Super Worms (Zophobas)

Chamero

New Member
I recently introduced Super Worms to my 3 1/2 month old male veiled and he loves them. I was just curious as too how often I could feed them . I saw on one nutrition chart that their fat and protein % are exact opposite of crix; my staple. Right now he eats about 4 times a day, 4-5 crix at a time. 2 Superworm a day, 1 at each of the night feedings. Can he eat more?
 
I wouldn't over do the super worms, just use them as a snack. Some chams have a tendency to get spoiled and only want supers once they've gotten used to them.
 
so thats why Lenny wont eat anything else.hes gottten picky since a discovered superworms which I think to be the most practical of all the feeders I used.
 
I wouldn't over do the super worms, just use them as a snack. Some chams have a tendency to get spoiled and only want supers once they've gotten used to them.

I totally agree. My very first chameleon will only eat superworms and snubs everything else that I have tried over and over. It really sucks for his health but I dust them like crazy to help him out. Never get a chameleon hooked on supers or you'll be left scratching your head like I am.
 
I've heard a few rumors about them eating their way through the animals gut
and eventually killing the animal.
I've met people that have blamed them for their animals death

although I use them as feeders
I also "crunch their heads" with a pair of tweasers
before making any offer.

anyone else out there in support or deny regarding this?
 
I've heard a few rumors about them eating their way through the animals gut
and eventually killing the animal.
I've met people that have blamed them for their animals death

although I use them as feeders
I also "crunch their heads" with a pair of tweasers
before making any offer.

anyone else out there in support or deny regarding this?

I think that's an old wive's tale. I've been hearing it for years but never met anyone who actually had it happen. Superworms will drown if they come into contact with not much more than a drop of water. I don't see how they could live long enough inside a chameleon to chew through anything, assuming they were somehow swallowed without being chewed. My Furcifers all love super worms and really chew them up well before swallowing them.
 
Superworms chewing through a chameleon's stomach is one of my favorite urban legends. Never happened...never will happen!
Superworms can be super gut-loaded! Don't discount them as a good staple feeder!

-Brad
 
I'll try to drown a few tonight just to test it out.
I've had "crunched" larvae survive for days
It stands to reason that IF they were "dangerous"
they wouldn't be sold as feed.
I'll monitor and post the results while I serve the candy to the ghosts and goblins tonight.

maybe it is all a rumor... but then again....
I have met t people that have said that they lost their animals
due to these things being swallowed whole.
who knows none were my friends and just aquantainces that told me.
 
Superworms chewing through a chameleon's stomach is one of my favorite urban legends. Never happened...never will happen!
Superworms can be super gut-loaded! Don't discount them as a good staple feeder!

Ditto! Totally bogus. As for them drowning, not true - they just think thye're dead :confused:. I have an African Clawed Frog who LOVES supers! She is a riot to watch eat them so she gets one a couple times a week. I drop one in her tank and she does not always get it (if any of you have an ACF you know what I mean - they can be ditzy feeders! :p ) The poor supers struggle and float and then sink to the bottom, twitch and then they think they are dead. I'll get tired of watching, walk away, come back in a few and if she has not found it I will scoop it out. The first time I did this I assumed it was dead and left on her screen. When I came back it was cruising along ready to fall in her tank!! lol! So they, like crickets (yup, even crickets) can go for a surprisingly long time under water. Roaches? Well, we know that it takes more than a nuclear bomb to kill them! So the lesson here is - don't toss that super, let it dry out a while before you give it up for dead ;) Test it, leave some of those crickets (that look like wet dish rags) or supers b/c they got a little wet in a feeder cup - you might be surprised. Hey, it's Halloween, a perfect time for the little 6-legged critters to rise from the dead :eek:
 
I totally agree. My very first chameleon will only eat superworms and snubs everything else that I have tried over and over. It really sucks for his health but I dust them like crazy to help him out. Never get a chameleon hooked on supers or you'll be left scratching your head like I am.

On a second note, my male that has alway only ever taken superworms as a staple is totally healthy. He never eats anything but supers, so it's obvious they aren't terrible for a chameleon.
 
I think that's an old wive's tale. I've been hearing it for years but never met anyone who actually had it happen. Superworms will drown if they come into contact with not much more than a drop of water. I don't see how they could live long enough inside a chameleon to chew through anything, assuming they were somehow swallowed without being chewed. My Furcifers all love super worms and really chew them up well before swallowing them.

plus the stomach acid will take care of them.
 
Back
Top Bottom