Dermestid beetle larve as food/treat

[barnfamily06]

Hi, I am a new cham owner and was curious about supplementing "Nuances" food source. First off let me explain...my husband is a European taxidermist and he has millions of dermestid beetles. We were wondering if the beetle larve would be a good source of food for our cham. Any info would be appreciated.

 

[AngieL]

It's safe to eat but depends on what the larva have been eating. They're used as a clean up crew (sure you already know this because that's what hubby will be using them for) so mostly they eat poop and dead carcasses. If the larva have feasted on fresh fruit and veg for a few days I can't see the problem but under no circumstances should they be fed off if they've been eating dead animals or insects.

 

[pssh]

Yeah, I wouldnt use them if they have been feeding/raised on dead animals and insects. Too much animal protein in a chameleon's diet can cause gout. I dont know if they will feed on fruits and veggies, but if you can raise a small colony on them then they could be used as feeders. One or two (that eat dead insects) every once in a while might be okay, but I wouldnt use them as a regular feeder.

 

[dlegare]

Once in a while is probably ok. I wouldn't feed the larva due to the hairs. I don't know if they are irritants or not. And since they feed on dead flesh they may harbor harmful bacteria.

 

[DavidBuchan]

Hello, welcome to the forum I fed a few which lived with the crickets to my chams when they were young. Just as an 'enrichment feeder' - I wouldn't give more than 1 or 2 a week. What species of cham do you have? And how old?

 

[barnfamily06]

Hi and thank you. I have a veiled cham and if I remember correctly he is only 4 weeks old.