Mealworms

[Darkness13]

Hi all I have a question about some different feeder options for my Panther Chameleon
atm He is eating a staple of gut loaded crickets that I offer to him on a daily basis he eats pretty good about 6-10 1/4 size every day. My question is could I offer Mealworms as a diffrent choice for him as we have them at the house also for my son's leopard Gecko.
and if they are ok to offer him to eat how many and how often should the mealeorms be used as a feeder to a chameleon I herd they can cause constipation and don't want this to happen but herd a Staple of the Crickets can also do the same if offered every day.

Crickets are store bought at a mom and pop pet shop here by are house and so are the Mealworms (not pet smart or Petco)
When we buy them we have the crickets in a well vented container and egg crates to keep them from killing each other. They are fed every other evening a homemade bug salad and a carrot and potato wedge and apple wedge there water is cotton balls changed daly as i herd flukers was a bad choice.
As far as the Mealworms we have no idea how to keep them properly so if the chameleon I can eat these also how would I keep them fed and watered properly?
I herd corn meal--wheat meal--or flour is great to keep them in and offer like cabbage or kale and potatoes and apples also but wanted some info before I go out and purchace another container to house them.
Also there is no were local to buy a calcium powder to dust with
ALL the stores in our area only offer D-3 calcium and I would really like to dust daily with a non D-3 powder and non vitamin powder any websites to get this would also be a great help. I presently dust 2 times a month with my Repashy multi vitamin D-3 powder.
Thanks guys any info will be much appreciated like always this site has all the Info anyone could ever need or want to be able to properly care for there Chameleon

 

[nightanole]

Im not sure if you want to get on the dubia roach bandwagon, but both your critters will love them.

I would switch from meal worms to super(Zophobas) meal worms(half the shell thickness). You can buy them in mini for now, but even the gecko will be able to eat a full grown one.

Around here meal worms are considered a snack, say 10-20% of their food tops. Some will become worm junkies and go on hunger strikes if they dont get their fix.

At that age you could try blue bottle flies and gut load with bee pollen and powdered milk.


For gut loads(id avoid the potatoes):

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs...tload-one.html
http://chameleonnews.com/03OctWells.html
http://www.sialis.org/raisingmealworms.htm
http://www.javafinch.co.uk/feed/live/live.html


Or the standard cricket gut loads:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/171-where-buy-feeders-online.html

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html

 

[tkilgour]

I never feed mealworms, not even as treats. However, I do offer a nice variety. Personally, I like to feed superworms, silkworms, hornworms, crickets, dubia, mantis, blue bottle flies and grasshoppers. Most all of these bugs can be gutloaded fairly easy.

 

[Psychobunny]

I have never fed my guyz mealies. Used to buy them years ago for my geckos, but haven't bought a single one since.
I do have BB flies and butterworms in my fridge though

 

[dom1959]

as with almost anything, there are differing opinions on this topic...
i use mealworms, crickets, dubia, butterworms, and hornworms.

i would encourage you to read the following article by Don Wells that
was published in the chameleon ezine some time ago...

http://chameleonnews.com/03OctWells.html

 

[Chamlo]

My guy freaks out and gets scared when I offer him a cricket. I have changed his staple to mealies because they are easy. I tried dubs but he ignores them. I still feed a variety of whatever I can get.

 

[nick barta]

I would switch to Superworms (Zoophobia) for all your reptiles. You can purchase Calcium without D# from Tiki Tiki Reptiles, and 500 Superworms in a variety of lengths at Mulberry Farms. If your cham is 6 inches long from nose to vent, I would get the 1 inch size, or larger, they grow slowly. Both these are under the Sponsers button in the top right corner.

I would suggest also buying Cricket Crack at Tiki Tiki for your dry gutload for the super worms and the crickets, it is excellent.

Keep the superworms in oats bought at the grocery store, sprinkle Cricket Crack in the oats, and the 500 super worms will continue to grow and last for months.

Another item I would buy from Tiki Tiki is water crystals for the super worms and crickets, so if you don't always have fresh food in the containers, they have a water source.

By buying the 3 items from Tiki Tiki, you will save on shipping from 3 separate places.

 

[Darkness13]

Thanks all will do I will switch over to the BB flies i guess instead of mealworms and thank you for the info what about Mantis feeding is it worth it to order them for one chameleon and a gecko? Not sure on there nutritional value or if there hard to keep

 

[nick barta]

Thanks all will do I will switch over to the BB flies i guess instead of mealworms and thank you for the info what about Mantis feeding is it worth it to order them for one chameleon and a gecko? Not sure on there nutritional value or if there hard to keep

Too hard to grow up to a size that can be fed to your lizards.

 

[Psychobunny]

Can you "gut load" mealies?? I mean, don't they only eat the dry grain?
Maybe you could gut load with Dino Fuel, or cricket crack, etc??

 

[sandrachameleon]

I encourage you to have several prey choices - no single feeder should make up more than 40% of your chameleons diet, and preferably no more than 20%.

info on mealworms and other feeders:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/feeders-103777/

info on gutloading larva like mealworms:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...just-crickets-roaches-gutload-everything.html

info on supplements:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/65-supplements.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/174-whats-supplements-brand.html

 

[sandrachameleon]

Can you "gut load" mealies?? I mean, don't they only eat the dry grain?

yes you can and should gutload mealworms. They eat plenty of things other than grains.