Constant Diet of silkworms

[bongrod269]

I want some opinions on what you guys think of a constant diet of silk worms. My chams normal diet is crickets everyday a different feeder every 2 days. I can keep a constant supply of silk worms for about the same price as crickets. Do you guys think this could be fine or just keep what I'm doing.

 

[boj3434]

Yes silkworms would be great staple but i would get some supers so they can get some chitin in their diet.

 

[kpritch17]

Silkworms are great feeders, but for a chameleon it is best to mix up their diet and keep many different feeders for variety-not just one staple. I'd say keep as many different feeders and keep mixing them up everyday for your cham. I think this will also help keep your cham's appetite up.

 

[Dave Weldon]

Howdy Casey,

We, as keepers, can't be certain of what nutrients our chameleons may need at any one time so we offer them a wide variety of well-gutloaded insects in an attempt to compensate. I'd say that if you offer silkworms as 25% of his diet then you are probably ok. Since silkworms don't take to gutloading like dubias, for example, counting on them for more than 25% of your chameleon's diet will likely leave a gap in his nutritional needs . You might try crickets, silkworms, dubias, hornworms and superworms as a reasonable mix. You can always toss-in butterworms, mantids, commercial flies and maybe some carefully selected "field sweepings" too . Don't forget the calcium and vitamins .

 

[sandrachameleon]

I agree that a mix is best. Use both the crickets, silkworms and other insects.

Its worth noting however that you CAN gutload silkies. I often feed mine dandelion, sometimes romaine, sometimes soft squash or steamed carrot, in the days prior to feeding off to the chameleons. Indeed I use dandelion in place of mulberry leaves or chow at leat 25% of the time on a regular basis (dandelion grows as a weed where I live and is thus easily obtainable and free)