meal worms
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Brad Ramsey
Retired Moderator
I don't use them.
Not a great feeder for chameleons.
In addition to not being very nutritious, they can cause impaction, prolapse and other problems.
-Brad
Not a great feeder for chameleons.
In addition to not being very nutritious, they can cause impaction, prolapse and other problems.
-Brad
Lizardlover
New Member
Yeah superworms are a much better alternative, for superworms i have a large cricket keeper and i fill it about halfway with rolled oats, then i chop up some carrots and throw them on top with other greens, the superworms burrow but when its dark they will come to the surface to feed.
Brad Ramsey
Retired Moderator
Superworms will eat anything (thankfully, I have a male veiled who will only eat supers)
I put all sorts of fruits and vegetables and more in the superworm bin:
sweet potato
carrots
squash
cantaloupe
collards
dandelion
cooked egg
cooked kidney and pinto beans
strawberries
I chop up a batch of the above twice a week and also feed it to:
crickets
cockroaches
the box turtle (minus the egg ... she gets supers and crickets that have been fed the egg though)
-Brad
Brad Ramsey
Retired Moderator
hard boiled or in the microwave.
-Brad
-Brad
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Although I agree mealworms are not a good feeder option, you can keep them alive basically in the same manner as supers.
oats or bran as a substrate for them to crawl in, veggies and fruit for moisture and vitamins. If you do offer mealworms to your chameleon, only offer the freshly molted (white, soft) ones and not too often.
Can I just clarify something. Are these the same superworms that you're talking about?
http://www.livefoods.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=94&products_id=57
If so can they be used as a staple or are they more of a treat?
http://www.livefoods.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=94&products_id=57
If so can they be used as a staple or are they more of a treat?
jojackson
New Member
Some confusion here, arnt the 'superworms' folk talk about, a larger version of the mealworm? We get mealies here and recently have seen something called 'superworms' among hobbiests, which appear to be an xlarge version of the mealworm.
Would somebody please post images of both for clarification?
Actually a feeders chart/page with common names/ scientific name and pics of the widely used avail species would be great.
Thats the ones im talking about violentj, seem to be just as chitinous as mealworms, I dont understand why one is good the other not ? more gut content in the larger ones in ratio to chitin?
Either way, exactly due to chitin/ impaction related issues possible, I dont feed very often and then only a few freshly moulted ones (new chitin shell is soft and more easdily digested.)
Would somebody please post images of both for clarification?
Actually a feeders chart/page with common names/ scientific name and pics of the widely used avail species would be great.
Thats the ones im talking about violentj, seem to be just as chitinous as mealworms, I dont understand why one is good the other not ? more gut content in the larger ones in ratio to chitin?
Either way, exactly due to chitin/ impaction related issues possible, I dont feed very often and then only a few freshly moulted ones (new chitin shell is soft and more easdily digested.)
Last edited:
Brad Ramsey
Retired Moderator
They do look similar and are in fact both larvae of different species of darkling beetles.
However, Super worms (Zophobas morio) are quite a bit larger, are less chitinous and can in fact hold more gut load in their system than meal worms.
Meal worms (Tenebrio molitor) have been known to cause problems with impaction and renal prolapse due to the difficulty some animals experience digesting them.
Problems have primarily occurred with animals that are fed too many meal worms or a diet consisting of only meal worms.
Chitin is actually an important element in the diet of chameleons and should not be avoided completely (ie: feeding a diet of only soft bodied worms).
It is important for proper digestion and cleaning of the animals system (think fiber).
As with anything, moderation is the key to success.
It is my opinion that super worms offer a better ratio of "meat to chitin" than meal worms and are the better choice.
Phosphorus levels are high in both meal worms and super worms and calcium dusting is recommended to help balance the ratio.
-Brad
However, Super worms (Zophobas morio) are quite a bit larger, are less chitinous and can in fact hold more gut load in their system than meal worms.
Meal worms (Tenebrio molitor) have been known to cause problems with impaction and renal prolapse due to the difficulty some animals experience digesting them.
Problems have primarily occurred with animals that are fed too many meal worms or a diet consisting of only meal worms.
Chitin is actually an important element in the diet of chameleons and should not be avoided completely (ie: feeding a diet of only soft bodied worms).
It is important for proper digestion and cleaning of the animals system (think fiber).
As with anything, moderation is the key to success.
It is my opinion that super worms offer a better ratio of "meat to chitin" than meal worms and are the better choice.
