Feeder Number Comparisons

[Chadbot]

Hi everyone,

We all know that different feeder insects have different ratios of vitamins, fats, calories and the like, but what I was wondering is if anyone can give their general idea of approximate conversions between # of feeder insects so that I can order/buy the right quantities.

For example, I've heard it said often that 1 worm = 2 crickets, but what about other feeders like roaches, mantids, flies and the like. I also don't know if I would say the conversion is apt for all worms (e.g. hornworms).

-Chad

 

[sandrachameleon]

Hi everyone,

We all know that different feeder insects have different ratios of vitamins, fats, calories and the like, but what I was wondering is if anyone can give their general idea of approximate conversions between # of feeder insects so that I can order/buy the right quantities.

For example, I've heard it said often that 1 worm = 2 crickets, but what about other feeders like roaches, mantids, flies and the like. I also don't know if I would say the conversion is apt for all worms (e.g. hornworms).

-Chad

Its a good question, but very difficult to answer.

There's a big difference even between various crickets. If I say large cricket, it may mean something quite different to you than it does to me. For example, my local pet store says a 4 or 5 week old brown cricket is "large" but I might call that medium. I might say a full sized 6 week old brown cricket is considered large, but that's still smaller than a 6 week old 2 spot black cricket. That's three fairly different volumes that could all be considered large, and that's with a single bug.

Similarily, a little baby silkworm can be considered equivalent to two small fruit flies in volume, but may be nutritionally quite different. A large full sized nearly pupating silkworm may be equivalent in volume to two crickets, but again maybe not. And the gutloading may well be different, so the nutrient levels will differ, and the moisture level will differ.

A small superworm might be considered equal to a large cricket. A large superworm might be called essentially equal to two crickets. But I've seen people call medium sized superworms large, and I dont think they've ever really seen how large a superworm can actually get.

A really large full grown hornworm is huge, and you'd think equivalent to at least three "large" crickets. But since the hornworm is largely moisture, and it may not have had a varied gutload, it may actually provide fewer nutrients than those three crickets.

a Full sized terrestrial isopod provides a much calicum and likely more nutrients (if gutloaded) than a much larger seeming cricket, though possibly fewer calories.

A hissing roach can get MUCH bigger than a Dubia, and a dubia will get bigger than a Turk. I'd say a large cricket is equivalent to a full sized turk roach, but it could be a full sized hisser would be equivalent to 6 or 7 crickets.

so, I guess Im saying, you'll have to guess. LOL

You may find this blog entry useful: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...s-day-required-maintain-chameleon-weight.html
http://www.chameleonnews.com/02SepDonoghue.html

My adivce is to Keep an eye on your chameleons weight, as that's really the best way to know if it is eating too much or too little. Use as much variety in prey as possible and gutload well every prey item, to ensure that you are doing your best to cover all the nutritional bases.