Superworms For Bearded Dragons

Are you need to know about the Superworms For Bearded Dragons? How many superworms to feed a bearded dragon?

Unlike mealworms, superworms have a softer exoskeleton that makes them easier for beardies to eat. These worms also provide more flavor and a higher nutritional value.

You can find these insects in most pet stores, online and off, that sell feeder insects for reptiles. Make sure to purchase with fresh quality.

Superworms For Bearded Dragons: They’re High in Protein

Bearded dragons require a high level of protein during the juvenile stage, so it makes sense that they would go bonkers for a tasty treat like superworms. However, these feeder insects should only be fed in moderation. When a lizard eats too many of these fatty snacks, they may experience gut impaction. This condition occurs when undigested food gets stuck in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to weight loss and severe health complications.

Superworms also contain high levels of calcium and fat, which are important for a reptile’s overall wellbeing. However, they also contain high levels of phosphorus, which can cause metabolic bone disease in reptiles by inhibiting new calcium absorption and depleting existing calcium. This is why it is crucial to dust superworms with a calcium powder before feeding them to your beardie. This will help prevent phosphorus overload and minimize the risk of metabolic bone disease.

How Many Superworms to Feed a Bearded Dragon

Beardie owners frequently ask about how many superworms to feed their pets. Luckily, finding the right amount is easy enough. Superworms are a great food source that can provide lots of vitamins and minerals for your reptile. They are rich in calcium, fat, and protein and can find at most pet stores and bait shops.

However, like any other feeder insect, it’s important not to overfeed your reptile. Overfeeding can lead to gut impaction, a serious condition in which undigested food gets stuck in the lizard’s digestive tract. This can cause weight loss, health complications, and even death.

To prevent this problem, always make sure you purchase your superworms from a pet store or reptile specialty shop rather than a bait store. Not only will the staff be able to help you choose the best variety, but they can also give you tips on feeding your worms correctly.

For example, you should not let superworms roam free in a substrate-filled enclosure because they will bury themselves and become difficult for your dragon to find. Additionally, you should never feed your worms any wild insects because they may be carrying harmful bacteria or viruses.

Before you feed your superworms to your lizard, it is important to dust them with a vitamin and mineral supplement. This will ensure that your pet is getting all of the nutrients they need.

You can use a powdered reptile food supplement designed for this purpose or a combination of mineral-rich materials, such as eggshell powder and cuttlebone. It’s best to do this immediately before feeding the worms because their nutritional value will decrease over time.

Superworms For Bearded Dragons: They’re High in Fat

Because of their high fat content, it is important to only feed superworms in small quantities. Too many of these worms can lead to gut impaction and other digestive issues. This is especially true for baby bearded dragons. Their gastrointestinal tracts are not yet fully developed and can be overwhelmed by the large amounts of fat, protein and hard exoskeletons in these worms.

If you decide to feed your lizard superworms, be sure to properly prepare them before feeding time. You should gut load the worms (feed them a diet of carrots, sweet potatoes and leafy greens for 24 hours) and dust them with a calcium powder before feeding. This will enhance their nutritional value considerably and help prevent metabolic bone disease over the long term.

It is also important to keep in mind that these worms will eventually turn into darkling beetles and may bury themselves in the substrate of your lizard’s enclosure. This can be a problem for lizards that are sensitive to this and require a more shallow type of enclosure.

They’re High in Phosphorus

While superworms can be a tasty treat for adult bearded dragons, they should not be use as a regular food source. Baby dragons are more sensitive to phosphorus than adults, and can suffer from health complications such as metabolic bone disease when too much is fed them.

If you want to feed your beardie some superworms, be sure that you gut-load them with calcium-rich foods a day or two before you plan to feed them. Also, be careful not to overfeed them – a bloated or lethargic dragon is an indicator that you have been feeding it too many superworms.

You can store your superworms between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit in a large plastic container, along with potato slices or pieces of carrot for hydration. Do not refrigerate them as this can kill them. Also, be sure to remove any worms that begin to change into a darkling beetle form as they will become cannibalistic and will kill the other worms.

They’re High in Calcium

Bearded dragons are prone to metabolic bone disease and other health complications if they don’t get enough calcium. And while superworms have more phosphorus than calcium, they do offer some of the important mineral. That’s why it is best to use them in moderation and supplement with other more nutritious foods, such as crickets and Dubia roaches.

When fed to your beardie, it is recommended that you first dust the worms with a powdered calcium supplement to balance their phosphorous and calcium levels. This will help your pet absorb the nutrients more easily, making them a healthier and more nutritious food option for your reptile.

Be sure to keep the superworms in a container that they can’t climb out of and place them inside your reptile’s enclosure. Never leave them out in the substrate, as they may bury themselves and be difficult to find later on, and could possibly become a choking hazard. Also, be on the lookout for signs of overfeeding such as bloating and lethargy.