Wow! Worf gobbles up those monster hornworms

[gideonus]

Despite the general rule about feeding insects no larger than the cham's head, but aware that soft-bodied insects like silkies and hornworms are different, I put in a very large green hornworm into Worf's enclosure yesterday. Worf is a 6.5 month old male veiled (now about 11 inches head to tail). Since Worf last shed he's gone from being a very public eater to eating only when I'm not looking (a pity). But eat he does. A few days ago, when I put a 3 inch hornworm into his enclosure, he just looked at it for quite some time, but when I came back an hour or two later, the caterpillar was gone and Worf looked content. Today I put in another even larger horn (Mulberry Farms said they were 'medium' size, but in fact they ranged in size from an inch to nearly 4 inches). Worf left it there for hours, but it too finally disappeared. Wow, I'm impressed. Worf seems just fine, so I assume he somehow figured out how to down this monstrous meal. It's probably better that I didn't witness the mayhem.


Anyone have any experience with their chams downing such large soft-bodied worms? The only time I actually saw him go for a worm was a 2 inch silkworm, also a pretty impressive undertaking, but he had absolutely no problem.

 

[nick barta]

You need a strong stomach to watch a horn worm explode! It also requires cleaning the screen before the guts dry!

Nick

 

[gideonus]

Better not to witness

Nick:

Me thinks you're right. Just as well that I missed the carnage of an exploding Hornworm. But strange, there is absolutely no evidence of the horn having been consumed. Just that it's gone. Of course, I did see large poops in the cage in the last couple of days, so clearly Mr. Horn has been assimilated (yes, resistance IS futile, you horns WILL be assimilated--this Star Trek stuff is getting out of control).

 

[hallenhe]

Thaxter (a four year old male panther) has always been a public eater (as long as you don't make eye contact), and enjoys climbing on people. The largest hornworm he ever ate, he ate on my arm. First bite: worm juice spurts out (hornworm innards will stain people and clothing). Second bite: whatever remained in the hornworm equivalent of the large intestine was forced out by the pressure. Third bite: more worm juice.

It was a bit more up close and personal than I want to get to a hornworm feast, but Thaxter had fun.