Superworm myth or truth?

[Syn]

This gal from PetSmart told me that you need to cut the heads off superworms because it is possible if the reptile eating the superworm doesn't chew well it will eat it's way out of the animal's intestine.. is this myth or fact? I just bought some and - yuck! If I have to cut the heads off these guys I'm not too sure I'll want to be getting them ever again.

Also if this is myth I'm sure she'll be glad to hear that you don't have to cut the little guy's heads off. She told me they squirt.

Cheers! Be back in a few by the way, laundry, also yuck.

 

[Lizardlover]

ive NEVER done that, yeah they can bite your cham if they go down wrong, but that is absurd! so what im saying is no, that is a myth

 

[SoCaliSon]

This is known as a total myth. Stomach Acids will do any job that chewing did not.

 

[Syn]

Thank you guys for clearing that up.
They do look like they have a nasty jaw
- but the thing is -
it was a first hand experience for a customer the girl said..

Well, if my chameleon goes all Alien vs. Predator on me I know who to blame.

 

[Dunnigan]

Did she specify what animal this happened too? 'cause this just sounds silly

Well, if my chameleon goes all Alien vs. Predator on me I know who to blame.

 

[Syn]

I was told it was a cham. (They are nursing a cham back to health from some form of arthritis in the back, but they are doing a good job of it.)

 

[SoCaliSon]

- but the thing is -
it was a first hand experience for a customer the girl said..

Well, if my chameleon goes all Alien vs. Predator on me I know who to blame.

Really don't worry about it. They can bite, and it will give you a little shock if your not expecting it, but you don't have to worry about one chewing its way out of your cham, it won't happen.

Anyone could have told her that, and she regurged it at you... If this were a Vet, that would be one thing, but people at pet stores like to try to act like they have a lot more info than they actually do sometimes, This is why pet stores are horrible places to get info on husbandry...Cause most of the time if they don't have an answer for you, you won't here an "I don't know...that is a great question, let me find out for you..." they will just blow wind whether it is good info or not...I don't know why they do this. The private shop I worked in before, that specialized mostly in Exotic fish and very few reptiles, had a policy...If you were asked a question that you did not have an answer too, you found someone who knew so the customer could get the correct info. That made the job a GREAT learning experience. Recently I have heard some real doosies thrown at me by shop employees while browsing and looking at reptiles. I rarely let on my experience just to see what is said. I have gone to the management at my local store to complain about employees offering bunk husbandry advise, I don't like it.

Sorry to rant a bit...

~Joe

 

[dodolah]

a myth.
anybody can say "one of my customer told me that etc etc etc.."

 

[Corruptedmuffin]

Really don't worry about it. They can bite, and it will give you a little shock if your not expecting it, but you don't have to worry about one chewing its way out of your cham, it won't happen.

Anyone could have told her that, and she regurged it at you... If this were a Vet, that would be one thing, but people at pet stores like to try to act like they have a lot more info than they actually do sometimes, This is why pet stores are horrible places to get info on husbandry...Cause most of the time if they don't have an answer for you, you won't here an "I don't know...that is a great question, let me find out for you..." they will just blow wind whether it is good info or not...I don't know why they do this.

I can answer why people at pet stores do this. I work at petsmart and they do have a policy that if you don't know the answer there are many books there that you can find the answer. I often times do pick up these books and read through them if a customer asks me a question I don't know (especially ones about birds). Often times though I get royally chewed out by the customer because they think that I am stupid for needing to look in a book. Looking at my co-workers though I would have to agree with you that pet stores are poor places to get info from. Sorry I had to go on a quick customers are rude rant.

 

[alhickabee]

My cham learned to shoot for the head every time after the first few. Especially after one did the death whirlwind!!! My gecko on the other hand, I have clip the face of meaner supers since Virgil always grabs the middle of the worm. Once one did a whirlwind on him, bit his face and caused Virgil to drop it since them I just usually clip em.

Edit: what I mean by clip is I take an old pair of nail clippers and clip the middle front pinchers.

 

[Syn]

Good idea for "clippers" Will do this for safety just in case. Thanks!

 

[desultadox]

Well I've seen chameleons poop out whole, undigested worms before, so I'm not sure how effective the stomach acids always are. This particular superworm myth stems from a story about a superworm eating its way out of a lizard's body (I think it was a chameleon in the story). But apparently there was no indication of whether that killed the chameleon or if it was dead before, etc. etc. Ultimately it was much ado about nothing. The biggest danger is the worm biting the chameleon, but that's a risk with all live feeders, though superworms are better-equipped than most bugs. Chameleons generally chew more than most reptiles, so the worm usually doesn't survive long enough to cause any serious damage. I guess if you wanted to be padded-walls-insane-asylum safe you could clip the mandibles off, but I never have.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I've never had a superworm bite me or a chameleon or "come out whole" and I have never clipped the superworms or done anything else to help them get eaten. Certainly No harm in taking percautions though, especially if it is a large worm and a young chameleon that doesnt chew well.

 

[Syn]

Alright I will be clipping the JAWWWWS off.

 

[Lizardlover]

Well I've seen chameleons poop out whole, undigested worms before, so I'm not sure how effective the stomach acids always are. This particular superworm myth stems from a story about a superworm eating its way out of a lizard's body (I think it was a chameleon in the story). But apparently there was no indication of whether that killed the chameleon or if it was dead before, etc. etc. Ultimately it was much ado about nothing. The biggest danger is the worm biting the chameleon, but that's a risk with all live feeders, though superworms are better-equipped than most bugs. Chameleons generally chew more than most reptiles, so the worm usually doesn't survive long enough to cause any serious damage. I guess if you wanted to be padded-walls-insane-asylum safe you could clip the mandibles off, but I never have.

I think that the worm your thinking of are phoenix worms, they can come out whole because they are hard to digest

 

[Eric Adrignola]

Here's a firsthand account of this: I had a lizard, a flatrock lizard. Found him dead one day with a superworm boring out of him. Only it was boaring INTO him. He died during the night, and superworms, being carnivorous, do what they do.

The myth is so old, it predates superworms (in herpetoculture). Old TFH books from the 60's mention mealworms doing the same thing.

 

[Syn]

Ouch.. wow that's upsetting, I'm sorry.

 

[desultadox]

I think that the worm your thinking of are phoenix worms, they can come out whole because they are hard to digest

I've never fed phoenix worms, I saw this happen with waxworms. But you're right, apparently that's a common occurrence with phoenix worms.

 

[sandrachameleon]

If you feed off the superworms that have recently molted (white and soft), they will be even easier on the digestion and have less fight in them.

 

[MEPOKEU]

You all say myth..

I saw one eat out of my anole when i was a kid.
The anole lost a leg and survived.