Phoenix Worms Question

[Thor the chameleon]

So i ordered phoenix worms and they came in this dirt like stuff, should i clean them off before feeding them to my chameleon?

 

[pgr7]

I usually do,just rinse or blow on them.

 

[Lazereth]

So i ordered phoenix worms and they came in this dirt like stuff, should i clean them off before feeding them to my chameleon?

Just brush it off and prick it with a needle before feeding it to your Chameleon.

 

[Thor the chameleon]

Just brush it off and prick it with a needle before feeding it to your Chameleon.

Just once?

 

[Lazereth]

Just once?

Yup

 

[Thor the chameleon]

Yup

How many of these can i feed him?

 

[Lazereth]

Me personally, I normally do just 2 or 3... I use them more as a treat.

 

[Thor the chameleon]

Me personally, I normally do just 2 or 3... I use them more as a treat.

So they wouldn't be able to be his main food?

 

[Lazereth]

So they wouldn't be able to be his main food?

I would still mix it up with crickets and others, chameleons can get bored of the same food everyday...

 

[JaniP]

My boys eat a LOT of phoenix worms. I went and bought a little tiny strainer (the ones that you use to keep food going down the sink) and I dump a spoonfull in and sift the dirt off that way. If the medium is moist and not coming off then I run that under warm water, which makes the worms super active (and they are able to climb when wet, so careful) and makes the boys even more interested in them.

Curious for a poster above, why do you prick them with a needle?

 

[kiwilulu]

So that the gastric juice can penetrate and they get fully digested
By the way I only do that with the harder worms but not with the phoenix, and I have never seen an undigested phoenix in my chams poop... Though it will not hurt at all

 

[JaniP]

So that the gastric juice can penetrate and they get fully digested
By the way I only do that with the harder worms but not with the phoenix, and I have never seen an undigested phoenix in my chams poop... Though it will not hurt at all

Huh, interesting. I've never heard that before but that makes sense! I don't feed harder worms but if I do I'll for sure do that.


Phoenix are so squishy or chewy already ^_^

 

[ChamDE86]

Undigested phoenix worms occur more frequently with adult chams, although my guy has been eating them for over a year now with no issues. Some chams do not do a good job chewing the worm to puncture the skin, which is why keepers will jab them with a pin. With that being said, I feed my guy about 8-10 worms in one feeding about twice a week. They are a great high in calcium feeder.