How often to feed butterworms?

H

hhamlinwright08

New Member
Hi guys and girls. First post on the forum but I have been lurking for some time-thanks for all the very useful info on here!

I have a 18 month old male veiled at the moment. He is in a 4ft tall by 2ft wide custom screen cage that I built for him myself. 5.0 reptisun tube on top, along with 100 watt heat lamp. 2 ficus trees, 2 pothos and one banana plant. Natural and artificial wood walkways etc.

I am trying to put together a feeding schedule for my mum whilst I am away-she has looked after chameleons before btw. I have recently ordered 250 butterworms and 100 large phoenix worms for her to cup feed whilst I am gone, as well as the routine gut-loaded crickets and hoppers.

I have heard that butterworms should not be used as a staple feeder, rather to occasionally feed due to their extremely high calcium content. Is this so?

I have, on the other hand, heard that phoenix worms can be incorporated as a staple feeder worm as well as the crickets, locusts etc. Is this true also?

I would also like some advice on the quantity of worms that could be fed-I ordered some silkworms a week ago and he could easily chomp 3-4 large ones in a sitting!

Many thanks!
 
I have heard that butterworms should not be used as a staple feeder, rather to occasionally feed due to their extremely high calcium content. Is this so? They are high in fat, so dont use often

I have, on the other hand, heard that phoenix worms can be incorporated as a staple feeder worm as well as the crickets, locusts etc. Is this true also? P. worms are often undigested, and wiggle around completely intact in the chams poo

Welcome to the forum!

-Steven
 
I dont have an article but I have firsthand experience, I dont think butterworms would do it but phoenix worms definetly do.
 
Yeah, the only way to ensure this doesnt happen is to poke a hole in the worm so that it can get properly digested.
 
So I've heard. :p I probably won't ever be buying PHOENIXworms.
 
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Butterworms are fine, im talking about phoenix worms, butterworms are soft like waxworms, i dont see how that could happen with them.
 
Was just thinking the same thing. If your cham isn't digesting properly it sounds like a health issue to me.
 
Too me, pheonix worms (soldier fly maggots) are a waste of time.

Butterworms, like most larva, have a somewht high fat content, but their higher calcium content is a good thing. I think you could use butterworms weekly, maybe even twice a week. I personally use no more than once a week.
 
depending on your chameleon.
mine chew pretty well and I never have a case where the phoenix worm got expelled intact.
But, my cham seems only enjoy the worm when they were babies.
Now, reaching into adulthood, they pay no interest on phoenix worm due to the small size.
But, if you can make the worm turn into flies, they would love those.

I use Butterworms occasionally since they are more expensive than silkworms.
high in fat yes, high in calcium is yes too..
But the first one is the problem not the latter one.

very good for hydration and therapeutic food for emaciated chameleon.
But, so far, I love feeding my cham horn worms the best.
 
i have a hard time beleiving they can go through a chams digestive system and still be alive. its true that in some cases they arent completely digested. but i seriously doubt they could go through the system and still be alive. :)
 
Oh trust me they can, one day i was holding my cham and he pooped out 3 perfectly intact wiggling phoenix worms right on my hand. I NEVER bought them again
 
RichardTexasHerp said:
i have a hard time beleiving they can go through a chams digestive system and still be alive. its true that in some cases they arent completely digested. but i seriously doubt they could go through the system and still be alive. :)
Click to expand...

probably dead.. just not digested.
i have never experience one that came out dead but intact let alone alive :eek:
Perhaps other members here have experience it?
EDIT: oops.. nm then, Lizard Lover just posted his exp :)

but, that aside, phoenix worm and Black Soldier Fly (abb'd BSF) is very cool imho.
They are very strong and often compete with house flies (abb'd HF) for nesting site.
Usually, when you see a concentration of BSF, you won't see HF anywhere near the site.

They also not known to spread diseases like HF.
There is a program somewhere (I forgot the link) where a college professor develop a bio chamber that recycles organic craps.
He design a cool looking trash with separate chambers (breeding chambers, feeding chambers, etc) where he uses BSF and Phoenix Worms to disintegrate the trash and farm the flies for his reptile needs.

idk about feeding them direct from the trash can to your chameleon, though..
but the idea is kind of neat.
 
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The idea of this just makes me want to run down the street screaming EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!
 
The news is grossly over exaggerated, imo.
I've been feeding phoenix worms to my baby chameleons with no such things happened.
Prick the worms and that would ensure them to be digested by your chameleon's stomach acid.

Instead of disgusted about phoenix worm, you should be more concern with pin worms, round worms, and coccidia.
 
I am concerned! :p Just the idea of those things wriggling around in waste.. errgh. This is one of the few things that just gross me out. Undigested worms - and parasites of course.
 
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