I did some shopping today and needed to pick up some sphagnum moss. I remembered the garden center we go to had dried mealworms in the bird seed section so I grabbed a good sized tub of them for the Boxies and Redfoots. They were definitely a big hit with everyone.

can we say grody?!? I'll have to try that with my sweeties for a treat!

Yea the dried ones will be less on the grody scale for you than buying lives ones I would think!

With the redfoots' well being in mind only.. I'm walking on eggs here I realize.. but you would be far better off offering a pinky than mealworms Anja. Mealworms have little or no nutritional value guys.. and I don't know how you could possibly "gut-load" them. I am certainly open to a valid legitimate reference stating otherwise.

It's vital that we stay within the guidelines of high calcium/protein/carbs for redfoot tortoises. Fewer "staple" has proven far better than a vast variety.. for those of us that have been caring for them for upwards of ten years or more. [ Much more cost effect too. ] I know very little about very much.. but maybe G. carbonaria - it always helps to know someone who does.

FWIW...

Terry

This post was last modified: 02-23-2008 09:45 AM by Redfoot NERD.

This was only a treat, they are receiving plenty of protein items. Thanks.

http://www.hcmealworm.com/


mealworms have a 58% protein content.

Who/where is the source in the U.S.?

Terry

I take in quite a few turtles and tortoises each year, and most of them come with "stuff." Teeny, tiny plastic carriers, little 5 gallon aquariums, lots of cans of floating turtle pellets and the occasional can of dried meal worms. I don't use any of that stuff. But one day, I was out of food for my hatchling box turtles, so I went out to the garage and picked up a can of dried meal worms. I couldn't believe that they actually ate them. I thought the food had to wiggle in order to entice the little ones to eat, but they actually ate the dried meal worms!!! Something else to use in a pinch!

Yvonne

Anywhere you look in this search the mealworms protein content is over 50%. Doesnt matter if they are in the US or not, a mealworm is a mealworm. We dont fed them to other reptiles such as geckos, bearded dragons etc just for the heck of it, they do have nutritional value.

This post was last modified: 02-23-2008 12:32 PM by JustAnja.

I can't speak for the feeding of mealworms to bearded dragons or geckos ( a fairly broad group) but as a breeder of blue-tongue skinks, I consider them almost useless as do other breeders. For the curious, http://bluetongueskinks.net and look at the caresheet. I've taken this info and applied to another omnivirous reptile,my rfs.