can you feed mealworms?
- Thread starter kirmit
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sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
You may be able to get very small superworms. Or even better small silkworms or small butterworms. Any of these are a superior choice to mealworms.
That said, You can easily raise mealworms in a substrate of bran and oats, with pieces of carrot, apple, dandelion and such placed on top as the moisture source and gutload.
You do not want to feed many mealworms to your chameleon. One a week would probably be okay. Choose to feed off the softest, freshly molted ones (white in colour) whenever possible, as these are easier for the chameleon to digest.
That said, You can easily raise mealworms in a substrate of bran and oats, with pieces of carrot, apple, dandelion and such placed on top as the moisture source and gutload.
You do not want to feed many mealworms to your chameleon. One a week would probably be okay. Choose to feed off the softest, freshly molted ones (white in colour) whenever possible, as these are easier for the chameleon to digest.
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Mealworms are nutritionally deficient. Even gutloaded, they offer very little in the way of nutrients to the chameleon. Most of what the mealworm provides is fat, and hard to digest chinton (the skin). Too many of these and the chameleon might become unhealthy, risk impaction.
I personally do offer gutloaded mealworms on a limited basis. But feel they do not make a good frequent feeder.
I personally do offer gutloaded mealworms on a limited basis. But feel they do not make a good frequent feeder.
jadeaudio
New Member
I stopped feeding my chams mealworms after reading on this forum, but what I don't understand is how the outer shell is any different from a superworm. Superworms look the same, but bigger. And they sound hard when my cham crunches on them. I do like them though. I put them on the screen and they crawl up and my cham snatches them up.
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Dont feel bad. Im sure you've done no lasting harm. Just switch to small crickets, small supers, small silkies etc.
Info on raising superworms:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/can-i-breed-my-19747/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/bocajan/45-super-worm-breeding.html
http://www.howtobreedsuperworms.com/
Info on raising superworms:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/can-i-breed-my-19747/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/bocajan/45-super-worm-breeding.html
http://www.howtobreedsuperworms.com/
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Superworms are thicker bodied. More "meat" to them compared to the amount of skin. I personally wouldnt use superworms every day either.
Some chinton is necessary to the chameleon digestion, or so is my understanding. So a few supers or mealworms and other crunchy things is good. Just not too many
HairyScaryMark
New Member
Mealworms don't seem to eat much from what i've seen, even the giant ones (although I was convinced otherwise the day I got them).... They need to pupate and turn into beatles before they can reproduce also and probably wouldn't be worth the bother as they aren't a good staple.
I put mine in oatmeal but most people suggest wheat bran. I don't have any what bran but I had oatmeal in my house so I used that but should get some wheat bran sometime. I also put some pieces of carrot in with them but this has to be removed after a few days or else it goes mouldy. Still my first experience of them. My chameleon hasn't eaten any of these for about a week, despite me offering. Seems to lose his appetite completely when shedding the skin on his head.
I put mine in oatmeal but most people suggest wheat bran. I don't have any what bran but I had oatmeal in my house so I used that but should get some wheat bran sometime. I also put some pieces of carrot in with them but this has to be removed after a few days or else it goes mouldy. Still my first experience of them. My chameleon hasn't eaten any of these for about a week, despite me offering. Seems to lose his appetite completely when shedding the skin on his head.
Syn
Avid Member
Correct, but make sure you still gutload them properly before feeding them off.
xanthoman
Avid Member
meal worms are easy to raise and i have stated doing it myself thanks to this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c82fInUdLJ8
superworms arent much different to raise except that they need to be kept seperate http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz0znjVUfFc just for the record neither one make good staples, but they are both relatively easy to raise
HairyScaryMark
New Member
Nearly all the larvi/worms are high in fat so can't be given so often.
The food available is a bit different depending on where you live.
You're best to provide a bit more variety as a lot of chameleons refuse to eat crickets after a while (my one did and i've heard of others doing so). Locusts or Grasshoppers seem to be a good bet. Cockroaches and Stick Insects can also provide greater variety.
I accept with information:Mealworms are nutritionally deficient. Even gutloaded, they offer very little in the way of nutrients to the chameleon. Most of what the mealworm provides is fat, and hard to digest chinton.
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