Can chams eat Redworms?
- Thread starter chamlover
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Aquaseafoam
New Member
I have read that chams WILL eat them. Now, how often they should, i dont know. here is the nutritional info I found on a fish forum...
Crude Protein-62.2%
Crude Fat-17.7%
Calcium-1.72
the thing with earthworms is, they are filled with dirt so you would probably want to squeeze them before feeding to get the dirt out, or you can put them in a container without dirt for a day or two before feeding.
You know what I would do? Make a vermipost bin for your food scraps and then feed out of it occasionally. You can find lots of info on how to make your own bin with rubbermaid containers on google.
Crude Protein-62.2%
Crude Fat-17.7%
Calcium-1.72
the thing with earthworms is, they are filled with dirt so you would probably want to squeeze them before feeding to get the dirt out, or you can put them in a container without dirt for a day or two before feeding.
You know what I would do? Make a vermipost bin for your food scraps and then feed out of it occasionally. You can find lots of info on how to make your own bin with rubbermaid containers on google.
Echoezra
Established Member
Just bumping this up for opinions, cause I was wondering thus myself so I did a search. Anybody else feed their chameleons redworms from their vermicomposting bins? I have one, been going strong for 3 years, so I know exactly what they've been eating. (also made great compost for replanting new chameleon plants, lol)
Anybody's chams eat red wigglers?
Anybody's chams eat red wigglers?
Wow was that a bump... Earthworms carry a lot of parasites and I don't think they really have much in they way of nutrition so I believe it's generally not recommended. I'm sure they would eat them, but I don't think it's terribly good for them. Better to stick to hornworms, silkworms, butterworms, and supers. 
They can pick them up from anything you put into that bin (like the dirt you use) or may have them already from wherever you got them from. It's possible they won't have anything to be concerned about, but I don't think there's much nutritional benefit regardless.
Although I give earthworms to my box turtles all the time, so maybe it wouldn't be that bad for chams... I'll see if I can find any more info on them...
Although I give earthworms to my box turtles all the time, so maybe it wouldn't be that bad for chams... I'll see if I can find any more info on them...
Oh I didn't see you already had an established worm bin. From what I can find it is overall not recommended. My thoughts are that turtles are more resistant to parasites they may carry because that is what they would normally eat in the wild since they dig up stuff like that all the time (which is why I use them). But chams are not on the ground or digging up worms so they would not have been exposed to those types of worms in nature and may be more susceptible. And again, I don't think they have much nutritional benefit. I mean they eat dirt...
Even though you have an established worm farm it is possible that your original worms or dirt had parasites, which are now just as established as your wormies are having continuous hosts to live off of! So I still don't think you can rule them out completely as a possibility.
I doubt it would be truly harmful to do it occasionally but if it were me doing that I would do routine fecals every 6 months or so to make sure they don't get anything from them. Play it safe. Jmo.
Even though you have an established worm farm it is possible that your original worms or dirt had parasites, which are now just as established as your wormies are having continuous hosts to live off of! So I still don't think you can rule them out completely as a possibility.
I doubt it would be truly harmful to do it occasionally but if it were me doing that I would do routine fecals every 6 months or so to make sure they don't get anything from them. Play it safe. Jmo.
Echoezra
Established Member
Okay, well I just know the rule of thumb is variety is best, so I figured this was a source I could always access, in various sizes and that I knew the bugs history and diet. I figure that's more than I could say about moe of the pet store bugs we all feed. Lol.
They originally came from the personal bin of an organic food delivery service, so I imagine then that they fed on organic veggie scraps then. Since then they've reproduced lots, as it's been almost 4 years I guess since I started the bin. I originally just used newspaper shreddings for bedding, but lately I've been adding coconut coir also.
I suppose it's possible that the veggie scraps could have stuff, but same could be said of veggies we gutload with too?
They originally came from the personal bin of an organic food delivery service, so I imagine then that they fed on organic veggie scraps then. Since then they've reproduced lots, as it's been almost 4 years I guess since I started the bin. I originally just used newspaper shreddings for bedding, but lately I've been adding coconut coir also.
I suppose it's possible that the veggie scraps could have stuff, but same could be said of veggies we gutload with too?
True, but veggies will have eggs on them at most, which may or may not be able to hatch and infect a cricket, whereas the worms are like minimotels that allow those eggs to hatch, thrive and then fully formed parasites in the worms are eaten by the cham and can thrive in a cham much more readily. Worms are very good at harboring parasites. Parasites have weird life cycles and sometimes need an intermediate host like a worm or snail to be able to infect larger, more advanced hosts. And organic means healthier/safer imo, but also easier for bugs to colonize since there aren't pesticides used...like I said, you can do it if you're aware of the risks and use fecals to monitor the situation. Then at least you'll recognize a problem early hopefully. That's my two cents anyway, fwiw.
Pretty neat that you've had a successful bin for that long!
Pretty neat that you've had a successful bin for that long!
Echoezra
Established Member
Nutritional content
I found this, but it doesnt list a calcium to phosphorius ratio.
Moisture- 84.8%
Fat- 2.0%
Ash-0.7%
Protein- 10.5%
And from what I remember reading a few years back, they don't eat the dirt, they make the dirt. They eat the vegetables, but i believe its not until they begin to decompose, so I guess it would probably be more like the fungus? Not that that's more appetizing than dirt, lol. But maybe more nutritious? I mean, we eat mushrooms, right? Haha.
I found this, but it doesnt list a calcium to phosphorius ratio.
Moisture- 84.8%
Fat- 2.0%
Ash-0.7%
Protein- 10.5%
And from what I remember reading a few years back, they don't eat the dirt, they make the dirt. They eat the vegetables, but i believe its not until they begin to decompose, so I guess it would probably be more like the fungus? Not that that's more appetizing than dirt, lol. But maybe more nutritious? I mean, we eat mushrooms, right? Haha.
Echoezra
Established Member
No you make a good point, I didnt realize worms were more likely hosts than other bugs. Best to be safe I suppose. Too bad, they look like they'd be all juicy & tasty, if I was a reptile. I figured at very least good moisture content. Oh well. My daughter would probably cry if she saw me feeding one anyway, they're her babies, the worm bin was actually a requested birthday present a few years back. Lol. That's my girl! Littler, weirder version of me. 
But then as usual she forgot all about it and it's my project now, she just pulls them out and plays with them whenever I'm harvesting some compost for a plant. I hand her all the babies to set aside.
I am proud of it though, thanks. I'm mostly just ecstatic that I haven't found a bunch of other bugs in it. I'm okay with feeder bugs (when theyre where they're supposed to be) and I like worms, and I am madly in love with mantises, but other creepy crawlies when I'm not expecting them totally gross me out. So the though of worms having parasites? Super ew. Stupid gross bugs. Lol.
But then as usual she forgot all about it and it's my project now, she just pulls them out and plays with them whenever I'm harvesting some compost for a plant. I hand her all the babies to set aside.
I am proud of it though, thanks. I'm mostly just ecstatic that I haven't found a bunch of other bugs in it. I'm okay with feeder bugs (when theyre where they're supposed to be) and I like worms, and I am madly in love with mantises, but other creepy crawlies when I'm not expecting them totally gross me out. So the though of worms having parasites? Super ew. Stupid gross bugs. Lol.
My little turtles go nuts over them! Running around like little maniacs trying to catch them. It's super cute, but your daughter may not think so!
Echoezra
Established Member
True, but that sounds like it would definitely involve that "super ew" factor... Lol!
