Opinions on Feeders please! :)

[Jenniferr]

Hello!
I have been looking into buying a bearded dragon for getting on for over a year now. It will be my first ever reptile, after spending some time at a veterinary clinic and meeting a lovely bearded dragon I instantly fell in love.
Finally now I feel that I am in a position to have my first bearded dragon, it may sound like I'm being over cautious but I just don't want to commit to something I cant give my 100%
Anyway, after lengthy reasearch there is only 1 thing I still don't understand, I have been told that this website is great for anything bearded dragon related, so here I am ?
I am looking to adopt a 9month old bearded dragon, who I am going to meet on Sunday ???

1) what is the best way to store things like worms and roaches?! I would hate to wake up to a house infested with insects because I didn't ask how to keep them ?

2) I have heard that worms (not mealworms I know) can be a great staple for people who are a little unsure on insects. Now I know a lot of people say 'if you can't handle what they need to eat then don't have one' I am not in anyway saying I Won't feed him roaches, I will if that is what is necessary, but I am just curious as to wether a 9 month old bearded dragon would be fine on worms. I'm sure you must understand that for someone who has never owned a reptile before the thought of having live insects like roaches living in my house is a little creepy, though I don't at all have a problem with worms, if roaches are completely necessary I will have to grit my teeth and get used to it but I am just wondering ??
Thankyou for any responses,
Jennifer

 

[kingofnobbys]

Hello!
I have been looking into buying a bearded dragon for getting on for over a year now. It will be my first ever reptile, after spending some time at a veterinary clinic and meeting a lovely bearded dragon I instantly fell in love.
Finally now I feel that I am in a position to have my first bearded dragon, it may sound like I'm being over cautious but I just don't want to commit to something I cant give my 100%
Anyway, after lengthy reasearch there is only 1 thing I still don't understand, I have been told that this website is great for anything bearded dragon related, so here I am ?
I am looking to adopt a 9month old bearded dragon, who I am going to meet on Sunday ??? <<<< Welcome the fraternity (of lizards' slaves), but they are very sweet , kind, gentle and affectionate masters and mistresses !!!

Ask the current owner what the current feeding schedule is, and what and how much ?
Also ask what the lighting schedule was ? I recommend about 16 hrs per day (lights and heat on).

1) what is the best way to store things like worms and roaches?! I would hate to wake up to a house infested with insects because I didn't ask how to keep them ? <<< depends on the kind of worm, >>>mealworms and superworms are easy - maybe 100 - 200 in a 4L plastic tub with wheatbran and oatbran as bedding/food + some chunks or carrot..
>>>silkworms are bit more time consuming and labor intensive to keep healthy (BUT WORTH IT, as very nutritious as a feeder).
>>> BSF maggots (never had them, but I understand they are really easy to care for)
>>> crickets are relatively easy care for and a very good staple feeder insect when gutloaded with calcium rich greens , pellets and carrot and when dusted with calcium powder... they are not going to bread and infest the house when you loose some , and only the adult males churp.
>>> roaches - we use woodroaches ( Nauphoeta cinerea ) here in Australia - these will not breed up to infestation levels inside a house , can't comment on the species of roaches used in your country if outside Australia.

2) I have heard that worms (not mealworms I know) can be a great staple for people who are a little unsure on insects. Now I know a lot of people say 'if you can't handle what they need to eat then don't have one' I am not in anyway saying I Won't feed him roaches, I will if that is what is necessary, but I am just curious as to wether a 9 month old bearded dragon would be fine on worms. <<<< sorry but , please no mealworms for your 9 month old except as very occasional treats....
and no superworms until he's maybe 16 months old.

Silkworms are probably your perfect worm to use for 9 month old, he'll love them, and will guzzle them down and can easily cope with medium (2 inch long) silkworms, 4 - 6 of these are going a be a big live insect meal for him, he''ll likely only eat 3 to 4 medium silkworms.

I'm sure you must understand that for someone who has never owned a reptile before the thought of having live insects like roaches living in my house is a little creepy, though I don't at all have a problem with worms, if roaches are completely necessary I will have to grit my teeth and get used to it but I am just wondering ??
Thankyou for any responses,
Jennifer

 

[7hunder68]

Personally I would go with dubia roaches. They don't climb smooth surfaces, they are easy to take care for, and easy to breed. But, if you're squeamish with roaches then superworms are another good option.

 

[Jenniferr]

No super worms? I've never heard that before? I can get SilkWorms online but my local pet shop doesn't seem to stock them. Only Super, mealworms (which I don't plan on going for except as rare treats) and something called Morio worms (Which I hadn't heard of before) and Wax worms, what are your opinions on those? Though I can get a much bigger range of feeders online

 

[kingofnobbys]

No super worms? I've never heard that before? I can get SilkWorms online but my local pet shop doesn't seem to stock them. Only Super, mealworms (which I don't plan on going for except as rare treats) and something called Morio worms <<< morio worms are superworms (Which I hadn't heard of before) and Wax worms, what are your opinions on those? Though I can get a much bigger range of feeders online

Zophobas morio is a species of darkling beetle, whose larvae are known by the common name superworm or zophobas. Superworms are common in the reptile pet industry, not to be confused with giant mealworms, which are Tenebrio molitor larvae sprayed with juvenile hormone.

Morio worms aka superworms are not suitable unless beardie is over 12months old and then only as treats.

Can't get wax worms here (Australia) , but they are very addictive to beardies who get them and have poor nutritional content. Best used ONLY as treats/bribes.

My young beardies Peppa and Toothless were not introduced to super worms until they were 1 yr old.
It was crickets and silkworms before then as their feeder insects.
Only each of them 2 supers at most twice a week (and Peppa LOVES them !!! , Toothless not so sure about them - I think he's a bit scared of them as he''ll only eat a super if I hold it in my fingers) , all other times it's crickets as the feeder insects ( last time they had silkworms was back in late October 2016, not had an silkworms since but would be giving supers as one of their staple feeder insects had I had silkworms on hand.).