Feeding wax worms

[AReptile]

Today I decided to buy a couple of wax worms to see if my baby veiled was interested in them. She just ate one a few minutes ago and now I'm wondering how often she should be given wax worms and how many is a decent number if more than one, and if they should be gutloaded/ dusted the same way the crickets are. Is there an impaction risk like with mealworms? I can't find a lot of solid value or topics on wax worms, I always find topics about superworms/ silkworms but never about wax worms.

 

[graydon]

Today I decided to buy a couple of wax worms to see if my baby veiled was interested in them. She just ate one a few minutes ago and now I'm wondering how often she should be given wax worms and how many is a decent number if more than one, and if they should be gutloaded/ dusted the same way the crickets are. Is there an impaction risk like with mealworms? I can't find a lot of solid value or topics on wax worms, I always find topics about superworms/ silkworms but never about wax worms.

no more than a couple a week. Wax worms are basically little globs of fat. You cant gutload them and there isn't an impaction risk.

 

[Lizardlover]

no more than a couple a week. Wax worms are basically little globs of fat. You cant gutload them and there isn't an impaction risk.

Thats a bit much, they are only a once a month at most treat.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Today I decided to buy a couple of wax worms to see if my baby veiled was interested in them. She just ate one a few minutes ago and now I'm wondering how often she should be given wax worms and how many is a decent number if more than one, and if they should be gutloaded/ dusted the same way the crickets are. Is there an impaction risk like with mealworms? I can't find a lot of solid value or topics on wax worms, I always find topics about superworms/ silkworms but never about wax worms.

A good number, in my opionion, is zero. Having said that, I offer them a few times a year, and only one each of those time. They essentially have no nutritional value, and you can't much gutload them. So unless your chameleon requires extra fat, dont bother with waxworms. No impaction risk. Go ahead and dust them, but they're still fairly useless.

You may find these links useful:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/waxworms-13934/
http://www.adcham.com/html/insects/insects-waxworm-rearing.html
http://www.dendroworld.co.uk/BDGarchive/waxmoths.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXI7uVPZRTE

and these have nutritional charts:
http://chamownersweb.net/insects/nutritional_values.htm
http://www.phish3r.com/feederinfo2.htm
https://www.chameleonforums.com/nutritional-analysis-2522

 

[boj3434]

Ya I wouldnt give any maybe like sandra said offer them everyone once and awhile as in once or twice a month at the most but i would go with pretty much never. I get them like sometimes when i feel like it but I think thats once in the last 5 months

 

[graydon]

Glad I saw this. I rarely feed waxies but I was understood once to twice a week max was fine. Sorry for the misinformation.

 

[AReptile]

Hmm since I gave her the wax worm she hasn't eaten any crickets. Anything I could do but wait for her to decide to eat crickets again?

 

[jamncristian]

what about wax moths?? is it the samething for them?

 

[reptimanny]

What other food than crickets can i give my baby veiled that has just as much nutritional value as a cricket if not more nutrition?

 

[jamncristian]

baby dubia roach (easily bred), phoenix worms (very high in calcium), small silkworms

 

[reptimanny]

baby dubia roach (easily bred), phoenix worms (very high in calcium), small silkworms

Can i buy them at a pet store or do i have to order them online?

 

[jamncristian]

phoenix worms can be bought at a store but they are ususally dead or dieing, and it is cheaper to buy online. dubia roaches and silk worms are readily availible online

 

[reptimanny]

are they a treat or something i can feed her once or twice a week?

 

[jamncristian]

all three can be fed as a staple, phoenix worms and silk worms dont have to be dusted because they are naturally high in calcium. roaches need to be dusted and gutloaded like crickets

they are very healthy options and your cham will definately appreciate it, even if she doesnt show it

 

[reptimanny]

all three can be fed as a staple, phoenix worms and silk worms dont have to be dusted because they are naturally high in calcium. roaches need to be dusted and gutloaded like crickets

they are very healthy options and your cham will definately appreciate it, even if she doesnt show it

Can they be overfed the phoenix worms and silk worms because of the high calcium in the diet? should i have to watch the high calcium intake?

 

[jamncristian]

she will be fine because she will use the extra calcium to build her bones and it will help when she starts laying eggs

its not enough calcium to cause any problems so dont worry What you should wrry about is how much you dust your feeders, if you see dust start forming around her nostrils you need to cut down your supplementing

by the way phoenix worms and silk worms are also high in protein

 

[reptimanny]

Awesome thanks for the info. Any little information helps me be a better "parent" to my baby cham.

 

[Elizadolots]

Quick question: can a baby be fed superworms? Or are they just too aggressive and potentially damaging for something young?

 

[sandrachameleon]

You can feed a baby the same types of bugs as to adults, just so long as the bugs are of the appropriate size. So yes, small supers, small mealworms, small moths, small silkworms, small butterworms, cabbage loppers, stick bugs, crickets, roaches, etc....

 

[AReptile]

I'll be taking my thread back even if it's for a couple minutes lol. I broke my cham's hunger strike today that i unintentionally started giving her a wax worm... It was actually quite amusing to watch. She did a 180 degree spin from her basking spot to climb down and snatch up some crickets rofl. I wish i was video taping it was great to watch.