Silk Worms for Leos

[Colonel SB]

I just wanted to know from all those Leo keepers out there how do your little guys like silk worms I'm thinkin of getting some to spice up thier diets.

[Siretsap]

I got 30 something leos, and it's hard to say. A lot of my geckos will eat silks, others won't. Some people say a silkworm is the equivalent to 10 crickets..... it all depends what you feed your crickets, so don't get caught up by that. What you feed your staple food, you feed your herps. Right now, silk worms are very expensive, considering a gecko will still eat a lot of them in one time.

The item I saw my leopard geckos went bananas most on were wax worms. They act like crocs and snap in the air when they see my fingers approaching with a wax worm.

[drewlowe]

Mine enjoy them quite well!!! They also love butterworms.

[Siretsap]

I gave a wax worm to my brother 2 days ago and he liked it, but said he was full and didn't want an other one
hahahaha
he wil eat anything.

I tried butterworms, mos my leos were repelled by the smell I gues cause practically none ate some.

[drewlowe]

I agree with siretsap about how expensive they are, but they do make a good variety. once or twice a month i will order some for my leos and beardies.

[Pixie]

2 out of my 3 leos love silk worms, in fact one of them now refuses mealworms now! So she has a staple diet of silks instead! My third will take one occasionally and really doesn't like the big ones, she prefers the small ones and will eat those.

I read in many places that leos don't like butterworms. I didn't even know that until after I had fed some to mine and was looking on the internet for nutritional information. I'm happy that mine seem to really like them :)

So in all, my leos took very well to silkworms. My little one goes completely bonkers for them (MissPiggy) and for the past few weeks my Nala only seems to want soft bodied worms. I don't mind the extra expense as they are very nutritious and keeps me from having to deal with crickets!

Pixie

[wyz]

All my leos love them no exeption..

The only ones who look elsewhere are the Uroplatus.

Other than that, I never saw a lizard that didn't like silk worms.

WYZ

[scott hough]

Most of my leos love them, some of the cresties will eat them, and the beardies can't get enough.
We bought a huge lot of them right before the breeding season started, and we plan on doing the same next year.

good luck

[Linds]

All of our leos go nuts for silkworms. I would make them the mainstay of their diet if it weren't for price, and difficulty in keeping them (they only eat mulberry leaves or paste). Silks are naturally high in calcium and are supposedly tastier than a lot of the other feeder bugs out there, which makes sense since many fussy eaters will take them down no worries :)

[depressor86]

has anyone else noticed that a lot of monitors dont eat silkworms? the savs and peachthroat at our store spit them out like theyre the foulest things in the world .. and both species will eat just about anything else!

[Mr. Gray]

i find that there really isn't a set guidline for what leos will eat. Or rather all lizards. so far my leo's eat crix mealworms and wax worms without a problem, but my golden gecko refuses anything but mealies and super worms. Go figure.

[Colonel SB]

Awsome thanks for all the reply I'm deffinatly gonna try them thnaks.

[LISA127]

Anyone know how to store and keep silworms?

[Dark_Angel_x322]

Does anyone know where I can get silkies in the chicago area? or is there a place i can order them?

[drewlowe]

dark angel i order mine through www.clubdepot.com and i live in st. louis. i've never had a problem with one of my orders and well it's the only place i know where to order that isn't out of them half the time.

you can also get waxworms and butterworms there.

[LISA127]

Dark Angel-
I believe Rainbow Mealworms sells them. You have to look under "Search" on the menu on the left of the screen. They are 20 cents a piece on this site. I just don't know how to keep them if I order them.

I'm not sure what the website is exactly, but you can find it if you go to kingsnake

[Dark_Angel_x322]

what place do you order from on there?

[LISA127]

www.rainbowmealworms.com

[Dark_Angel_x322]

ok thanks that works!

[LISA127]

You're welcome. Let me know if you find out how to keep them.

[drewlowe]

but they don't sell silkworms

[LISA127]

They do, as far as I can see. When you go to the site, if you look at the menu on the left, you can click on the word Search. You will find it under that. I'll go look now, to make sure I have the right site.

[LISA127]

Yes, they are there. Just click on search. Then it will be towards the bottom of the search menu. They also sell sweet worms. Anybody know anything about sweet worms? Are they the same as butter worms or trevo worms?

