Feeding superworm ?'s

[crocky]

I just commented in another thread and it made me remember something I have been wanting to ask.

I have a butt load of supers that I feed to my dragons as treats from time to time. They are all like 2 inches, some maybe a little less. I know with dragons they say tha it is not good to feed them these worms unless they a a certain size. Does this fall true for chams too. My guy is only 3 months old so I assume these would be way too big for him right now?

 

[sandrachameleon]

If they're no wider than the space between your chams eyes, and around twice the length of its head (or less), your cham can eat them. Sounds like your cham is still quite small, so probably would need smaller supers for now. But supers last a long time, so in 6 months time you probably can.

gutload first.

 

[Dave]

Yea, you should probably be sticking to the Baby (1/2") or Smalls (1"). At 3 months old, you must keep wary of feeding too large and too aggressive of feeders. Your lil guy is still very sensitive, and insects like superworms and hornworms have been known to pinch at eye's and other areas around the face.

If you want to vary things up, try Medium Phoenix Worms and Regular Butterworms. Oh and actually Silkworm Pods just came in, making me think that they would be the PERFECT size for you little guy. And as a treat, you could do Lesser Waxworms, although the full size Greater Waxworm may be too big.

Key is to keep it varied, know what your feeding your reptile (the nutritional stats), and know where and from who your insects come from. All critical components of attending to you reptiles diet.

-Dave
SPF
I hope this helps

-Dave
SPF

 

[absolutbill]

I remember in one of my bearded dragon books it said that for dragons you can't feed them supers until they are large enough because they have a turn in their intestines and the chitin can't make that turn for them to have it pass through their bodies. As the dragon grows, that turn straightens out and that's why older dragons can eat them. I don't know if chams have the same intestinal turn, however I'd never feed a 3 month old supers - I usually wait until about 6 months or so.

 

[crocky]

Thanks for the info on the superworms and chams. I like to err on the side of caution and will wait a little while. I have a ton of them so they should not be in short supply in the next couple of months

 

[sandrachameleon]

I remember in one of my bearded dragon books it said that for dragons you can't feed them supers until they are large enough because they have a turn in their intestines and the chitin can't make that turn for them to have it pass through their bodies. As the dragon grows, that turn straightens out and that's why older dragons can eat them. I don't know if chams have the same intestinal turn, however I'd never feed a 3 month old supers - I usually wait until about 6 months or so.

I have feed many baby chameleons appropriately sized superworms (as part of a varied diet) with no issues.

Also offered appropriately sized mealworms, and again no issues.

 

[Lathelia]

If they're no wider than the space between your chams eyes, and around twice the length of its head (or less), your cham can eat them. Sounds like your cham is still quite small, so probably would need smaller supers for now. But supers last a long time, so in 6 months time you probably can.

gutload first.

I read somewhere that rule doesn't apply to worms (space between eye thing) and that worms can be a bit bigger. Do you not recommend that?

 

[Olimpia]

Chameleons do not have a bend in their GI tract. It is like a straight tube the entire length, from mouth to vent. I don't believe other reptiles are different, but I have not opened up a beardie or seen one dissected, so I cannot say for certain. But at any rate, chameleons should be able to easily digest an appropriately sized superworm.

 

[pigglett79]

I read somewhere that rule doesn't apply to worms (space between eye thing) and that worms can be a bit bigger. Do you not recommend that?

That would apply to soft worms like silks and horns.

 

[pssh]

That would apply to soft worms like silks and horns.

Exactly, soft worms can be a little bigger than the general feeder "between the eyes" rule. However, always use a bit of common sense and dont let the worms be too much bigger with smaller chameleons, just in case. Some chameleons wont even bother to try and eat worms that are that big and just ignore them or get scared.

As for supers, I have used them just fine with 3 month olds that will eat them. They have to be the correct size though. Usually the same size as or smaller than a mealworms unless the baby is really big. I've seen some young chameleons try to take down a big superworm. When the super fought back, the chameleons usually gave up. But dont rely on them knowing if it's too big, as many wont, and they could get themselves into trouble.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I read somewhere that rule doesn't apply to worms (space between eye thing) and that worms can be a bit bigger. Do you not recommend that?

Soft bodied feeders can exceed this, but I tend to stick reasonably close with this general rule of thumb otherwise - especially for young chameleons

 

[Lathelia]

Thank you all for clearing that up. So just to be clear: an adult chameleon can eat supers bigger then space between eyes, right?

 

[Olimpia]

Thank you all for clearing that up. So just to be clear: an adult chameleon can eat supers bigger then space between eyes, right?

Yes. An adult chameleon, panther, veiled, etc., can eat a full grown super just fine. The eye rule only really applies to feeder width, not length. Supers are long but relatively thin.

 

[tkilgour]

Your lil guy is still very sensitive, and insects like superworms and hornworms have been known to pinch at eye's and other areas around the face.

The fear of superworms isn't that they will eat your chameleons eyes or eat out of the chameleons body. That is plain untrue and a myth. The biggest problem is choking your chameleon. In all the years of keeping and breeding chameleons, I have never had a chameleon be bitten by a super, silk, or hornworm.

Just be careful on the size. The general rule of thumb is no bigger than the gap between the eyes, as sandra mentioned. So play it safe. A choking fatality can happen very easily, if your cham gets too large of prey. If your cham is still small you will be safe feeding baby superworms, silkworms, etc. Superworms are easily gutloaded on veggies, cricket crack, and dinofuel too.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Thank you all for clearing that up. So just to be clear: an adult chameleon can eat supers bigger then space between eyes, right?

yes, but Full sized superworms are not usually wider than the space between an adult panther or veileds eyes nor much longer than double the length of a chameleon head. But adult chameleons can and will eat larger prey (for example, an adult dubia roach could be bigger than your chameleons head - but it gets chewed up well) though you should still not offer overly large prey. Some chameleons done chew well, and some will take prey that is too large, whereas others know their limits. Even large hornworms, which are soft and squish easily, if too large can potentially cause choking or prolapse