Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Sniper just finished off the first shipment of silkworms(he loves 'em)and is back to eating just crickets and zophobas until I receive the butterworms I ordered. I wanted to try something new since the silkworms pretty much ate most of the leaves off my little mulberry tree and I need to let it recover. I'm not crazy about the idea of preparing chow, and butterworms are supposed to be maintenance free. Has anyone else tryed them? Do your chams love butterworms as much as silkworms? I'm also curious about phoenix worms, although I haven't ordered any yet. Any input would be appreciated.

My chameleons take butterworms as easily as silkworms. They store easily in the fridge (I let them warm up before feeding to the chameleons). Butterworms are Soft bodied, relatively high in calcium. You can get them in a range of sizes, suitable to feed any chameleon 4 months old to adult. Though Butterworms dont get as large as silkworms can. Butterworms dont hang onto branches like silkies, so you are better to put them in a cup. They do make silk/web like silkies. So if left in the cup a long time you'll have to clean out the webbing now and then, especially if you use the same feeding cup for Crickets, which can climb the webbing.

I've bought pheonix worms (maggots) and they were well liked by my young chameleons. I offered them to only half of them, and that half showed no ill effects compared to the control half. However I personally just didnt like the look/feel of them and cleaning off the wood shavings they come packed in (which may or may not be necessary) was a pain.
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SandraChameleon@gmail.com
BC Canada

I personally have tried them and have a mixed opinion on them. Of course I would prefer to feed a wide range of feeders to my collection but I have yet to re-order them since my second shipment. I found that they are much easier to store and maintain then other feeders but the negatives out weighed the positive for me personally. They are much more smaller then silkies or hornworms that I have been using as staple feeders. They are not well adapted to clinging or staying on to the branches. Instead I found them to fall to the floor of the caging and find small crevasses to hide in or even the drip pans of the plants. Sandra is right about the wood chips, it’s ANNOYING ! As far as the chams appetite, I can honestly say they don’t care for them. I'm not sure if it’s a taste thing or size but my NoseBes and Sambavas do not prefer them. I have tried taking them off feed for two days and then offering them again but with no change in behavior. They just do not like them. I am only housing juveniles and adults at this time though so once the hatchlings are here and eating well I will try them for the smaller guys and gals. Maybe they will prefer them instead due to the size. I hope that if you do try them and have a successful outcome that you will post it. I would be willing to try it again, good luck to ya

and should not be given as a staple. Yes, they are high in Calcium but almost 88% fat!

Nutritional Information
Moisture 58.54
Ash 1.04
Protein 16.20
Fat 5.21
Calories/Fat 87.73
Calcium (ml/100 grs) 42.90

they, like waxworms, should only be given as an occasional treat.

compare to this chart
bug's nutrition

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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
1.1.1 Side-blotched lizards - Ana and Stan
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skippy
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh, Died 4/21/06
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha, donated to science 4/4/06
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

Thanks for the replies, I found the same nutritional chart also shortly after posting. Looks like they won't be replacing the silkies, I guess I'll have to use chow until the mulberry tree recovers. He does seem to really enjoy the butters though, and they are super easy to keep. I think I'll order them again for the female I just ordered when she becomes pregnant(I hope)as a fat/calcium booster.

the nice thing about butters are they can keep almost indefinitely in the fridge. They do loose their fat reserve and other nutritional value as time goes by so feed off the smallest firts. They have an interesting smell, don't they?
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
1.1.1 Side-blotched lizards - Ana and Stan
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skippy
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh, Died 4/21/06
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha, donated to science 4/4/06
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet