waxwormsssss!!!!!!!!!

[dudeman728]

hey everyone i just had a question about wax worms. cooper is a veiled chameleon and he is about 3 1/2 months old now. he is really healthy and his diet is mostly crickets. i recently got wax worms to try and hand feed him to trust me more. anyways, i was wondering how many wax worms is too many. i had mixed answers, but i usually feed him around 2 a week. he is still very young so i heard that they can get addicted very easily, but i was just wondering what a good number is so that cooper doesnt get addicted to them. thanks!

 

[QuioteCham]

I have also heard from some breeders that on a cham, they can put too much fat in the kidney and cause medical issues later in life. 2 a week at his age sounds like a good number

 

[SS4Luck]

my guy is about that age and he gets 2-3 silk worms a day and is offered 7 crickets too and he usually eats about 5 for them.

vary the worms you offer and you wont have as much problem i would imagine

 

[sandrachameleon]

The fewer the better. I get them maybe twice a year as a treat for my chameleons. One a week is too much IMO.
better to vary your guys diet with butterworms, silkworms, roaches and even superworms before choosing waxworms.

 

[dudeman728]

whats better about those other worms compared to wax worms?

 

[SSimsswiSS]

whats better about those other worms compared to wax worms?

Their content. Think of Woody Harrelson quest for a golden treat in Zombieland. Waxworms have the nutrition value of a Twinky.

 

[dudeman728]

so all of those options are legitimate alternatives to wax worms?

 

[SSimsswiSS]

so all of those options are legitimate alternatives to wax worms?

They're better alternatives. Variety is best. You as the care giver ultimate decide. Do a little research on your own. Waxworms get their name from feeding on wax, do the math.

 

[dudeman728]

that makes sense....how often can i give silkworms/superworms/pheonix worms?

 

[SS4Luck]

ive been using silkworms as part of my staple diest and picked up some pheonix worms today for variety. Ive been giving 2-3 good silkies and 7-10 crickets and Reptar seems to be doing great and i think he is about the same age as your guy.

I either hand feed him the worms or if he is a little mad/stressed with me i put them on his vine about 6-8" infront of him and he sprints up and gobbles it up instantly

 

[hallenhe]

One or two feedings in five is a treat day in our household, treats being primarily superworms, rarely hornworms (if I've just been to the pet store), roaches, silkies or waxies. Silkworms and roaches are good alternate staple feeders (to crickets), but Thaxter never had either before he was four, and just doesn't seem that interested. Supers might be a little big for your guy yet; I start feeding supers when the cham is ~ 5 inches snout to vent length. Mine had more waxies in his youth - probably something more like your couple a week - but they're not very big or wiggly, and he just isn't that interested any more. They are the fattiest of worms, and he wouldn't have had quite so many had I known then what I know now, but he's in pretty good health, so I don't think it did him in.