How do your chams like hornworms?

[Sammag]

Im lookin to buy a cham and before I do I want a nice supply of steady and free feeders. I have several (13) geckos and the excess can go there. Ive decided to go with hornworms due to their size and seemingly ezier care than silkies. SO my question is, How do most of ur chams like hornworms? I know it varies from animal to animal but Im looking for a general answer.

Thanks

 

[Symbiot]

My 4 month old veiled loves them. He has yet to turn any I have offered him down. They get quite large, so depending on how big your cham is be careful that they don't get too big. They grow extremely quick and only have a 4-5 week old lifespan before they pupate.

 

[ghettomike]

My female veiled loves them almost as much as she likes flying insects. She will never turn one down, now silkies on the other hand she will not even look at anymore.

 

[gegeland]

Mine love them.
But as it was said above, they grow quickly and get too large for younger chams.

 

[stokelyw]

my Chams love them as soon as you put them in they are gone plus they are good for them as well

 

[pssh]

My panther loves them, my veiled will eat one a month and won't eat anymore after the first one.

 

[steelheadchaser]

My panther, Feldman, was crazy about them at first.

After he had them mixed in for a few days with his other feeders he started turning his nose up at them. He literally would walk over them in his cage without so much as a glance.

 

[hun73r]

My cham will take them or leave them but they grow REALLY fast as has been stated. Plus you state you are looking for a FREE supply of feeders and hornworm are not that by any means. They take a long time to turn to moths and then you are not guaranteed any fertile eggs and you have to feed them special food.

Free feeders after initial investment would be dubia roaches or crickets if you breed them. They eat fruits and veggies that you have have on hand and the roaches are espically easy to get going into a large colony. I bet I have over 1000 now starting with only 50 back in May of this year.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Ive never had a panther chameleon turn one down, ever. But I only offer them as treats, so the "unusual" factor probably plays a fairly significant role.

 

[Keiness]

My melleri seemed a little stunned getting fed little crickets and supers, then suddenly a huge full grown hornworm, an actual decent size for them. They totally ignored silkworms, but after awhile took the hornworms. Though when they bit down it squirted out like a foot of juice Also, take note the bigger the worm, the stronger they are. The buggers manged to push off the top of the deli container and escape all over my room. Lesson learned. If only they weren't so expensive, they go for a $1 a worm in petstores here, if you dont have the right connections.

 

[KShook]

All my guys love them! 1.1 Panthers...1.0 Veiled

 

[Sammag]

Thanks for the replies guys. Good to hear they are popular with the chams! I shall use them

 

[Mr Gahn]

you can gutload hornworms pretty effectively too. They eat up anything I give them within 24 hours!

 

[Silkyslim]

you can gutload hornworms pretty effectively too. They eat up anything I give them within 24 hours!

I read somewhere that hornworms will only eat a certain type of "chow." I know very little about these guys but I just ordered some to feed my guy in the near future. Could it be that whomever posted what I read had these worms mixed up with Silkworms? If they will eat anything then I am set.

 

[AReptile]

If you get them from mulberry farms they come in a cup with the chow already, and if you do not plan on breeding them you are set right there. Just wait till they are the appropriate size for your cham and drop em in.

 

[andy27012]

Hornworm

I always thought they were just tomato worms? My grandma use to pick something that looks just like them off her tomato plants every summer, if thats the case then they will eat a fresh supply of tomatoes.

 

[summoner12]

I always thought they were just tomato worms? My grandma use to pick something that looks just like them off her tomato plants every summer, if thats the case then they will eat a fresh supply of tomatoes.

They are tomato worms.

My chams like them. My melleri seem to like them the most.

 

[pssh]

Do not use wild caught hornworms!! The tomatoe plant they eat is toxic and gutloading them doesn't get rid of it! Only captive hatched wormies that have been raised on chow!

 

[jessica]

I like mine sauteed in butter but all of my chameleons like them straight up JK

Like Sandra I only offer hornworms as a treat, I found if I feed too many some of my chameleons have loose BMs'.

Dubias are super easy to breed and make a good staple.

 

[summoner12]

Do not use wild caught hornworms!! The tomatoe plant they eat is toxic and gutloading them doesn't get rid of it! Only captive hatched wormies that have been raised on chow!

I am not saying it is OK to feed WC horn worms.... but.... I have met long time chameleon keeper who said that they have raised and fed off HWs that were eating tomato plants.... I am not saying to do it, but someone did and didn't have issue