Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,

My husband and I are used to beheading our various worm-mix for a weekly treat for our African Fat Tailed... Here is where the debate begins-- We recently adopted two Longtailed grass lizards, who's diet (as per instructions of a fellow herper)consists of mainly gut-loaded mid-sized crickets & wax/mealie worms: The long tails don't like the wax/meal worms beheaded, even though they wriggle a bit after the head is removed-- however,those wax/mealies that loose their wriggle quickly, the long tails loose interest...following me?

My question is: Does it matter if the wax worms (or any larve type) loose their head or not? Is it a myth (that the worm will bore after feeding)? or is there some fact to this?

If some could clarify this for us, we'd be rather thankful. Give us an e-mail at sanderson22@neo.rr.com

Thanks!

Cat

Its entirely a myth. Ever watched your fat tail eat? They pretty crush their food enough before swallowing it and if not their stomach acid is strong enough to melt through some metals. My leopard geckos are all fed on a diet of live and wriggling mealworms.. I've never had a problem with them.. indeed I just had a female albino that came to me weighing 15 grams.. skyrocket to 48 grams in less than 3 weeks on a diet consisting of gutloaded and dusted mealies.
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Lucien

1.1 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
2.2 Leopard geckos (2 Blizzards (Caine and Goliath), 1 het Blizzard (Lilith) and 1 Tangerine Albino (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short))
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros)
13 rats
1 Gerbil
2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
2 cats (Sahara and Hercules)

Thanks so much!