Trying superworms...have questions

[curiousKathy]

I have two new females that haven't started eating yet. It was suggested by others that maybe trying something different might help. So I got some superworms and the two girls act like they are afraid of them...can't say that I blame them those things are HUGE and so ACTIVE!!! Now my younger male, loves them and gets all excited when he sees one and eats it. I have only given him one because the supers are so big. He seems satisfied with just one and a few crickets. I have been watching him to make sure he doesn't regurgitate the supers, so far so good.

My questions..if the girls act afraid of the supers should I take that to mean they are not interested in eating them and give up trying to feed the supers to them?

Any suggestions on how to get the girls to eat something? What is the procedure on squishing and offering the mealworms to them? Both girls are very healthy and carrying good weight. Should I just keep mealworms in their dish and wait for them to eat? Or should I be concerned (like I already am) and try squishing the mealworms and offering it?

What are other's experiences with superworms?

Thanks so much!

Kathy

 

[justin-branam]

a little bit more info would help. how long have you had them? how big are they? what size supers are you trying to feed them? What is the temp on the warm side of the cage?

I would definitely keep some mealworms in there for them (count the number so you know if some get eaten). You may want to seperate the girls for now to make it easier to see if they eat the mealworms (and they could be stressing each other out a little), and if they are in with the male, he could be stressing them out as well.

 

[trizzypballr]

you might want to check into the superworms, im not sure if it is true, but Ive heard that the superworms are injected with some type of steroid or something to make them grow so big. I feed normal meal worms to all of my geckos, you can also switch up and give them some type of fatty worm every now and then as a treat

 

[Scott&Nikki]

you might want to check into the superworms, im not sure if it is true, but Ive heard that the superworms are injected with some type of steroid or something to make them grow so big. I feed normal meal worms to all of my geckos, you can also switch up and give them some type of fatty worm every now and then as a treat

I believe you are thinking of giant mealworms. Superworms are fine.

 

[curiousKathy]

a little bit more info would help. how long have you had them? how big are they? what size supers are you trying to feed them? What is the temp on the warm side of the cage?

I would definitely keep some mealworms in there for them (count the number so you know if some get eaten). You may want to seperate the girls for now to make it easier to see if they eat the mealworms (and they could be stressing each other out a little), and if they are in with the male, he could be stressing them out as well.

Thanks for your reply,

To clarify for you...sorry I wasn't more clear the first time...each leo is in their own tank, the girls are almost a year old; one was hatched in May the other June or August. I didn't know superworms came in different sizes; I bought mine from PetSmart in a container of 25. I am keeping a dish of mealworms in their tank at all times and counting to see if any have been eaten. Temps on the warm side are measured with a digital thermomter with probe and read 90-92*F. I did just receive one female last Thursday and the other I have had for 2 weeks now.

Thanks for your help!

Kathy

 

[Jeanne]

Kathy,

I would give them some more time, sometimes it can take a while for Geckos to be comfortable in their new homes, in which time they won't eat, or will eat very little. One important thing to do, is to leave them alone, don't handle them that much, or at all, so you don't stress them out.

Also, you may want to ask the people that you bought them from what they were feeding them, and try offering them that.

Once they feel comfortable in their new homes, they will probably start eating on their own.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Kathy,

As far as Tiki goes, try putting a few mealworms in a pile in front of her, or throw a few crickets in. She is a very good eater, but remember that she has been in a small enclosure her whole life, and may not be interested in food until she feels comfortable in her new, larger environment.

Is Angel losing weight? You may want to considered trying my slurry recipe for Angel? If all her housing conditions are optimum, ie: proper heat (90-94 belly heat on the warm side), etc., she may need a 'kick-start' to stimulate her feeding response. Also, she may be ovulating, which can cause them not to eat. Is she in the same room as Jackie? If so, try moving her to another room in the event she is smelling the male pheromones which trigger the ovulation and breeding instincts.

