Superworm question

[MollyT]

Sorry folks...but I tried searching for the answer to my question and couldn't find it. What is the best way to keep superworms? What, if anything, do I feed them? I am only planning on giving him one a week, bc I really don't want him getting strung out on them and going on a food strike! Does that seem like a good idea or would it be okay to give him a bit more than that? He seemed to really enjoy his first one. Thanks!

 

[crocky]

I have about a 1 inch mix of oats and chow ( whatever kind of chow I am using) in the bottom of the bio keep them in. Right now it is chick feed for my dragons feeders, then I use water crystals, veggies and fruits for water. They go through the food and water very quickly, piggy little worms!

I got about 1,000 a couple of months ago and they are still going strong. I mix in feed about once a week or so.

I am sure there are different ways but this works for me

 

[kinyonga]

I had superworms living in my turtles' cages and prehensile tailed anole's cage for years. I fed them the same things I gutloaded the crickets with. There was a sandy soil substrate with moist areas in it and I used a piece of rotting wood for them to hide/live under. They reproduced in these cages too. I also had crickets living in their cages.

 

[MollyT]

So crickets won't bother them? I never thought I could keep them with crickets!

 

[MollyT]

Another quick question. I don't have any sand laying around at the moment..so would it be okay for me to use organic potting soil? It doesn't have any fertilizer or anything in it.

 

[kinyonga]

The cages were quite big and there was lots for the insects to eat so it didn't seem to matter. Don't forget I wasn't trying to grow a huge colony...just enough to keep the replies fed.

The potting soil should begin as long as you keep one area moist.

 

[crocky]

One of the reason I use oats (plain ole oatmeal) and feed mixed together for the superworms is so that I don't get any straggling soil on the worm when I go to feed. Keeps things pretty clean and easy to get them out without any lingering substrate. Of course that is for keeping them to feed not for breeding them.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Sorry folks...but I tried searching for the answer to my question and couldn't find it. What is the best way to keep superworms? What, if anything, do I feed them? I am only planning on giving him one a week, bc I really don't want him getting strung out on them and going on a food strike! Does that seem like a good idea or would it be okay to give him a bit more than that? He seemed to really enjoy his first one. Thanks!

IMO Superworms should form no more than 20% of your chameleons diet. So one per week is probably fine.

this is a good substrate to keep them in (better than just oats):
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/443-superworm-substrate-gutload-one.html
keep them in a container of any type with a couple inches from the top of the substrate (which should be an inch or two deep) to the top of tha container (no lid required). add veg and fruit in small pieces on top of substrate to provide moisture. slightly rotting wood /leaf litter is also good - though be cautious of tannis if you are feeding off to chameleons.

here is more info you may find useful:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/can-i-breed-my-19747/
http://www.howtobreedsuperworms.com/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/bocajan/45-super-worm-breeding.html