Phoenix worms?

louwillie

New Member
Anyone ever use phoneix worms? Are they only good as an occasional treat or do they have the same nutritional value as a cricket? Thanks :)
 
ive read that they are high in calcium so they are good for females who have just laid a clutch, but i think they are a little fatty too, so not too many should be fed too often
 
They are high in calcium and do not need to be dusted. They are great for baby chams and juviniles, I myself LOVE them. Not all Chams like them but my little guy does. If not eaten before they start to pupate you can always wait and eventually you get Soldier Flies and my little guy goes CRAZY for flying insects. :D

Edit: they are not high in fat, actually are pretty low in fat and I think can be used as a staple. :) They are pretty small though you would need to add crickets or roaches along with other types of worms to give the cham a variety and fill him up.

http://www.exoticnutrition.com/phwo100palsi.html
 
I just received my first order of worms yesterday. I mostly got them to try to entice my 2-3 month old female to eat. I have had her about a month or so, and as I have posted on other threads, I am having a heck of a time getting her to eat regularly. I rigged up a clay flower pot saucer, used cotton twine to make a plant holder for the dish, and put about 10 worms in it yesterday..... checked this morning when I turned her light on, and of course she hasn't touched them.... Grrrrr! My baby Bearded Dragon loves them though :D He ate about 7 yesterday.
 
I just received my first order of worms yesterday. I mostly got them to try to entice my 2-3 month old female to eat. I have had her about a month or so, and as I have posted on other threads, I am having a heck of a time getting her to eat regularly. I rigged up a clay flower pot saucer, used cotton twine to make a plant holder for the dish, and put about 10 worms in it yesterday..... checked this morning when I turned her light on, and of course she hasn't touched them.... Grrrrr! My baby Bearded Dragon loves them though :D He ate about 7 yesterday.

First off, Chameleons sleep at night, they are diurnal. They eat during the day and use the heat from their basking light to digest their food. If fed at night, they are not able to digest their food properly and run the risk of becoming impacted and can lead to possible death. What time do lights go on and off? Try waiting an hour after lights go on, mist the entire enclosure, and then try and feed her. Is her feeding cup somewhere she can get to it easily?:)
 
On the website is says that they can reverse MBD, is this true? Also, can they help skinnier chameleons gain weight and help them grow faster? I don't have any like, I'm just wondering. Thanks :)
 
Prettyinink87, I appreciate you trying to be helpful. I am aware of the information you have pointed out. At this point I am mainly focused on having her eat at all. Her lights go on at 7-7:30 am, and off at 8:00 pm. I am not overly concerned about her eating at night, since when she is ready for bed, she will go to her favorite place and go to sleep even if the lights are on. Because of her overall lack of appetite, I am not therefore thinking it likely she will try to eat during the evening or night time hours. I feel it's much more stressful to be in the cage all the time, putting the crickets or worms in, but then turning around and taking them out. Yes, I mist her cage usually twice a day, and usually run the dripper at least once.
 
Oh, I also run a humidifier at night. I have tried every kind of container to get her to cup feed, but no luck. The only way I have gotten her to eat since she moved into her new cage is to take her out, and put her in a smaller container with the food. I did this twice with success. The last time I tried to do it she got really mad and stressed. She hissed at me, changed to dark, and refused to get on my hand so I backed off and let her be. Humidiity is good, temps are good, live plants in cage as well as fake..... don't know what other options I have at this point other than to keep offering her food in the cage. She looks to be in overall good health from what I can see, and what I know to look for.
 
Oh, I also run a humidifier at night. I have tried every kind of container to get her to cup feed, but no luck. The only way I have gotten her to eat since she moved into her new cage is to take her out, and put her in a smaller container with the food. I did this twice with success. The last time I tried to do it she got really mad and stressed. She hissed at me, changed to dark, and refused to get on my hand so I backed off and let her be. Humidiity is good, temps are good, live plants in cage as well as fake..... don't know what other options I have at this point other than to keep offering her food in the cage. She looks to be in overall good health from what I can see, and what I know to look for.

I would try hand feedings with a feeder that moves a lot. I usually hand feed my chams and they do great. Have you tried some sort of fly? My guy loves Soldier Flies and am thinking of getting Blue Bottle Flies for him. I still wouldn't leave feeders in the cage after lights off. :)
 
Anyone ever use phoneix worms? Are they only good as an occasional treat or do they have the same nutritional value as a cricket? Thanks :)

What makes crickets and other species that eat gut loads superb is that they eat gut loads:D Phoenix worms are good for a treat or to add variety but shouldnt be considered for a staple feeder. I dont think any worm should IMO.
 
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