket treats...maybe 5 or so a day? How many reptiworms would you recommend ped day? He gets feed bugs twice a day, and always has fresh fruit/veggies/greens available. We bin feed the bugs.

 

[aepstein]

Well if he's still a baby he needs plenty of protein. So offer him bugs 2-3x a day for 10-15 minutes at a time. I would say feed him what s/he will eat in that time frame.

It's super important that he's well fed, especially at this age. Keep offering the greens as well I usually gut load my crickets with my salad mixtures (mostly because my dragon doesn't eat greens quite yet) to make sure he gets lots of nutrients:

And as another user mentioned, you shouldn't have to dust the worms, as they are full of good stuff for your little one.

 

[Taterbug]

One of the good things about cricket or roaches is that you can gut load them with good healthy food and make them even better. Variety is also important so I agree with the others that worms and crickets (and even other feeders) is better than one exclusive feeder.

I would still keep dusting them on the vitamin regemen if not calcium on some of them. It's a big jump from adequate calcium ratio to nutritionally complete. Feeder insects are typically deficient in some things and in the case of soldier fly larvae you can't try to counter that with a good gutload.

 

[Gentlemommy]

I have both the calcium and the vitamin powders...so it's no big deal to dust them, and actually would be preferable to me to make sure he is getting everything he needs. If it's not possible to overdose, I'll continue to dust them....I may as well use it up! Is one worm=one small cricket as far as amount he needs? I am not sure how many I should consider getting...shipping is the same regardless of how many I order so it seems silly to pay the $6 shipping weekly if I can just order a months supply...but I don't want them dying or turning into flys on me. I will continue to get some crickets, as he really seems to enjoy them.

 

[Taterbug]

They don't stay grubs for too long, especially the large ones. I think a couple weeks, tops? You can chill them in a wine cooler or DIY cooler to slow them down (not in a fridge).

It might be worth getting a smaller order first to make sure you little one likes them.