butter worms & pinkies

[Shawn Raquel]

Okay.. I think k2 had an allergic reaction to a Butterworm, right after eating one eight or ten of his scales on his face turned black for two days then faded, anyways I don't want to feed them to him again. I have like thirty big fat juicy beautiful redish worms i don't know what to do with...

Now pinkies... Who feeds these, I almost bought one today but got a little sick thinking about it.. what do you guys think?

 

[jannb]

I feed butter worms without any problems but each chameleon is different and you guy could be allergic to them. I wouldn't feed the red worm unless you post pictures here and make sure it's a safe feeder. I would never feed a pinky and most here do not recommend it. Here's what my chameleon vet has to say about it.

From Dr. Ivan Alfonso's blog.
http://www.ivanalfonso.com/2011/06/vertebrate-prey-for-chameleons-good-or-bad/

 

[Shawn Raquel]

That was a very helpful link, thank you! I'm glad, I really didn't want to feed them! The butter worms are yellow & red, some of them all red, you don't think they are safe?

 

[jannb]

That was a very helpful link, thank you! I'm glad, I really didn't want to feed them! The butter worms are yellow & red, some of them all red, you don't think they are safe?

I thought you has different red worms. If they are butter worms they are safe but if you think he had a reaction to them before then I wouldn't risk it again.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

A few people have reported a similar reaction to butterworms. Many people use many butterworms without ever seeing a reaction, but if your guy is more sensitive then I'd avoid them because it could happen again. And as Jann has already covered, you really shouldn't use pinkies regularly and I don't think there's a need for them at all personally.

 

[SSimsswiSS]

I use butterworms as a treat, with no problems. But others have had their chameleons skin become bleached from the liquid butterworms secrete.

 

[Olimpia]

Yea, butterworms seem to be safe 99% of the time, but every so often someone reports a reaction like this on their chameleon. It's never a life-threatening issue, but they do get the large black rash on their skin that eventually goes away. Possibly some kind of allergy.

 

[Saldarya]

On the topic of Butter worms, I have one Cham that does have the allergic reaction ONLY to the red ones. No issues at all with the yellowish ones. None of them bother the other chams.

You might want to try to feed yours the yellow ones, not the red ones, and see the results.

Bobby

 

[SSimsswiSS]

This brings up another feeder topic. I would feed extra large silkworms that are close to making the change into cacoon. They have a sticky silk juice inside, and I've heard reports of mantis basically being super glued. So can't be all the healthy inside a chams gut.

 

[Shawn Raquel]

Thank you guys for all the replies! I may try a mostly yellow one and see what happens since it is only rash that faded in two days, and not life threatening and its only happened once and hes eaten about forty over the last year, plus he really likes them as a treat and I read they are packed with calcium!

I'm very glad that it isn't natural nor necessary to feed pinkies, as the idea makes my tummy flip a bit, but I am interested in expanding my guys diet. He eats and is healthy even eats veggies but doesn't seem very excited like he used to be. If I bring out a wax worm he's on it but its like he could care less about roaches crickets and meal worms anymore.. ideas?

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Silkworms and hornworms are big favorites of my chams! Phoenix worms are another option, although some chams don't like them. Superworms can be added as a treat rather than a staple. And right now the getting is good for wild bugs! Grasshoppers, stickbugs, mantises, katydids and moths are good additions if they're from a pesticide-free area.

 

[Shawn Raquel]

This brings up another feeder topic. I would feed extra large silkworms that are close to making the change into cacoon. They have a sticky silk juice inside, and I've heard reports of mantis basically being super glued. So can't be all the healthy inside a chams gut.

that sounds horrible! how do you know your worms are okay to feed?

 

[Shawn Raquel]

Silkworms and hornworms are big favorites of my chams! Phoenix worms are another option, although some chams don't like them. Superworms can be added as a treat rather than a staple. And right now the getting is good for wild bugs! Grasshoppers, stickbugs, mantises, katydids and moths are good additions if they're from a pesticide-free area.

Thank you! Where do you order your worms from? I last got mine from Big Apple as it was my first time ordering but I would like a better suggestion!

 

[Shawn Raquel]

On the topic of Butter worms, I have one Cham that does have the allergic reaction ONLY to the red ones. No issues at all with the yellowish ones. None of them bother the other chams.

You might want to try to feed yours the yellow ones, not the red ones, and see the results.

Bobby

Tried feeding a yellow one.. No reaction!

 

[Tanner Grisak]

Order your silks and horn worms from coastal silk worms, they have great quality product and don't sit on orders! The are a site sponcer and have adds on the home page.

 

[VigilantSpearIII]

Buy a Ball Python to feed those pinkies to. I don't agree with feeding a chameleon live meat. Im curious about the allergic reaction though.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Thank you! Where do you order your worms from? I last got mine from Big Apple as it was my first time ordering but I would like a better suggestion!

I order silk worm eggs from Coastal and hatch them. They are easy to take care of.