Loose Superworms

[BenjiTheCham]

So, I figured I'd share a kinda funny experience I had today..

In the process of trying to feed my new cham. I lost a few superworms in my bioactive substrate. I think in the end it was around 5. I couldn't really do anything because by the time I went to pick them up, they were already half burrowed in the dirt, and I was trying to be slow so I didn't scare my cham at all. I didn't think much of it. Then a little bit ago, at about midnight, I woke up to hear some weird scratching sound in my tank.. I grabbed my phone to use the flashlight, I figured it was just Benji doing something, but he should be asleep. But no. He is sound asleep in his usual sleeping spot. Now I'm kinda freaked out, right, the noise is still going on. And then I see it. There is 3 superworms climbing up the foam background that came with my enclosure. It was kinda funny, and then a couple start to bury into it. They just found cracks where I had wedged some branches in. I did my best to try to get them out but one made its way into the foam and the other one buried itself back into the substrate,

In all seriousness, does anyone know why a superworm might do this? I figured they'd just stay in the substrate and eventually pupate, or is it too wet for them? I'm sure they'll pupate in the foam though

 

[Thehippie]

I have 0 clue why they might do this but if you put food out for em it might lure them out so u can catch them!!! I had this happen to me when I had an old hornworm container and apparently there was a buried and pupated worm, it emerged one day somewhere around 2 am.. woke me up and I spent over an hour trying to find out which drawer in what corner of my room it was coming from...

 

[BenjiTheCham]

I have 0 clue why they might do this but if you put food out for em it might lure them out so u can catch them!!! I had this happen to me when I had an old hornworm container and apparently there was a buried and pupated worm, it emerged one day somewhere around 2 am.. woke me up and I spent over an hour trying to find out which drawer in what corner of my room it was coming from...

That’s funny lol. I’m not too worried, they’ll just turn into beetles, except they might be a bit too big for him too eat. They won’t bite him, will they? I guess I’m just worrying more now. Minus the one that buried itself in the foam, I’m guessing the rest will get eaten. I thought I saw him eating one today, but I wasn’t sure if it was a superworm or a isopod.

 

[Thehippie]

That’s funny lol. I’m not too worried, they’ll just turn into beetles, except they might be a bit too big for him too eat. They won’t bite him, will they? I guess I’m just worrying more now. Minus the one that buried itself in the foam, I’m guessing the rest will get eaten. I thought I saw him eating one today, but I wasn’t sure if it was a superworm or a isopod.

chameleons in my experience don't tend to prefer beetles but in time I'm sure they'll get eaten or die off and the beetles bite just as bad as the worms do lol

 

[SourGrape4u]

The beetle will actually be smaller than the superworm form, the cham will eat it and love it!

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

In all seriousness, does anyone know why a superworm might do this?

Sorta...

From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zophobas_morio
As waste disposal agents
In 2016, it was discovered by a group of high school students in Ateneo de Manila University that Zophobas morio larvae [superworms] may be used in waste disposal as the larvae were found to consume expanded polystyrene foam. The research study compared the larger Zophobas morio larvae to the Tenebrio molitor larvae [mealworms], which were previously used in a Stanford study tackling polystyrene degradation.[2][3] The former study found that in equal bulk-weight categories, the Zophobas morio larvae may consume greater amounts of polystyrene for longer periods of time.

They'll also eat through polypropylene. I stored some in a used BSFL container, and they ate their way out. Didn't figure on gut loading with microplastics, but there ya are...

 

[BenjiTheCham]

The beetle will actually be smaller than the superworm form, the cham will eat it and love it!

Oh that’s good to know. All the pictures I saw made them look big

 

[BenjiTheCham]

Sorta...


They'll also eat through polypropylene. I stored some in a used BSFL container, and they ate their way out. Didn't figure on gut loading with microplastics, but there ya are...
View attachment 269967

That’s funny. I had no idea they’d do that

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Me either!

I've got them in a much larger container now, and only filled up partway with oatmeal so they can't get to the lid. They keep trying though! Persistent little buggers...

 

[jamest0o0]

The beetles are pretty big, but an adult chameleon can eat them. They will bore into anything they can, foam backgrounds, cork bark, etc. Yes they can bite, but usually only when disturbed or starving, I've had them live in my enclosures without issue.

 

[BenjiTheCham]

The beetles are pretty big, but an adult chameleon can eat them. They will bore into anything they can, foam backgrounds, cork bark, etc. Yes they can bite, but usually only when disturbed or starving, I've had them live in my enclosures without issue.

Okay, good to know. If I find any I’ll probably just take them out

 

[BenjiTheCham]

This morning I found another one hanging from the screen. He’ll be eaten soon

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Num-num-num-num-num!

 

[JacksJill]

Supers try to find places to be alone to pupate because their friends are cannibals and they are vulnerable when they pupate.

 

[BenjiTheCham]

Supers try to find places to be alone to pupate because their friends are cannibals and they are vulnerable when they pupate.

That makes sense

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Supers try to find places to be alone to pupate because their friends are cannibals and they are vulnerable when they pupate.

That makes sense

Wait... WHAT‽ Which part?
With cannibals for "friends", who needs enemies‽

 

[GoodKarma19]

Supers are awful with foam backgrounds! I had one bore into some dense styrofoam (very similar to the ExoTerra foam) after dropping it while hand feeding and it made the most infuriating munch munch munch sounds for a solid week! And of course, the enclosure was several feet away from my bed, and the little bugger was hard at work all night.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Supers are awful with foam backgrounds! I had one bore into some dense styrofoam (very similar to the ExoTerra foam) after dropping it while hand feeding and it made the most infuriating munch munch munch sounds for a solid week! And of course, the enclosure was several feet away from my bed, and the little bugger was hard at work all night.

I can think of one worse (cuz we hear it every few years)—yellow jackets chewing through drywall on their way to busting into the inside of your house.

 

[GoodKarma19]

I can think of one worse (cuz we hear it every few years)—yellow jackets chewing through drywall on their way to busting into the inside of your house.

That's horrifying. Nope! ?

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Well... it can keep you up nights, cuz they don't stop to sleep, etc. I imagine it's similar to the supers chewing on the styrofoam, cuz that's what reminded me of them, but...