Phosphorus levels are high in both meal worms and super worms and calcium dusting is recommended to help balance the ratio.
-Brad
Brad Ramsey
Retired Moderator
It is also important to keep in mind that neither of these would be encountered by a chameleon in it's natural habitat.
We use them in the hobby because they are readily available and are accepted by the animals.
Gut loading is of even greater importance with a feeder that is not a chameleon's natural prey.
-Brad
We use them in the hobby because they are readily available and are accepted by the animals.
Gut loading is of even greater importance with a feeder that is not a chameleon's natural prey.
-Brad
Eric Adrignola
Avid Member
Brad's right - variety is key. Truth is that mealworms are about the worst commercially available feeder as far as nutrients, meat/shell ratio, and pretty much everything.
But - they are cheap as heck, easy to keep, easier to breed than anything, and to put it simply, they're different.
I don't feed them often, but I do use them. They have a different nutritional content and taste than superworms (they have to - they just have to...).
The added crunch they provide is not to be ignored. Chameleons will have problems with too much or too little chitin in their diets. Mealworms are a good source of that.
And my favorite reason to use mealworms: beetles. Superworm beetles have a strong chemical defense that most chameleons will not tolerate (unless you wash their rear ends off first). Mealworm beetles are usually eaten readily, and, while not so healthy in and of themselves, provide great variety. Chameleons love beetles and shiny, crunchy things. It's hard to give that to them without using wild insects. Mealworms provide that.
My CB melleri loved the things growing up, and would prefer them to anything (even flies at some times).
Mealworms (Tenebrio molitar) (excuse my spelling, I'm not feeling good and am too lazy to look it up)are normally very small - maybe an inch and a half, with orange color on the tails. They have very small legs, and can be kept alive in a refrigerator. They pupate when they are ready. They are a common pest species across the world. They are fine is just thrown in with some sort of grain.
Zoophobus morio(superworms, super mealworms, king mealworms, zoophobe's, morio worms, etc.) area south american beetle larva, much bigger than mealworms (3") and have dark, often black tips on their tails, they move much faster on longer legs, and can kinda bite you (those always get fed off first... I know, petty insect-vengence, but it helps). They require more moisture, and will die if kept too cold. They won't pupate unless they get really big and old (takes MONTHS), or are separated from food or one another (bascially food as well, they're cannibals).
Confusion: some mealworms are fed a hormone that inhibits pupation. They grow really big, but not as big as superworms. These are USUALLY called giant mealworms.
If you see the two side by side, the difference is clearer.
here, I found a good picture on google:
http://z.hubpages.com/u/281935_f260.jpg
But - they are cheap as heck, easy to keep, easier to breed than anything, and to put it simply, they're different.
I don't feed them often, but I do use them. They have a different nutritional content and taste than superworms (they have to - they just have to...).
The added crunch they provide is not to be ignored. Chameleons will have problems with too much or too little chitin in their diets. Mealworms are a good source of that.
And my favorite reason to use mealworms: beetles. Superworm beetles have a strong chemical defense that most chameleons will not tolerate (unless you wash their rear ends off first). Mealworm beetles are usually eaten readily, and, while not so healthy in and of themselves, provide great variety. Chameleons love beetles and shiny, crunchy things. It's hard to give that to them without using wild insects. Mealworms provide that.
My CB melleri loved the things growing up, and would prefer them to anything (even flies at some times).
Mealworms (Tenebrio molitar) (excuse my spelling, I'm not feeling good and am too lazy to look it up)are normally very small - maybe an inch and a half, with orange color on the tails. They have very small legs, and can be kept alive in a refrigerator. They pupate when they are ready. They are a common pest species across the world. They are fine is just thrown in with some sort of grain.
Zoophobus morio(superworms, super mealworms, king mealworms, zoophobe's, morio worms, etc.) area south american beetle larva, much bigger than mealworms (3") and have dark, often black tips on their tails, they move much faster on longer legs, and can kinda bite you (those always get fed off first... I know, petty insect-vengence, but it helps). They require more moisture, and will die if kept too cold. They won't pupate unless they get really big and old (takes MONTHS), or are separated from food or one another (bascially food as well, they're cannibals).
Confusion: some mealworms are fed a hormone that inhibits pupation. They grow really big, but not as big as superworms. These are USUALLY called giant mealworms.
If you see the two side by side, the difference is clearer.
here, I found a good picture on google:
http://z.hubpages.com/u/281935_f260.jpg
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