Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Anyone feed their reptiles Silkworms and if so do they seem to like them? I have a stubborn Water Dragon that refuses them yet his vet says that they are better than mealworms. Any thoughts??

Silkworms are great for reptiles. They have alot of protien, high water count and other good stuff. They lack the hard chitin of insects like crickets and mealworms. They are easy to keep as well, don't smell or escape like crickets do. Nor do they make noise (well except a faint chewing noise if they are eating chow or mulberry leaves). They are a bit more expensive than other insects but well worth the slight difference in cost.

Thanks.

I am now breeding them for the Water Dragon (just hatched 1000 eggs) and I am thinking of switching my other insect-eating reptiles over to the silkworms as well. I just have to convince them all that they are good for them.

Silkworms are great for all insect eating reptiles but its always good to keep a variety. Tossing in some superworms, mealworms, crickets and cockroaches once in awhile certainly can't hurt. Overall though silks are a great stable insect to replace crickets. The only bad thing about silks, is they do soften poo a little, due to their high water content. Mostly though the solids are still formed and there is just alot more liquid with it as well as your typical hunk of urates (the white stuff).

With a 1000 silkworms, I strongly recommend separate them into groups of about 200 to make it easier to keep them clean. They can die fast if they get dirty (ie old poo kept in with them and it starts to mold).
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PHLdyPayne

I am separating them tomorrow because that is what happend to my last batch. When they get overcrowded they tend to get a little nasty.

Thanks.