Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

jak2108 · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 9:43 pm Post subject: which worms?

I want to feed my beardie a range of insects. so ive been feeding brown and black med (1/2") crix ive been trying to get small locusts from my local petstore but the supplier always sends med or large. I looked at the med but they were a little big.
Does the same apply with locusts where they cant be bigger than the size between the eyes. Cos the med ones were about 1" long bodies.

Ive also read that you can feed wax worms or mealworms but i cant remember which ones are hard for a young beardie to digest Confused

Anyone?
which insects are ok to feed on a regular basis cos i was thinking of feeding a couple of say four different types or is this a bad idea?
I just thought a variety would be better with regards to nutrition.
Any advice is appreciated.
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Chance favours the prepared mind!

Mememe · Site Moderator Joined: 23 Dec 2005 Posts: 2141

Okay, right,
www.livefoods.co.uk can sell you some small locusts, and they don't have to be quite as small as crix, as they have a less thick exoskeleton, but still try to keep them small.
Waxworms are fine as long as long as they are used in moderation, they are very fatty, and reptiles can get addicted.
Mealworms are hard to digest, but you can try them if you want.

Smile

El Garch · Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 11:07 pm Post subject:

Zyon usually munches on med crickets but today I decided to get some locust aswell. They're labelled are large but he seems to be able to handle them with ease. So today he's eaten 20 odd crickets and around 4-5 locusts. Smile

Scott W · Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 4:50 pm Post subject:

yep variety is good.

You can use locust and crickets as much as you like, waxworms are good if you can buy them in their food NOT in woodshavings (these are worthless as a food source), if you can get them they are great but careful not to allow your lizard to get fat on them.

Mealworms have a bad reputation overall but this is based of myth and not facts. You can feed gut loaded mealworms often certainly a few times a week (in fact if you lizards are well fed, you can leave a bowl of mealworms in the viv, they will eat when they are hungry) Just keep an eye out that your animals don't get fat....cut back a little on food if they do.

You can also have fun with flying insects, hatch a few flies out and let your dragons catch them...these offer nothing in food value but do add to the interest for your dragons and keeps them fit!

Any of the above foods can be regurgitated but this is normally only done if the viv is too cold or the animals 'pig' down too much too fast...lots of smaller feeds over the day is better than a twice daily feed. Although I must confess to feeding my own beardeds once per day with insects but they always have access to a bowl of giant mealworms.
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Please DO NOT pm orders for reptiles, send email instead scott@captivebred.co.uk

jak2108 · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 12:16 pm Post subject:

Right, Ive managed to get locusts which are small enough and he absolutely loves them!!! Should i feed the locusts the same as the crix. I feed the crix dry dog biscuits and pieces of carrot and apple.
Also, ive had some small wax worms. I put a couple of w.w in dusted with calcium and he dived at them. He grabbed one and then spat it out!!! I dont know if it was the calcium powder on it that made him spit it out. Now if i offer him one, he backs away as if hes scared of it. Any ideas?

Scott, the ones they sent were in shavings so im only offering one or two. Is there any food i can feed the worms on or do you have to buy them in their food.

P.S Thanks for the link to livefood. Its superb, loads of selection, all sizes available and delivered the next day.Thanks
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Chance favours the prepared mind!

Scott W · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 12:34 pm Post subject:

yep, probably the calcium powder makes him spit it out.

The food for waxworms is a honey and wholemeal flour mix with yeast and glycerin added, not really worth mixing up for just 1 tub of waxworms.
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Please DO NOT pm orders for reptiles, send email instead scott@captivebred.co.uk

Mememe · Site Moderator Joined: 23 Dec 2005 Posts: 2141

You feed locusts on plant matter, so grass etc. is what you gutload them on. If you can, keep the locusts somewhere warm, they will last longer, and they get most of their moisture from the leaves...
Livefood is a good company, and are the best that I have tried.
Smile

jak2108 · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 10:05 pm Post subject:

He tried another wax worm today which didnt have as much calcium on it, he chewed it a bit then spat it out. Do you think he just doesnt like them?
_________________
Chance favours the prepared mind!

jak2108 · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 10:05 pm Post subject:

He tried another wax worm today which didnt have as much calcium on it, he chewed it a bit then spat it out. Do you think he just doesnt like them?
_________________
Chance favours the prepared mind!

jak2108 · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 10:07 pm Post subject:

He tried another wax worm today which didnt have as much calcium on it, he chewed it a bit then spat it out. Do you think he just doesnt like them?
_________________
Chance favours the prepared mind!