Are meal worms safe?

[grettas mom]

I was wondering, are meal worms safe for redfoots and if so, alive or dried?

 

[fifthdawn]

I'm pretty sure they're safe. Alive or dried is fine. Mines will eat either

 

[kimber_lee_314]

Yes, mine eat them, although most of the time mine are too lazy to chase after them!

 

[Defiant]

They are safe but I have heard there are many different and better choices for animal matter. Mealworms aren't very meaty and they have more exoskeleton vs meaty center. If you must feed worms I would go with phoenix worms/calci worms. They offer the best calicum and protien vs fat ratio. Terry's care sheet is very very good. I would suggest that you take a look at that. He offers his redfoots high protein low fat rehydrated cat food as a source of animal protein. As you'll see his torts look exceptionally healthy and attractive. http://www.turtletary.com/redfootcare.htm

 

[cordell]

Mealworms have a phosphorus to calcium ratio of something like 15 to 1. Meaning the phosphorus cancels out any calcium given, up to 14 times, if that makes sense. I am not sure what the ratios need to be for red foots but boxies it is a 2 to 1 calcium to phosphorus. Superworms are said to be better though I am not sure the phosphorus to calcium they contain.

cordell

 

[Defiant]

Here is a nutritional chart for some of the most common feeder insects.

 

[cordell]

Here is a nutritional chart for some of the most common feeder insects.

The Phoenix Worm looks like a good worm for my box turt!

thanks!

 

[grettas mom]

Ok. Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I guess if I do use them, I will use them with moderation, basically like I do with the rest of her diet, but maybe use meal worms only on occassion

 

[Tom]

They are safe in moderation, but ROACHES are better and much more nutritious!

 

[Madkins007]

You can find a nice chart for a bunch of bugs at http://www.house-of-reptiles.com/feederinvertebrates.pdf. Doesn't show a lot of the 'newer' options, though. A more complete but awkward paper is at http://www.nagonline.net/.../NAGFS00397Insects-JONIFEB24,2002MODIFIED.pdf

A couple of mealworms is not going to through off the overall Ca: P ratio much, nor will a couple of the shells bother the slow, powerful digestion of the Red-foot- there are just better options for the most part.

By the way, here is the companion chart for small feeder vertebrates (mice, chicks, etc.): http://www.house-of-reptiles.com/feedervertebrates.pdf

By the way- if your habitat can allow for it, live prey that moves in the habitat is a great way to 'enrich' your torts!

 

[Tom]

By the way- if your habitat can allow for it, live prey that moves in the habitat is a great way to 'enrich' your torts!

You're talking about ROACHES, aren't you?!! Ha Ha.

 

[Madkins007]

By the way- if your habitat can allow for it, live prey that moves in the habitat is a great way to 'enrich' your torts!

You're talking about ROACHES, aren't you?!! Ha Ha.

You are awfully eager to get your namesake animals eaten, aren't you?

However, yes- as Roachman knows, roaches are pretty easy and odorless to raise (especially compared to crickets, yuck!), OK nutritionally (especially if fed right), and accepted by most insectivores, etc.

Some are even gorgeous (if you can get past them being roaches ).

 

[grettas mom]

well. I think I might have to keep roaches in mind for Gretta for something different. I actually tried an earthworm that I bought at work (I work at a petstore so I know they were "clean") and GFretta refused to eat it. In fact, she actually just ripped it apart! It was pretty disgusting!

 

[kimber_lee_314]

Mine love a frozen pinky from time to time (thawed of course.) They also enjoy a small piece of cooked chicken or boiled egg.

 

[dmmj]

The only problems I have heard concerning mealworms is that their shell is not as digestible so some owners have had compaction issues , but I have never known anyone personally with that problem usually just online, I feed my RF and Bocxie meal worms but always in moderation. Though TBH they like slugs more than they do mealworms.

 

[fifthdawn]

The impacting issue only affect really small lizard and geckos because their intestinal tract's turn is about the size of the worm. And even then, it usually happens because their not properly heated. I really doubt torts can get impacted by mealworms. The shell gets pretty soft too afterawhile in liquid, esp stomach acid. Also I think the impacting material is chitin and meal worms's shell makeup contain very little.