Mealworms

[Kath44]

I got George some mealworms as a treat although I haven't given any yet.
I use a dry gut load, pro rep bug grub aswell as veggies.
Although any crickets, locusts, roaches I've had don't eat much of either. They eat a bit but I change it out every other day, the mealworms however, eat everything I've given them. In the space of a few hrs!
Just a thought, would they be more nutritious than the crickets etc seen as they've eaten better than them?
Kath.

 

[carol5208]

I think the main concern is that they are fatty as are most of the worms besides the silks(and maybe the horns). Crickets are a very low fat feeder. I think it is just like us, where we don't want too much fat in our diet too often.

 

[fluxlizard]

I don't think anyone has done the nutritional analysis research to find out the answer to the question. The analysis of mealworms and crickets, etc that I have found have been for those fed what the farm feeds them, not those fed on a highly nutritious food source.

The only analysis I know of that showed the potential results of such feeding and comparing crickets and mealworms was some done for Ferguson after he fed mealworms and crickets the same nutritious food and then checked calcium content of the insects. The mealworms had a higher calcium content than the crickets fed the same feed. As a result he used both crickets and mealworms to raise the chameleons over multiple generations in his lab.

I would really like to see a complete analysis done on mealworms fed a good food source and see what it reveals. Not a feed based on bran. Who knows? Maybe the bran food source is one reason they are higher in fat? Humans are certainly higher in fat depending on what they eat! Maybe the mealworms will be higher in fat regardless anyway? I once came across a roach forums where in some lab they were trying to manipulate protein content of the roaches by diet and were striking out- the roaches maintained a consistant protein level regardless of feed. This may have been unique to roaches because they break down uric acid stores into whatever amino acids they require and they may be unique in this regard among insects. Or maybe not... Vitamins and minerals might be manipulated by diet and fat and protein might not. Totally speculating.

Until someone does the research, it is a good idea to err on the side of caution and assume they are going to be higher in fat...

Consider them as one part of a varied diet and not a daily food item...

 

[Kath44]

Yeah. They wouldn't be used as more than the odd treat. Just surprised at how easy and fast they ate everything. Kath.

 

[fluxlizard]

I use them as a full feeding for my lizards about once per week.

And I agree- if I toss 1/4 of an apple or a scoop of mixed veggies in there, the worms make it dissappear within hours. I breed my own mealies and do not use bran- I feed them the same stuff most would feed dry to their crickets and roaches... You can see a difference in my mealworms appearance and in the appearance of the worms that come in the store...