what to feed mealworms for bearded dragons

by Jeremy Cartwright Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Steps to Feeding Bearded Dragons with Mealworms

Buy live mealworms The good thing about mealworms is that they are available in most pet stores. You can also buy them online. ...
Dust mealworms with calcium Before feeding mealworms to bearded dragons, it is a good idea to sprinkle them with calcium dust. ...
Feed your reptile by hand

Mealworms can be a tasty treat for your bearded dragon. Once beardies reach the juvenile stage (five to 18 months), they can safely eat mealworms. Still, these insects should form only a very small part of your beardie's diet. Balance mealworms with fruits, vegetables, and other insects.

Full Answer

How many mealworms should I Feed my bearded dragon?

Types of Mealworms for Bearded Dragons

Regular Mealworms. The most popular of the 3. They are used by pet owners, fisherman etc. ...
Super Mealworms. Regular mealworms which have been modified with hormones. This prevents them from entering the beetle stage.
Beetle. This is the final stage of their life cycle. The mealworms morphs into white larvae before becoming a beetle.

How good is it to feed mealworms to bearded dragon?

Feed your dragon vegetables minimally four times weekly.
Use baby mealworms. When mealworms are young (hatchlings), they are easier for the beardie to eat and digest.
Only offer one to two worms.

Are meal worms bad for bearded dragons?

Mealworms have high fat and phosphorous content but low in calcium and protein. Feeding bearded dragons with mealworms will only make beardies fatter and unhealthy. Another bad thing that could happen to bearded dragons is that they could get addicted to mealworms and will not eat other foods.

What types of worms can you feed a bearded dragon?

Kale
Carrots
Pumpkin
Apple
Watermelon
Peaches
Raspberries
Strawberries
Pheonix Worms
Mealworms

More items...

Can bearded dragons eat mealworms daily?

How Many Mealworms Can An Adult Bearded Dragon Eat A Day? Mealworms are not a nutritious addition to a beardie's diet. But they are a tasty treat. You can feed two or three mealworms to your beardie as a supplement to their daily insect diet.

What is the best thing to feed mealworms?

Mealworms like to eat apples and other fruits, potatoes, oats and grains, and birdseed. Wild mealworms also eat decaying matter like fungus, dead leaves, rotting fruits and vegetables, and rotting plants.

How many meal worms should I feed my bearded dragon?

Adult bearded dragons should eat 5 to 6 mealworms in a single feeding session but only once a week. For baby bearded dragons, provide a maximum of two mealworms 1-2 times a week and use them only as a treat rather than the main meal.

Can you feed dried mealworms to bearded dragons?

Fluker's Bearded Dragon Medley Treat Food – This is a mix of freeze-dried crickets, mealworms, and grasshoppers. This food is high in protein and low in fat.

Can I feed mealworms oats?

You can use wheat bran, oatmeal, cornmeal, wheat flour, Wheaties, Cheerios, ground up dry dog food, or a mixture of these dry foods. Fill the bottom of the container two or three inches deep with the food substrate. You will have to add more food regularly since mealworms are big eaters.

What to feed mealworms to keep them alive?

Fresh vegetables are the best source to offer them. A fresh cut potato or some fresh carrots will give the worms their needed water and nutrients. Because the mealworms can last up to a full year before transitioning into the pupa stage, this will give them plenty of time to eat and grow.

Can you leave mealworms in bearded dragon tank?

Can mealworms cause impaction?

No, mealworms will not cause impaction in a healthy animal either. They're just not all that nutritious, mealworms have less meat-to-shell ratio than superworms do, for example.

What should a bearded dragon eat daily?

Young bearded dragons are omnivorous (approximately 50% insects and 50% plant matter). As they mature, they will eat more vegetables and transition to mostly herbivorous (approximately 90% plant matter). Insects - Feed gut-loaded insects (crickets or dubia roaches) 1x daily.

What is the best live food for bearded dragons?

The Best Live Food for Bearded DragonsBrown Crickets. Brown crickets are the staple of many insectivorous and omnivorous reptile diets. ... Locust. Locust are a much more active and colourful prey for your dragon. ... Waxworms. ... Mealworms. ... Cockroaches.

What's the best food for a bearded dragon?

The following list of insects, vegetables and fruits are good choices to include in your bearded dragon's diet:Dubia roaches, earthworms, crickets and superworms.Apples, blueberries, peaches, strawberries and watermelon.Cabbage, carrots, collard greens, kale, pumpkin and sweet potato.

What can you feed bearded dragon Besides crickets?

