Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Okay so I have a book by Ron Tremper that says for the last 30yrs he has only used mealies for his leos.So If leos can eat only mealies and be perfectly healthy why not beardies or skinks too?
I know the argument about the chiton or shell being more in mealies or superworms.But Ive also heard that crickets are not as nutritional as mealworms, crickets being referred to as potato chips.How can I find the true facts on all this?
The main reason I ask is I have thousands of mealies.I dont however have room to raise crickets.
Ive fed my leos only mealies with the occasional bag of crickets.There is no trace of undigested shells in their poo and they are healthy.
My 16yo son wants to get a bearded dragon.I dont want to deal with crickets...How can we compromise here without compromising the health of the bearded dragon?
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You wrote:

"I know the argument about the chiton or shell being more in mealies or superworms.But Ive also heard that crickets are not as nutritional as mealworms, crickets being referred to as potato chips."

I've never heard this and believe crickets are way more nutritious than mealworms since thay can be very nutritionally gutloaded. Superworms have a way better shell to meat ratio than mealworms but should not be fed to small dragons.

I never feed mealworms to any of my dragons. I don't feed my adults crickets except for during the females egg laying season. So you could say that crickets are a temporary hastle.

mealworms are fine for leopard geckos, their digestive systems seem to have no problem breaking down all that excess chitin in mealworms.

bearded dragons, especially young dragons, dont' break down chitin as well. Crickets are the best staple insect for bearded dragons though other insects can be offered instead. It is also very important to properly gut load crickets, feed them a healthy diet if keeping them long term, or a gutload diet 24 hours before feeding to your dragon.

For a single bearded dragon it is not necessary to raise your own crickets..wasted effort to do that really. Mail ordering lots of 500 crickets a week give or take, of the required size (1/4" for 6 week old dragons, is good, or bigger if the dragon is bigger..space between the dragon's eyes is a good indicator of maximum size of cricket to be offered). Baby dragons can eat alot of crickets, requiring multiple feedings a day (3-4 for hatchlings, 2-3 for babies up to 4 months old, twice a day up to about 12-14 months old then only a few insects needed per day or 2-3 feedings of insects per week). All other feedings are mixed greens and vegetables, less when dragons are younger, more when dragons are over a year old.

Silkworms, hornworms, butterworms, some species of roaches are all good staple insects to use instead of crickets.
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PHLdyPayne

I have in the past boughten crickets by the 1000s.I have tried several different substrates, Ive tried cleaning almost daily and they just stink no matter what.And since I have to keep them indoors I think I would rather go with roaches.I raised orangeheads once but although they didnt smell as bad as crickets they had a funky smell when handled.
So what about Dubia or Lobsters.Im thinking Dubia, arent they the ones that dont climb glass?
Will these be as good as crickets?
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I have a Dubia roach colony against my better judgement. Yes they don't smell and don't climb or fly. I feel the adults are a little too large for all but the biggest of Beardies.