Phoenix Worms...

peppered...leopard · Apr 2, 2008

Hello, just wondering about Phoenix worms. They're supposedly high in calcium and good for reptiles...I'm just wondering how often they can be fed to leos, i don't think they should be fed daily....

mynewturtle · Apr 2, 2008

Hi,

Phoenix worms are a good feeder for leopard geckos. The problem is that they are small, and expensive they are small and the leopard would probaly eat around 20 a day. Thats 10 days for a pack of 200 witch is pretty expensive. Not only that but I've experienced quite a few leopards not like them. If you want to buy some there not bad, but keep in mind some geckos don't like them.

-Kaleb

Ccrashca069 · Apr 2, 2008

I would not feed them to a leopard daily but every couple days or once a week is good unless you have a reptile that has MBD then I would every 2 days.

OhioGecko · Apr 2, 2008

I've tried these for our leos because of the high calcium content. 18 out of 18 did not like them. 3 of the 18 were hatchlings. I even left them in their bowls and didn't use any other feeders for 3 days. I eventually disposed of them and used the containers as moist hides for the hatchlings.

Disclaimer: This doesn't mean your leos will not enjoy them.

I know I will not use them again because of my experiece. They are a very small feeder also.

david13 · Apr 2, 2008

ve never tried them, but i dont think im ever gunna now, my leos are doing fine without them

JConley · Apr 2, 2008

I have tried them, as a matter of fact only 1 of my 6 geckos will eat them, the other 5 spit them out. They are insane wigglers and can blow the doors off of a wax worm lol.

I was gonna try some butter worms or maybe some silk worms? Anyone ever tried those?

OhioGecko · Apr 2, 2008

I have tried butterworms and the leos seemed to like them, but on multiple occasions they came out the other end almost like they went in. They came out just looking squashed and not digested. This may have been a result of being puked up but we have not seen what actually happened. We had this happen to 3 or the 5 we fed them to and it did not happen every time?

We have used silk worms with success. They all have eaten the silk worms and have digested them normally. Most of ours seem to like silk worms more then millies. They eat both millies and silks but the silks seem to disappear faster.

Drunvalo · Apr 3, 2008

all my geckos liked the phoenix worms...weird. i tried silk worms with amazing success. they have really really soft skin, are digested easily, and are supposed to be real healthy for your gecko. only thing is they are expensive and they only eat mulberry leaves. seriously, thats all they eat. lucky for me, i have an enormous fruitless mulberry tree right in my front yard, so feeding for them is not a problem. most sites sell "silkworm feed" anyways. i'm thinking about breeding silkworms for myself, but i hear it's hard and sensitive...

my two cents.

Ccrashca069 · Apr 3, 2008

I have tried Silkworms. Not one of my leopards liked them. I had 15 at the time. I have more now lmao

Pookachu · Apr 3, 2008

The first time I ordered them I did so through some feeder site and they sent me mediums instead of large.

They were a lot smaller then I expected and the only way I could get a couple to eat them was to rub it against their mouthes (well, that only worked for the ones that really just eat anything).

Later on I ordered large sizes directly from the phoenix worm site and it seemed to be a pretty decent hit with my animals.

About 4 out of 6 geckos ate them no problem and all of my bearded dragons and water dragons loved them. The larges though are still small compared to a large cricket so the adult leo's and beardies/water dragons go through them like its nothing.

I've had some pretty decent success with mixing them in a bowl with dubia roach nymphs.

They're pricy but it's not too bad. I just ordered 1,200 large for about $60 the other day.

SteveB · Apr 4, 2008

Phoenix Worms aka Solider Grubs aka Soldier Fly Larvae aka MAGGOTS are an excellent feeder, but as reported here a lot of leos do not actually like them.

I do believe if your leo likes them, you can use them as a staple diet. Also, I personally am not a believer in overfeeding leos. Feed less or feed less often... these are highly nutritious!

PacHerp · Apr 4, 2008

Just my two cents...

I've used Phoenix worms on occasion and my leos love them. I normally purchase them to change up their diet a little bit.

I hear they are very helpful for geckos that have lost their appetite, as phoenix worms are very wiggly!

dprince · Apr 4, 2008

My experience with Phoenix worms is the same as Brittney's........I use them occasionally for my picky geckos to get them excited about eating (I put them in with their mealworms) - so far, it's working!!! :main_thumbsup:

SteveB · Apr 4, 2008

That's great! They're such great feeders... and useful to humans as well!! They are wonderful for use in vermicomposting and actually discourage pest flies from entering your home.

dprince · Apr 4, 2008

SteveB said:
That's great! They're such great feeders... and useful to humans as well!! They are wonderful for use in vermicomposting and actually discourage pest flies from entering your home.

Cool!! I learn something new everyday.

Thanks Steve!! :main_thumbsup:

SteveB · Apr 4, 2008

Anytime, Debbie... if you want more information, let me know. I'll either ramble endlessly or send you a few links... depending on time constraints

They actually are more efficient at vermicomposting than red wigglers, but personally I think they compliment eachother and suggest using them together. I never like to give up on the ability to collect worm castings for fertilizer.

And as mentioned, the phoenix worms actually put out a chemical signal to other flies telling them to not even waste their time... phoenix worms will out compete all other flies and they broadcast that fact.

BJW · Feb 21, 2013

Phoenix worms are a healthy staple diet. I go to school in a remote area, and floridaherps offers all sizes at a reasonable price with free shipping. As for the worms coming out looking whole and undigested, this is frequently an issue of overfeeding and an accelerated metabolism due to a habitat that is a little too warm. The biggest risk in this scenario is causing your leo to become impacted which can be fatal, but if you're overfeeding, it is hardly a question of the feed you're providing. Try smaller phoenix worms or fewer, and their stool should return to normal.

If your leos are picky, another staple diet may be the answer. My juveniles love the p.worms though!

LeoMerlin · Feb 21, 2013

I tried the phoenix worms on my geckos and bearded dragon and all three lizards turned their nose up at them. Waste of money so went back to meal worms for the geckos and crickets, and crickets for Jethro. I guess it's like everyone else says, some will like them some won't. My girls are just picky eaters, lol.

lizziejoy · Jul 29, 2014

My little guy loves them. He didn't like the wax worms though. I guess just like people, they have their preferences.

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