Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am not talking about super worms, at petco they have mealworms, giant mealworms, and super worms. I was wondering if they would be just as fine for feeding as regular mealworms are? My leopard geckos seem to eat just as many of them as they do the small mealworms, could this be bad and make the leopard geckos over weight?

Thanks

Kyle
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2.4.1 Leopard Geckos (4 Normals, 2 Tremper Albinos, 1 Blizard)

I feed my Leo the "Giant size" mealies if I can get them. Even though they sometimes are about the same size as Superworms, their shells don't seem so hard. He seems to love them. And its easier feeding him a few of the large ones, rather than a lot of the tiny ones. And they don't seem to make him overwieght. I have heard that waxworms are the type that make them fat (my boy won't touch waxworms).

Superworms have less chitin than mealies, though, so they're healthier in that sense. The problem is how much more active they are and their willingness to bite and bite hard.
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Got hips like Cinderella / Must be having a good shame / Talking sweet about nothing / Cookie I think you're Tame

Giant mealworms are generally mealworms injected with a chemical to make them bigger more like the size of superworms. the chemical also prevents them from morphing into pupae(aliens as most like to call them). I personally would rather feed my mealworms with naturally growing mealies rather than steroid injected mealies but that's my pref. Hope i helped.

Dale
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GeckoFire-Dale
Proud owner of 2.3.1
Questions? Drop me a line

Geeze, I never knew this. Has it been proven that this is potentially dangerous to a leo? I will go back to regular large mealies and more crickets after hearing this.

Thanks for the info.

i've never heard if it's potentially dangerous YET, but a lot of people have been telling me just to stick with regular ones. i think a lot of the giant mealworms were just used for really big lizards and as fishing bait. but, i'm also curious to see if it's dangerous to a leo.

[aimEe]
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0.1.0 Albino Leopard Gecko (Marlene)
0.0.2 Fire Bellied Toads (Norman & Forman)
0.2.0 African Dwarf Frogs (Hobo & Bobo)
1.0.0 Fighting Fish (Blue Balls)
0.0.2 Hermit Crabs (Kirby & Furby)
1.0.0 Black Lab / Pit Bull (Mikey)
aimee.i8.com

I haven't seen too much info on health issues with giant mealies being fed. As soon as I found this out though, I decided to just stick with regular mealworms. usually if you're buying online the seller will tell you on the site which if any are injected otherwise you can ask. I know that some places list their larger mealworms as giant, but I think the company timberline that petco carries is one of those companies that sells the injected mealies. But like I said I would ask the seller before assuming their giants are injected. I get mine from www.grubco.com and they are just the large mealworms, and they are fat and large as can be but they still morph and I am on my way to starting a new mealy colony. anyway, hope this helped.
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GeckoFire-Dale
Proud owner of 2.3.1
Questions? Drop me a line

They're sprayed with juvenile hormone (JH), which is already present in any insect larvae that is not ready to molt into an adult.
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chickabowwow

3.2.3 leopard geckos (Rosie, Locke, Lisa, Caesar, Tommy)

Steroids are hormones, what makes juvenile hormone different?

I think they probably have the potential to cause harm, but it hasn't been shown yet and I still use them. If you think about it, steroids are in most of your veggies. Growth hormones and asthma medications are steroids. The word carries negative connotations (especially because people think it's a steroid to increase size, not prolong time before they pupate) but doesn't necessarily mean it's a negative thing.
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Got hips like Cinderella / Must be having a good shame / Talking sweet about nothing / Cookie I think you're Tame

Yes, I already know the ubiquity of steroids. JH, however, is a sesquiterpenoid, not a steroid. I don't really understand your post, since I didn't say that hormones were bad.
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chickabowwow

3.2.3 leopard geckos (Rosie, Locke, Lisa, Caesar, Tommy)

Sorry for not specifying, and thanks for answering the question. The second part wasn't directed at you, though, just a general thought on steroid use.
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Got hips like Cinderella / Must be having a good shame / Talking sweet about nothing / Cookie I think you're Tame