Small Mealworms

[reptilez]

is it okay to feed small mealworms to baby beardies. the beardies are about 2 weeks old and about 3-4 inches long.
-Reptilez

[Kat]

I would have to say no. Even though the mealie itself is small, their extoskeleton (hard ting that protects the body) it still hard and difficult for Beardies to digest. Baby beardies can get impacted very easily and it is usually fatal. If I were you I'd wait till he's al grown up to give him a mealie! :)

[krrc]

ya I would wait.. even with my 10 going on 11 month olds I try to only offer them as "treats." I would stick to a well balanced diet and in a few months when they are more safe to handle you can use waxworms. BTW are these beadies ones you bread yourself? because that is young to be able to buy in a store. (I hope they arent selling them that young)

[reptilez]

I bred them my self
thanx for your help,
-Reptilez

[krrc]

o ok. do you breed meailes too? if you did you may be able to get the ones that just molted with have very low chitlen. (it wouldnet make sence to buy them for 3-4 that you may get.

[reptilez]

I only breed lizards and snakes....no insects or rodents...But i can get real small mealies at Reptilia that are like smaller than a inch....would that be okay to feed them??

[Kat]

It's not the size of the mealie that matters really, it's their hard exteriour. It's too hard for baby beardies to digest. Hold off on the mealies till their grown up. If you want to give them a treat now try some small silkies. I get the 1/2 inch ones and there are always some tiny ones in there suitable for babies.

[eyespy]

Mealies also don't have the high moisture content of a cricket so a little baby beardie would be more prone to dehydration. So even recently molted mealies aren't the best choice for feeding.

[Herp guy]

Wait till the mealie sheds its exoskeleton then they are aoft and you can give it to them.

[reptilez]

Thanx for the replies &
Happy herping,
-Reptilez

[Kyle Walkinshaw]

Reptilez, totally STAY AWAY from small mealworms, they are completely worthless to feed anything, there is almost no meat. Like Kat mentioned they are too hard because of their exoskeleton, in fact they are almost completely exoskeleton which makes them a pointless meal. Wait until your dragon is big enough to handle large kingworms with lots of meat on them :)

Good luck and happy herping :)