Bearded Dragons can eat a wide range of live food such as crickets, mealworms and kingworms; vegetables such as sweet potato and pepper and leafy greens such as kale and parsley . They can also eat limited amounts of fruit.

What is the best thing to feed a bearded dragon?

An adult beardie does best on a varied diet, consisting of 75% fruit and vegetable, and 25% live foods such as locusts or mealworms. When feeding a...

How do you feed mealworms to bearded dragons?

This will depend on your bearded dragon. If the beardie likes to feed themself, you can get special bowls with a lip and place the mealworms inside...

What kind of worms can bearded dragons eat?

Never feed earthworms caught from the garden. These are toxic to beardies. However, it's fine for an adult bearded dragon to eat a variety of waxwo...

What is the best food for a bearded dragon?

Live crickets are probably the most popular feeder insect for bearded dragons. They offer a good mix of protein and calcium, are readily available in good pet shops, and most beardies find them appealing.

What do bearded dragons eat?

Bearded dragons usually survive and thrive on a mixture of insects, leafy green vegetables, and the occasional piece of fruit, along with supplements to incorporate additional vitamins and minerals that they need.

Can you feed a beardie mealworms?

Mealworms are not a nutritious addition to a beardie’s diet. But they are a tasty treat. You can feed two or three mealworms to your beardie as a supplement to their daily insect diet.

Can you feed dried mealworms to bearded bears?

Whether the worms were naturally dried or freeze-dried, they do not need to be kept cold in the same way. So, it is safe to feed dried mealworms to your beardie, but they have the same caveats, so they should be fed in moderation and only to fully mature beardies.

Do mealworms have fat?

They Are High In Fat. They may not look it, but mealworms are high in fat for their size. This means that if you feed too many to your beardie, it can cause them to put weight on. If you feed additional treats and other high-fat foods, you should be especially careful when giving mealworms as a treat.

Can lizards eat mealworms?

Once you stop feeding it, they may be looking for the mealworm and avoid any other insects or foods that you offer instead. No matter how well you dust them, the mealworm is not a solid replacement for other insects.

Can you feed a beardie cricket?

You can dust them with supplements, to increase the vitamin and mineral content of the feeder insect, but you should feed other types of insect, such as crickets, as your beardie’s primary meat-based food source.

Why are mealworms so popular?

Mealworms are so popular amongst not just people with beardies but also other reptiles, birds, amphibians, and small mammals because of the following reasons: 1 They are cheap to buy – If you consider their price, you will notice that they are quite affordable with 5000 medium size mealworms going for a little as $40 or less. 2 Raising and maintaining mealworms is easy and cheap – With a container, a means of keeping their optimum temperature that is between 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit, substrate and a few veggies, they can easily be kept alive or bred. 3 They are large – Their large size means that most pets will eat only a few and they are full. 4 They live long – If refrigerated, typically at 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit, they will go dormant but not die for several months. All you need to do is let them out for a day or two to eat.

Why is my beardie not eating?

If your beardie is not eating, it could be poor terrarium conditions such as low temperature, i t is sick, shedding, impacted, has stress, parasites, and other reasons. Also, brumation, and so on may be a cause.

How to feed a bearded dragon mealworms?

The best way to feed mealworms to a bearded dragon is by using your fingers. Beardies would normally lick it to get the food. However, you need to be careful when you do this. Although beardies are not known to be aggressive, they can accidentally bite your fingers.

Do bearded dragons need calcium?

This is also great if you think that your reptile is consuming less calcium-rich foods. Remember that bearded dragons need the right amount of calcium. The truth is no matter how balanced the beardies’ diet is; they normally don’t get the right amount of calcium they need.

Can you feed dead mealworms to bearded dragons?

Never feed your bearded dragons dead mealworms. Step 2. Dust mealworms with calcium. Before feeding mealworms to bearded dragons, it is a good idea to sprinkle them with calcium dust. This will help beardies get the calcium they need for healthy bone.

Can you keep mealworms in storage?

If they do, they will potentially choke or experience some issues such as choking and impaction. You can keep the mealworms in storage if you want.

Can mealworms be fed to bearded dragons?

This external skeletal system is hard to digest if it can be digested at all. This is the reason why mealworms are not normally fed to a baby or juvenile bearded dragons. Remember that hard foods can potentially cause impaction in beardies. Therefore, mealworms can be harmful if fed to young or baby beardies.

Can baby bearded dragons eat mealworms?

