Waxworms

[Airilith]

I just bought my first waxworms. I'm gutloading them and plan on dusting them with either multivitamin or calcium. My breeding female is the only one I plan on feeding them to. My main question is how many and how often do you feed waxworms during breeding season?

The other question I have is a weird one. I remember reading somewhere that you have to buy worms from a good source as they can pass diseases on to your leos. This is the first time I've bought feeders from anywhere other than Grubco. I got them from my local pet store (not big box). The worms look healthy and lively. They're all white with darker heads. They would not appear healthy if they were carrying a disease they could pass to my leos, right? I feel a lil paranoid asking that, but I love my leos, and the last thing I want to do is hurt them while giving them a treat.

Thanks!

 

[mynewturtle]

With my gravid females I feed 2-3 (depending on female) 3 days a week. Some females get addicted if fed more often, some females don't.

As for the parasites.. I don't think you can be positive if they are carrying parasites unless you actually have a check. I myself have never had problems getting small amount of 'rare' feeders (Butter worms, Silkies, ect that I don't feed much) at pet stores. But every pet store is DIFRENT.


My experiences.

 

[TokayKeeper]

I haven't looked into it yet, but apparently the US put a ban on European insects coming into the country. Something, disease or parasite, hit European insect (crickets?) breeders hard. Supposedly the source was waxworms. At least this is what I heard last night while visiting a friend's pet store.

Like I said though, I haven't looked into it yet. Could all just be rumor or only partly true.

 

[Airilith]

So would you use the waxworms, in my situation?

 

[Airilith]

Anyone?

 

[mynewturtle]

Risk your leos safety .. or .. throw them out and not worry about anything.

Your call. I personally wouldn't hearing what tokay said. You might want to look into that and see if it's true.

 

[SteveB]

I haven't looked into it yet, but apparently the US put a ban on European insects coming into the country. Something, disease or parasite, hit European insect (crickets?) breeders hard. Supposedly the source was waxworms. At least this is what I heard last night while visiting a friend's pet store.

Like I said though, I haven't looked into it yet. Could all just be rumor or only partly true.

Read the latest reptiles magazine, they have an article on it... there is no ban to my knowledge, just an agreement among cricket farms to not import from europe and put their farms at risk.

 

[Airilith]

So where do y'all get your waxworms? Does anyone trust their local petstores? And if so, how did you come to trust them?

As of now, the waxworms I have will not be used.

 

[johnnyboy4783]

i would not worry about the waxworms its more for crickets

 

[DAWNoftheLEO]

Never heard of them in waxies, but i'm sure many thing can hold protozoans and parasites * shrugs*

 

[Airilith]

Hmmmm. To use the waxies or not to use the waxies!?! That is the question.

 

[GeeEssFore]

I feed mine wax worms every week from http://www.sunshinemealworms.com/