Bearded Dragons Vs Mealworms ?

[harper1]

Just wondering how old your bearded dragon has to be to eat mealworms?

If they should eat mealworms?

Harper 1

 

[animal805]

Young dragons should not be fed mealworms at all and adults should be fed Superworms occaisionally, 3-4 a week

 

[Ninabuddha]

younglings can eat mealworms but the small ones however if they are fed to much that can get impaction and die, i have had this happen to me, to my smallest beadie but my biggest is about 10months old and eats pinkie mice now

 

[animal805]

younglings can eat mealworms but the small ones however if they are fed to much that can get impaction and die, i have had this happen to me, to my smallest beadie but my biggest is about 10months old and eats pinkie mice now

^^^^ why do we even bother, mealworms are not good for your dragons. They are like lollies, chocalate and Maccas all rolled into one, very little nutritional value and can cause fatty liver disease if fed all the time. As far as pinky mice are concerned, they should only be fed to recovering females after egg laying and even then only one or two.

 

[MesseNoire]

^^^^ why do we even bother, mealworms are not good for your dragons. They are like lollies, chocalate and Maccas all rolled into one, very little nutritional value and can cause fatty liver disease if fed all the time. As far as pinky mice are concerned, they should only be fed to recovering females after egg laying and even then only one or two. Please refrain from giving crap advice when clearly you have no idea.

Mealworms are a viable part of any diet if fed in moderation.
Did you know that adult crickets have more chitin than mealworms do?
There seem to be a lot of myths concerning mealworms and you certainly aren't helping dispel them.


OP, if you were to feed mealworms try feed them when they're are pupating (in a cocoon like state) and like stated above, don't replace crickets with them, but one or two here and there are NOT going to hurt.

Even GeckoDan recommends to feed only 10% of an animals diet comprising mealworms, that's not 0% though.

 

[Chris1]

animal has said that mealworms have very little nutritional value and can cause fatty liver disease if fed all the time. This is a fact, not a myth.

 

[dragondragon]

Your dragons could also get addicted to mealworms and rehab for a beardie doesnt come cheap

 

[longirostris]

I feed my dragons a mealworm every now and then without any problems at all. What I usually do is try and select the mealworms that have just completed a shed and are still soft and white. It's about diet variation and in particular stimulating natural feeding. I see my dragons ignore crickets sometimes but take woodies. Other times they will ignore both and take flies. The intention is to try and provide an interesting and varied diet that ensures a feeding response every time my animals are fed. Sometimes mealworms are actually good for this. Many times I have been able to get an animal refusing other food items to accept freshly shed mealworms. Invariably this has kept the animal from starving itself and eventually returning to normal food items like freshly moulted crickets and woodies.

There is as others have said minimal nutritional value and a risk of fatty liver disease and gut impaction if too many are fed or mealworms are relied upon as a staple part of the animals diet but in moderation every now and then, there is no problem with feeding them to your dragons. Just make sure the size of the meal worm being fed is appropriate for the dragon you are feeding. You would not feed a superworm to a Painted dragon or Mallee Dragon even though they are aggressive feeders and will have a go at consuming one, there would be a real risk that the dragon would not be able to process the meal properly and pass the waste.

 

[animal805]

Mealworms are a viable part of any diet if fed in moderation.
Did you know that adult crickets have more chitin than mealworms do?
There seem to be a lot of myths concerning mealworms and you certainly aren't helping dispel them.


OP, if you were to feed mealworms try feed them when they're are pupating (in a cocoon like state) and like stated above, don't replace crickets with them, but one or two here and there are NOT going to hurt.

Even GeckoDan recommends to feed only 10% of an animals diet comprising mealworms, that's not 0% though.

Do you read all posts or just pick and choose then have a crack at someone? I never said never feed mealworms, I do use superworms with my adults but only a few once or maybe twice a week. I would however never feed them to such youngens as in the original post.

 

[reptalica]

I think what we are all trying to establish is that mealworms are NOT a staple in a bearded dragon's diet. They are a treat and to be regarded as such.

 

[Ninabuddha]

Everyone is to their own feeding habits, my beardie has a meat and vegie diet (pinkie mince, carrot and bokcoy with cacluim powder and little vitiam spray here and there, and crickets for excersice) and he is happy and healthy, everyone has a bias opinion because of research they have looked up. like maccas isnt good for you but when your fat reserves are low its the best thing to have to restore them then have a healthy meal after. i also feed my snake chickens others rabbit, rat its all about the way you have an opinion on things.

 

[CarpetPythons.com.au]

I have had no issues with feeding dragons mealworms. They are great as part of a mixed varied diet.

 

[Ramsayi]

At least no one has chimed in stating that meal worms can eat their way out of a lizards stomach :lol:

 

[animal805]

I have had no issues with feeding dragons mealworms. They are great as part of a mixed varied diet.

Why does that not suprise me?

 

[CarpetPythons.com.au]

What is that supposed to mean?

Why does that not suprise me?

 

[animal805]

nothing at all, just people are saying they are fine as "part" of a mixed diet and I agree, but not an everyday food. Seems I have trouble getting my meaning across

 

[CarpetPythons.com.au]

That is your opinion.

 

[Tyl3r]

I'll mix mealworms with my bearded dragon's salad sometimes to give him variation in is diet, I breed woodies, crickets and mealworms so I have a 'unlimited' supply of food for my bearded dragon if he is not interested in what I try to give him first, for example, if he doesn't want woodies, I'll give him crickets, if he doesn't want either, I'll give him some mealworms. Each to their own I suppose.

Cheers,
Tyler

 

[Rogue5861]

I have no issues with feeding mealworms or superworms to beardies, i alway provide an basking spot around 43c though. Keeping them hot allows they better control over digesting and passing their foods.

All my beardies got 3grams of mealworms each today, they go absolutly crazy for them.

I wouldnt suggest it as an everyday food unless you are keeping too small numbers, beardies will take mealworms over any other food i have offered. I find feeding them mealworms daily turns off their appetite for other live foods.


Rick

 

[animal805]

That is your opinion.

and a lot of other peoples it would seem. Each to his/her own.