Worms as a staple food item??

[Dmcugy]

Is there any worm that is nutritious enough to feed as their main form of food? If so do they require any type of supplement dusting?

 

[carol5208]

It is said that no food should be used as a "staple" and variety is best. Here is some nutritional value info on different feeders including worms. It varies here and there from the different places that determined the values. I use alot of silks as they are lower in fat that supers, although the supers seem to be my chams favorite. He does not eat crickets! http://chamownersweb.net/insects/nutritional_values.htm oh and yes dust all your worms as would your crickets!

 

[Dmcugy]

It is said that no food should be used as a "staple" and variety is best. Here is some nutritional value info on different feeders including worms. It varies here and there from the different places that determined the values. I use alot of silks as they are lower in fat that supers, although the supers seem to be my chams favorite. He does not eat crickets! http://chamownersweb.net/insects/nutritional_values.htm oh and yes dust all your worms as would your crickets!

So what i have gathered is that if i were to pick a type of worm that is my primary feeder (definitely not the only type of feeder) that silk worms are a good choice? I just dont really like keeping crickets! hah

 

[carol5208]

I do not feed crickets either. I would by my cham just wont eat them. I have never tried the dubias but am going to be getting a few to try soon from another member who lives in Florida. I cannot get them shipped in my state from anyone who breeds them. I guess it is illegal. They make a good feeder also. My cham eats all types of worms and then I let the silks cocoon and feed the moths. I try not to feed just one type of worm as the main food. I just mix it up. I also feed the solider flies from phoenix worms, but they are small and do not provide much as a food source. Yes Silkworms are great feeders and not too fatty.

 

[Jhov2324]

I've been dusting Dubias....every other day.....is that ok.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Silkworms are good, but Variety is important. As is ensuring at least some of the feeders used are easily gutloaded. That's one reason why roaches and crickets tend to be used. I recommend no one feeder make up more than 20% of the chameleons diet. If using a lot of soft bodied feeders, like silkworms, be sure to add in some "roughage" from supers, mealworms, roaches, terrestrial isopods and crickets at least part of the time, to aid digestion. Too much chinton can be bad, but so can too little.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I've been dusting Dubias....every other day.....is that ok.

dusting with what?
what do you gutload with?
what else, other than dubia, do you offer?
what type of chameleon?