You can try Superworms, but they are very large and may not stay in the mealworm bowl. You can try to offer them with tongs or tweezers by holding them in front of the geckos so they can see the movement. Some of my geckos love them, and others are not too interested.


TRY not to worry...

 

[trizzypballr]

So it is Giant mealworms that are believed to be given steroids to grow? I remember the convo from awhile back, but was this ever actully confirmed?

 

[justin-branam]

So it is Giant mealworms that are believed to be given steroids to grow? I remember the convo from awhile back, but was this ever actully confirmed?

they are sprayed with a chemical that doesnt necessarily make them grow, it just will not allow them to pupate, thus continuing to grow large as long as they are fed.

you may want to check out Timberline Live Foods. they sell small and medium sized superworms, and they are easier to keep than mealworms in my opinion. you could buy some of the smalls (for way less than you are paying now). they are about the size of the large mealworms. then as they grow, your geckos will probably learn to eat the larger worms, and you can move up to whatever size you feel comfortable feeding them. they are about $30 for 500 worms, or $37 for 1,000 worms shipped right to your door. add $5 for a rubbermaid shoebox container and $5 every 3-4 months for bedding/gutload (which timberline sells), and you are ready to go. i have had some keep for 4 months, so dont worry about buying in quantity.

 

[trizzypballr]

My question is though, why do you actully want to feed superworms, what is their benefit over regular mealworms? regular mealworms are WAY cheaper. I get 5000 mealworms SHIPPED for less than $30. Compare that to the small superworms your talking about, and I get 10 mealworms per your 1 super mealworm. Is there a higher nutritional value for the gecko in them, or is it simply because their larger, if thats the case you are better off sticking to normal mealworms

 

[Scott&Nikki]

Well, variety is always good. Also, some leos like certain things better which is why she is even considering superworms. Plus, because of their size you don't have to feed as many, so it isn't much of a price difference.

 

[curiousKathy]

What I have noticed is that the superworms are very active because they are kept at room temp and you don't have to wait for them to warm up. Jackie LOVES the supers; they bring out his hunting instinct because they move so much. They are harder to contain, so I feed one at a time; he doesn't get another until he has eaten the one in his tank. He ate 4 tonight. I don't leave any in the dish in his tank. I am leaving mealworms for variety and a snack. I have moved up in size of crickets as well and Jackie's appetite has come back.

I don't think the girls like the supers, so I will continue to try mealworms and crickets with them. I may occassionally offer them a super to see if they become interested in the future. I will look into smaller supers....thanks for the link!

Kathy

 

[justin-branam]

My question is though, why do you actully want to feed superworms, what is their benefit over regular mealworms? regular mealworms are WAY cheaper. I get 5000 mealworms SHIPPED for less than $30. Compare that to the small superworms your talking about, and I get 10 mealworms per your 1 super mealworm. Is there a higher nutritional value for the gecko in them, or is it simply because their larger, if thats the case you are better off sticking to normal mealworms

See below

What I have noticed is that the superworms are very active because they are kept at room temp and you don't have to wait for them to warm up.

this is the main reason i feed mine supers. also the fact that i can get a large quantity and not have to keep them in the fridge is worth it as well. they stay active, are easier to pick out, dont shed much (unlike the mealies), dont have to feed as many at a time....but the most important reason i buy supers over mealies, is because thats what all of my leos, so far, prefer in a side by side feeding test. (hatchlings do get a dish of small mealies though)

with timberline the prices are $7.50 per thousand for mealies, and $23 per thousand for supers (more than some other companies, but i really like their customer service). i figure supers are about 3 times the size of the mealies, so i dont mind paying 3 times the price (ends up about the same).

 

[curiousKathy]

Thanks for the info, justin-branam...I am getting ready to try ordering online. Bummer part is that I don't need 1000 all at once. I think I will check out the site and see if I can buy less.

Thanks,

Kathy