[drewlowe]

http://www.rainbowmealworms.com/mealworm.htm thats where i was looking and i didn't find any but i did like you said and they were there. my bad.

I'm always looking for a better deal or better quality.

[drewlowe]

i was looking at that also lisa. I would appreciate any info on them also

[drewlowe]

reptile depot is still cheaper though 12.99 for 100 and shipping is nada.

i just tried to go back to there site and all it says is the time and i'm still alive. LOL

[Tim and Julie B]

Well, mine all seem to enjoy them, but why is no one discussing the benefits of dew worms? They are highly nutitious, very digestable and 100 is comparible in mass to about 6 or 7 thousand crix or a 1000 silkies! If you have a sick or finicky leo, just chop a couple into bite-sized pieces (they will still be a moving target!) and watch em go. And are only about $100/1000count. Just something for everyone to think about!

[Dark_Angel_x322]

I found some info on the care of silkies! http://www.mulberryfarms.com/index.php?page=faq and http://www.chateau-michel.org/silkworm_class.htm I hope these help!

[Batdad]

Originally posted by Tim and Julie B
Well, mine all seem to enjoy them, but why is no one discussing the benefits of dew worms? They are highly nutitious, very digestable and 100 is comparible in mass to about 6 or 7 thousand crix or a 1000 silkies! If you have a sick or finicky leo, just chop a couple into bite-sized pieces (they will still be a moving target!) and watch em go. And are only about $100/1000count. Just something for everyone to think about!

Where are you getting them from and where can I get more info on them, Please:)

[Blackwidow69]

Dark_Angel_x322, if your around the chicago area there is a swap close thats called Lee watsons and its 2 times a month and there is a dealer in there that carries all kinds feeder insects and she usualy has the silkworms in diffrent stages and the food they need also.. I dont remember what she was charging but you can always go there... Usualy a couple of people in there carry um.. I was gona mention to you Mullberry farms but i see you have already found that...:cool:

[Siretsap]

Just catch your own dew worms. Arounf my place, they are everywhere. Make sure you don't have pesticides where you catch them
But my leos won't eat some. They don't like the texture.

[Tim and Julie B]

You shouldn't just harvest insects for your reptiles. That'd be like setting mouse traps to feed your snakes! You have no way of knowing what they have come into contact with. Dew worms can be found in most tackle/bait shops for pretty cheap, but be sure that they haven't been dyed first. They some times do that to better attract fish.

[Siretsap]

I disagree with what you say. I have been getting my dew worms since I was a kid for fishing. I raise them but they originated from outside just like all your reptiles as a matter of fact. If you live in an area where you do not use pesticides or insecticides, there isn't anything wrong with feeding what you catch to them. And where do you think the baitshop gets them? They don't raise them they buy them off people who farm raise them (just like getting them in the wild).
I have been feeding them to my water dragons for at least 2 years and they thrive on them.
Get the book eat this bug, you will learn a lot on insects to feed to your reptiles.

[Tim and Julie B]

There are many colonly/farmed dew worm breeders. Many bait shops even sell "organic" dew worms. You just need the patience to hunt them down. Buying from farmed is not the same as wild caught. Farmed is regulated, wild caught is not. I'm just saying why take the chance with your reptiles? I'm sure that your animals are in great shape, and that their varied diet is a good idea. what I'm saying is that I would never do it. I know plenty on bugs as feeders, and have tried several myself:D but will never take a chance on my reptiles health!

[Batdad]

I agree, the problem is not just pesticides or insecticides but, any number of pollutants in the ground and enviroment these days. At least with farmed ones you have a better chance of getting clean feeders. JMHO:)

[LISA127]

I just received silkworms and butterworms that I ordered from Reptile Depot. I have two leo's. One is only 20 grams right now, so she is too small for these worms still. I also have a 65 gram leo. I tried them on her, and she won't touch them! Not even the silkworms! She looked at them, showed interest, went over and smelled them, and walked away. Grrrrr. Maybe the baby will like them when she gets older.
On the plus side, I tried them on my blue tongued skink, and of course he liked both types of worms. He'll eat any kind of insect I try, except for crickets. The crickets are too fast for him. But he liked the silkworms and butterworms. So it wasn't a total waste.