I was curious what other options are there if you do not want to feed crickets or dubia roaches? Hornworms and silk worms seem difficult to keep and only good as a snack? BSFL are too small. This leaves us with mealworms and superworms which everyone says to stay away from.
I will NOT keep roaches in my house and I've tried keeping crickets and they are just as fowl. What to do, I signed up for reptile care not insect husbandry...
I was curious what other options are there if you do not want to feed crickets or dubia roaches? Hornworms and silk worms seem difficult to keep and only good as a snack? BSFL are too small. This leaves us with mealworms and superworms which everyone says to stay away from.
I will NOT keep roaches in my house and I've tried keeping crickets and they are just as fowl. What to do?
im honestly not sure but id really reconsider the dubia thing. they arent like a cockroach at all. they are tropical and wont breed like a cockroach in a normal condition so they cant infest ur house or anything. if you keep them in a plastic tub and feed in a seperate container they have very little chance of escaping. they live for a decent amount of time so they shouldnt die on you. they dont smell super great but its better than crickets. they are a very good feeder.
I was curious what other options are there if you do not want to feed crickets or dubia roaches? Hornworms and silk worms seem difficult to keep and only good as a snack? BSFL are too small. This leaves us with mealworms and superworms which everyone says to stay away from.
I will NOT keep roaches in my house and I've tried keeping crickets and they are just as fowl. What to do, I signed up for reptile care not insect husbandry...
How old is the dragon? Silk worms are spendy -- the best feeder that is more reasonable is the dubias - they are easy to keep versus the crickets -- they are escape artist and chirp and stink!! I wasnt a fan of the roaches at first but I tried them and they are better by far for a easier and cheaper feeder-- horn worms super worms and meal worms are all treat worms-- I dont know what else to recommend for you -- lets see if some others can recommend something that I dont know about
So what is it that is so bad about meal worms? I can scratch out impaction as I've fed mealworms for months at a time and had 0 issues. Is it the that they are fatty? Is the only reason they're "bad" is because there are "better options"? What if those better options are not options for me lol. Look, I'm going to feed my dragon a staple diet of mealworms i'll check back in with you guys in a year and show you a perfectly happy / healthy dragon lol.
So what is it that is so bad about meal worms? I can scratch out impaction as I've fed mealworms for months at a time and had 0 issues. Is it the that they are fatty? Is the only reason they're "bad" is because there are "better options"? What if those better options are not options for me lol. Look, I'm going to feed my dragon a staple diet of mealworms i'll check back in with you guys in a year and show you a perfectly happy / healthy dragon lol.
how old is your dragon? for an adult dragon i dont believe mealworms risk impaction and are probably ok we were just saying dubias are better. what else are you feeding your dragon? make sure to gutload your mealworms to make them more nutritional. you say you signed up for reptile care not insect husbandry but keeping insects is part of reptile care. purchasing an animal that requires live insects to live is signing up for insect care.
The difference is going to be the health of your dragon. Mealworms are, in essence, feeding nothing but McDonalds for the dragon's entire life as opposed to a good protein source and a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Just like humans, eating nothing but McDonalds will create health problems.
I will start off with full disclosure, I used to demonize them too. My thoughts have changed, based off my experiences. I no longer feel that mealworms deserve the reputation they have with some dragon owners. I believe they can very easily fit into a healthy varied diet for our dragons...