Superworm Husbandry?

[holliehawk]

Hello,

After some searching and frustration I am just going to ask. Does anyone know of a thread where I can review how to keep superworms or can you tell me please? I am not that great with operating forums, sorry for the pain. I would really appreciate the help. I gave my cham some wax worms and he went totally bananas for them so I cannot wait to see him eat some supers! Only thing is that ordering from flukers you have to get about 500 minimum so I want to be sure I can care for them adequately.

Thank you!!!

 

[clarkrw3]

They really are about the easiest feeder to keep other than maybe a dubia. You can very easily just keep them in dried oats. However, to make them more nutritious you can keep them in the feed that TikiTiki Reptiles has called Super Chow I believe. Also Sandra has a recipe on her blog for a make your own bedding/food Then you just give them carrots or potato for moisture. You can check out my thread on breeding them if interested

https://www.chameleonforums.com/superworm-colony-go-61101/

Also Sandra's Super food/bedding
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/443-superworm-substrate-gutload-one.html

And the Tiki Tiki Super Chow scroll down past the cricket crack
http://tikitikireptiles.com/products.php?id=48

 

[holliehawk]

Thank you so much! Do you just use Oats as in Quaker Oatmeal?

 

[clarkrw3]

Thank you so much! Do you just use Oats as in Quaker Oatmeal?

Yes, regular old Quaker Oats. However, Super's aren't the most nutritious feeders (I call them candy for chams) and from my understanding keeping them in just oats can make Calcium less available to your chams which isn't a huge deal if they are just treats but if feeding them every feeding putting them on a diet like Super Chow or the bedding that Sandra has on her blog is best. I keep the beetles on oats because I don't feed them off and I also keep the large ones on oats because right now I am just using them to pupate into beetles but all the ones I am feeding my chams live in Super Chow For smaller chams that eat everyday I try to keep it to two or under a day.

 

[holliehawk]

Makes sense enough. Do these things smell? I have had my cham a little over a year and have really only fed him crickets with the exception of the waxies and a couple of silkies. I would LOVE to find something as easy and less stinky to use instead of crickets. They smell just awful! If he really likes them I will go all out with the nutritious bedding, but I will just try first.

 

[clarkrw3]

Makes sense enough. Do these things smell? I have had my cham a little over a year and have really only fed him crickets with the exception of the waxies and a couple of silkies. I would LOVE to find something as easy and less stinky to use instead of crickets. They smell just awful! If he really likes them I will go all out with the nutritious bedding, but I will just try first.

They can smell but not like crickets. If easy to care for, non-stinky is what you are looking for I got one word for you. Dubia! Supers are not considered a staple feeder. The three general accepted staple (please correct me if I am wrong) feeders are crickets, roaches, and Silkworms. But the key is VARIETY and gutloading!

 

[holliehawk]

I have been reading a little about those. I am worried that they will scare the crap out of me! Are they fast runners?

 

[chameleongirl2]

i think maybe you can give him some super worms or meal worms

 

[clarkrw3]

I have been reading a little about those. I am worried that they will scare the crap out of me! Are they fast runners?

They wiggle a lot (part of what the chams love about them is the movement) and do run but not as fast as crickets. Not to scare you but they can bite but it doesn't hurt. If you are hand feeding them you just have to hold on to their tail tight. They really are not bad but they will chew through a plastic bag fast most ship in canvas bags then put them in a plastic container.

 

[Rob G]

ive had some sitting in a container filled with quaker oats and cricket crack for about 4 months. They are pretty big like 2 inches and are easy to keep

 

[carol5208]

I gutload mine like crickests.