Undigested phoenix worm

[ImNotYogi]

I've been finding a phoenix worm next to Archer's poop the last few nights. I doubt they're getting out of the dish and gravitating towards it. Is it common for leo/reptiles to not digest these? The thing was still squirming around. The temp on the hot side is currently 88F and is set for 90F. I have the UTH hooked up to a Hydrofarm thermometer.

 

[SC Geckos]

I would say that the worm escaped the dish. There is no way that it passed through your gecko and was still alive. I think that 88 is a bit on the low side. Not scary low but I prefer surface temps on the warm side between 90 - 93. I dont know about phoenix worms but crickets, dubias, and mealies will try and eat gecko poop if the are hungry and able to roam around the enclosure or escape a dish.

 

[ImNotYogi]

Believe me, I know how implausible it seems for a worm to be passed through virtually unharmed. His poops are like clockwork. I can go get his meal for the night and come back 2 minutes later and he's already pooped with a phoenix worm crawling around in it. Not to say they don't escape but it's infrequent from what I've noticed. Or maybe they're getting under the paper towels and I'm just assuming he's eating them. I'll just take them out tonight and double check under everything and see what happens. If I leave crickets in overnight then I put an orange cube in for them and the phoenix worms pile up on it.

 

[CNest]

When I fed phoenix worms they always got out of every dish I put them in. It was rather annoying but my leos loved them. They also seemed to gravitate toward the poop corner.

 

[ImNotYogi]

Yeah, I found a few between the substrate last night and took all out of the dish. I normally check for escapees (just on surface and around/under hides) before feeding him a new meal so being undigested somehow seemed believable when I first noticed them.
My girlfriend was being nice and told me it was "new owner panic" lol. Anything seems out of the ordinary then rationale goes out the window and the worst is assumed.