Meal worm feeding dish

[Tomg]

Wasn't sure if this should go in this thread or enclosures. Anyway this is the dish I use for wax worm and meal worms but it was clear, so I put duct tape on the bottom so it wouldn't be clear. Is that a bad idea since it's in around the water that collects in the bottom of the cage?

 

[JacksJill]

I have two concerns. One any exposed tape could stick to your chams tongue and cause damage either temporary or permanent. Two is that you are feeding mealworms. They are a horrible feeder you should switch to super worms they look similar but are a much better feeder.

 

[broderp]

Why did you use the duct tape? Whats the concern over the container being clear? I don't get it.

Crickets or Dubia's are also much better feeders. I like super worms, but only as a treat. I hear they are not as nutritious as crickets or Dubia's.

 

[Tomg]

Thanks for the replies. So the clear container can cause problems since chams don't understand it's clear and can shoot there tungues into it, hurting themselves. I agree about the tape and will go out and buy a mealworms dish from petco. As for what I'm feeding he will not eat crickets anymore and is even board of superworms. I've been feeding wax worms the past week just to mix it up (he didn't eat the mealworms either) (too small). I'm going to grow the meal worms I have into superworms and feed him those as a treat. I really want to get silk worms as a staple. As for the cockroaches I unfortunately can't as my mom refuses to allow me to keep roaches in her house, otherwise I'd do that.

 

[JacksJill]

I'm going to grow the meal worms I have into superworms

I know they look alike but they are not the same insect.
Good call on replacing the dish.

 

[poison]

Hi, mealworms can not grow into superworms they are two completely different species. My main diet consists of superworms roaches and crickets with superworms and dubia being available 24/7 and crickets evrytime I feel like going to the pet store(every weekend pretty much). Though I don't believe the myth of mealworms being dangerous to be true is it true there are much better food options out there. Have you tried mixing the superworms in with the wax worms in the same container? Have you tried letting insects free in the enclosure? Some Chams just don't bowl feed and like to hunt. Perhaps it's because they don't consider this strange bowl as their territory. Who knows.

 

[poison]

And I do agree that some Chams will try to eat through the bowl and not realize it's there.

 

[JacksJill]

@opheliaeatsbugs can you show what happened last time your cham ate mealworms. A picture is worth a thousand words.

 

[poison]

@opheliaeatsbugs can you show what happened last time your cham ate mealworms. A picture is worth a thousand words.

What happened?

 

[JacksJill]

I might have the wrong CF member but her cham puked them up.

 

[poison]

Was it taken to the vet? Any further info on why it did this? This is likely not do to the mealworms itself but something with the Cham. Even if the Cham was not able to digest the mealworms it would still pass it through its system if it was nice and healthy.

 

[opheliaeatsbugs]

yes, yes she did.

mostly my fault... this happened the first few days I had her and the store said feed her mealworms, so that's what I bought (and crickets). I was ecstatic that she was eating out of my hand, so I just kept feeding them to her. I totally made the assumption that she would turn away when she was done. But that was not the case, apparently.

Here is the thread and pic where I mention it.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/best-way-to-handle-a-veiled-chameleon.157305/#post-1347236

It's funny now, but I really could have harmed her by feeding her too many mealworms.

 

[poison]

Hi, ty for clearing that up. I've done the same (not with Chams) some animals will just keep eating while some get lazy.

 

[broderp]

Thanks for the replies. So the clear container can cause problems since chams don't understand it's clear and can shoot there tungues into it, hurting themselves. I agree about the tape and will go out and buy a mealworms dish from petco. As for what I'm feeding he will not eat crickets anymore and is even board of superworms. I've been feeding wax worms the past week just to mix it up (he didn't eat the mealworms either) (too small). I'm going to grow the meal worms I have into superworms and feed him those as a treat. I really want to get silk worms as a staple. As for the cockroaches I unfortunately can't as my mom refuses to allow me to keep roaches in her house, otherwise I'd do that.

I must be lucky. I've had two Chams that ate from a clear critter totes similar to this, but costing only $4-5 from the local pet store.
https://www.amazon.com/Lees-Kritter...1492824166&sr=8-1&keywords=small+critter+tote

Chams will shoot their tongues into branches and stick or even the bottom of feeder cups. I'm not sure I see a difference.

 

[Tomg]

Yea I get you, I just think there's no need to confuse them any with a clear object. At least with the branches there's nothing you could've done about it.

 

[jamest0o0]

Superworms and waxworms should not be fed regularly . Crickets, roaches, silks, and hornworms are much more nutritious.

 

[Tomg]

Hi, mealworms can not grow into superworms they are two completely different species. My main diet consists of superworms roaches and crickets with superworms and dubia being available 24/7 and crickets evrytime I feel like going to the pet store(every weekend pretty much). Though I don't believe the myth of mealworms being dangerous to be true is it true there are much better food options out there. Have you tried mixing the superworms in with the wax worms in the same container? Have you tried letting insects free in the enclosure? Some Chams just don't bowl feed and like to hunt. Perhaps it's because they don't consider this strange bowl as their territory. Who knows.

So he hasn't actually ate any meal worms yet but these guys look exactly like small supper worms idk but I saw this chart and mine look exactly like the "mini worms pictured". As for the staple food he just gets bored with anything if I feed it to him too much. He was hunting chrickes and super worms until one day he just stoped eating them unless he was staving. Then I got wax worms (which he'd never seen before) and he liked them. I just got phenox worms just now for the next few weeks.

 

[poison]

Superworms and waxworms should not be fed regularly . Crickets, roaches, silks, and hornworms are much more nutritious.

Hi, mind tell me why superworms shouldn't be fed reqularly? I've done this for many years and no problems. I've never heard about it being a bad thing.

 

[jamest0o0]

Well waxworms will pretty much always be accepted and can cause addiction issues. I try to limit them to one worm every other week at most. My cham tends to demand them otherwise. As for supers they are pretty high in fat as well, but i will give mine about 1-2 a week usually dipped in his d3 or multivitamin for that week on saturday. I find anymore and he starts to hunger strike for those too .You can google search a chart for bug nutritional values.

 

[poison]

Hi, the fat content in superworms is not the only thing they have to offer. I'm not saying to strictly feed these but saying they should only be a treat or a couple times a week is something I highly disagree with. I do believe it can be a staple along with other insects.