Baby bearded dragons should not be fed mealworms. The main reason for this is because mealworms have a hard exoskeleton that could potentially cause several health issues. Bearded dragons are safe with smaller insects such as crickets and tiny wax worms. Just wait until your baby beardie reaches the juvenile stage.

What do mealworms eat?

A bearded dragon needs time to digest the hard shell of the mealworm. Their diet should consist mainly of greens, meat, and other insects. Live mealworms for bearded dragons is the best option.

Where do bearded dragons come from?

Bearded Dragons originated from the deserts of Australia. They are also found in several different environments across the country including scrublands, woodlands and along the shores.

How many eggs do mealworms lay?

A bag of wheat for example, is an ideal food source and habitat for them to live. A female mealworm lays approximately 500 eggs. So, they are a devastating pest for people who find them in their property. The oldest known mealworms to be found were in what is now Turkey.

Can you feed mealworms to bearded dragons?

This makes them a great choice of a mealworm for your bearded dragon as they are easier to consume. Due to their size , they should only be fed to adult beardies.

Can mealworms climb?

Mealworms can’t climb. Once finished, it is important to remove any left-over mealworms in the bowl. Bearded dragons should be fed fresh mealworms only. Tip: Insects bigger than the space between a bearded dragon’s eyes, should not be fed to them.

Can you put calcium powder on mealworms?

This is simply done by mixing the supplement in a bowl with the mealworms. The bowl used should be such that they are unable to escape. Mealworms can’t climb.

Is the bearded dragon in the wild?

Breeding in captivity between different species of bearded dragons has resulted in ‘‘morphs’’. These are a colour not found in the wild.

Can bearded dragons eat mealworms?

You can feed mealworms to bearded dragons but due to their high-fat content, they’re best used as a treat rather than the main meal. Baby bearded dragons can start eating mealworms at the age of 8 months to prevent the risk of choking and excessive weight gain.

How many mealworms to feed a bearded dragon

Can bearded dragons eat mealworm beetles?

Mealworm beetles are the last stage in the life cycle of mealworms. You can also feed these beetles to your bearded dragons. Unlike the mealworms that contain a lot of fat and little protein, mealworm beetles contain a lot of protein and little fat.

Benefits of Mealworms for Beardies

When looking for the best diet for your bearded dragon, there are a lot of factors you need to consider. It is essential to ensure you offer your beardie the best there is for good health and quality life.

Considerations and Precautions

When incorporating mealworms into your beardie’s diet, you must observe moderation because they contain a lot of fat and phosphor in comparison to their calcium and protein content. High phosphor levels restrict calcium absorption for bearded dragons.

How long does it take for mealworms to increase their calcium to phosphorus ratio?

Within 24 hours of feeding a calcium supplement to the mealworms (mixed into their substrate) the calcium to phosphorus ratio was improved and available to growing chicks. Anderson (2000) successfully increased the calcium to phosphorus ratio in mealworms within 24 hours using calcium fortified commercial diet.

What is the recommended humidity for mealworms?

Andersen et al (2017) recommends a relative humidity of 50-70% to balance between providing humidity for optimal growth and reducing the associated risks to the mealworms.

How long does a mealworm pupae last?

When the mealworm is ready to enter pupal stage it moves to the surface (Singh, 1975). The duration of the pupae stage lasts for around 7 days at 25°C (77°F) (Andersen et al, 2017). However, this stage can last up to 9 months if it must go through winter.

Can mealworms cause bone disease?

Feeding large quantities of mealworms or exclusively on mealworms causes a deficiency in calcium in chicks (Klasing et al., 2000) and in reptiles may cause metabolic bone disease (MBD) (Brown, 2012). This is frequently raised as a concern by vets around the world for reptiles.

Do mealworms eat plastic?

They are scavengers and omnivores (Dellinger and Day, 2018) eating pretty much anything. In fact, they will even eat polystyrene and plastics (Brandon et al., 2018) which is being researched for its benefits from an environment perspective. Mealworms rapidly eating through polystyrene.

Can you freeze mealworms for bearded dragons?

How to freeze mealworms for bearded dragon feed. Yes you can freeze mealworms. As per Andersen et al., (2017) the steps to harvesting mealworms for storage are: If the gut content of the mealworm is not to be kept, then store the mealworms at 15°C (59°F) for 1 day. This will allow them to pass their gut content.

Is a mealworm a good food source?

For humans, mealworms are promoted as being high in nutrients and a viable food source ( Vigneron, 2019). When compared with the nutritional value of meats such as beef and chicken, mealworms were shown to provide higher nutritional value (Payne et al, 2016).