Waxworms, caterpillar larvae of wax moths, live and grow within honeycombs of beehives. Wax worms serve as food sources for various animals, including bearded dragons. But is eating wax worms safe for these exotic reptiles that love chewing insects all day?
Feeder insects for bearded dragons provide your pet beardie with the food they’ll appreciate; you should alter its feeding patterns occasionally as insects and plants tend to be among its favorites.
Waxworms are larvae, making them small in size. Softer than other feeder insects, can you feed waxworms to your pet? Let’s examine this possibility further.
Can Bearded Dragons Eat Wax Worms?
Bearded dragons enjoy eating wax worms as a tasty treat; however, don’t feed these white insects to them regularly as this could damage their digestive systems and contribute to an infection. Instead, offer these insects only occasionally or as treats to their diet.
Wax worms contain beneficial compounds like fat, protein, and moisture, which provide your pet with various health benefits. Their delicious taste, size, and soft texture are sure to attract your pet!
How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Wax Worms?
Your beardie will need worms as needed, depending on age.
- Baby Bearded Dragons need extra protein for healthy development. They may benefit from receiving three to five waxworms daily and other foods – or mix these worms with crickets for extra variety
- However, once their age passes one year, three or five worms should be given twice weekly or even more frequently depending on how old their pet is.
Notably, baby and adult beardie diets differ substantially in terms of insect-to-plant consumption ratios; since baby beardies require more protein-based foods for proper development than adults do, these creatures consume waxworms more readily than adults.
Additionally, wax worms contain 39% protein content. Therefore, a baby bearded dragon’s diet should consist of 70% insect or protein food and 30% plant foods, while adult beardies require 70% plants and 30% protein food in their daily meals.
6 Benefits of Wax Worms for Bearded Dragons
Wax worms provide essential nutrition to beardies. Their nutritional elements include proteins, fats, moisture content, and calcium/phosphorus, which support and promote overall organ health in various ways. However, some limitations must be observed constantly.
1: Protein Aids in Overall Growth
Waxworms contain 39% protein. From baby beardies to juvenile beardies, growth can occur rapidly during their first year post birth; protein is essential to this growth process.
Waxworm protein helps your beardie mature more rapidly, provided the food is handled carefully. Furthermore, as an insect diet, super worms, hornworms, or butter worms would benefit them further.
2: Waxworm Helps Your Pet to Be Moisturized & Hydrated
Waxworms contain 6.1% moisture. Suppose your beardie doesn’t drink enough water. In that case, wax worms provide essential hydration and moisturization benefits—as an added benefit, mixing other insects into its diet provides additional health advantages to keep its coat beautiful!
3: Fat Fulfills The Body’s Need
Be mindful that providing too much fat may harm the well-being of your bearded dragon; wax worms contain 52%. But just like anything, moderation in feeding should always be adhered to; otherwise, harm will come to both sides!
4: Size is Easy to Digest
Wax worms’ average length is 2.5cm to 1 inch, which suits your beardie. As your pet needs a small bite in its diet, the wax worm is very comfortable. It is easy to digest and helps the digestive system be smooth.
5: Softness Makes it Easy to Digest
Waxworms are small feeder insects made of waxy filaments. Due to their soft material, beardies can easily chew them up without finding them difficult or unpleasant for digestion. Waxworms make great additions to keep beardies happy!
6: Delicious Taste Makes it Tempting
Bearded dragons enjoy munching on tasty foods like bearded dragons do. Thus, this fattiness makes these tasty morsels all the more appealing for bearded dragons, who become hungry just looking at these yummy morsels! Bearded dragons, in particular, seem particularly fond of eating tasty food items – thus, bearded dragons become excited at just having another taste!
3 Risks of Feeding Wax Worms to Bearded Dragons
Apart from a few benefits of wax worms, there are various risks if you overfeed the insect to your pet. However, moderate eating will not harm your pet. Here are some risks of feeding wax worms to bearded dragons:
1: High-Fat Causes Obesity
Half of every worm contains fat, with 52% being too much for your pet’s needs. Exceeding feeding limits could result in obesity or unwanted weight gain if excessive quantities are fed regularly, so be mindful when providing this treat to your companion! Be cautious of its amount and frequency to protect yourself and your animal!
2: Imbalance of Calcium & Phosphorus Ratio
The calcium-to-phosphorus ratio in beardies should be 1:15. An imbalance can create serious health concerns for them, with high concentrations of phosphorus inhibiting calcium from being absorbed into their bloodstream and leading to metabolic bone diseases like metabolic bone syndrome.
3: Beardie Neglect Other Foods
Waxworms present particular difficulties for beardies with small stomachs who require minimal amounts of food; when your beardie consumes one, it’s already half full and becomes unable to consume other nutritious items, resulting in a nutritional deficiency in your pet.
How to Feed Wax Worms to Your Bearded Dragons?
Bearded dragons love capturing insects and devouring them quickly, so feeding a bearded dragon does not require too much work; however, there are specific vital considerations you must keep in mind.
Purchase from A Well-Known Shop
When feeding wax worms to your pet, always purchase them from a market. In particular, always source from an established pet food shop; do not feed garden worms!
Since pesticides exist within your cultivation ground, their usage must be limited or prohibited. As such, feeder worms must be acquired from the market.
Opt for Different Ways of Serving
Assuming you feed the worms to your pet, multiple options are available for administration.
- As feeder worms can only climb, keep an eye on when and if your beardie eats from his dish.
- Alternatively, you could place the worms somewhere safe, such as greenery, so they’ll feast without hassle from other beardie eaters.
- Next, spread them out over an open, clean space where your beardie can safely consume them at their leisure. They won’t escape her eyes! Your beardie will enjoy eating them.
Feed with Some Supplemental Worms
Choose some supplements when feeding wax worms to your pet, such as safe feeder insects with more nutritional value to combine the wax worms into. Your pet will get additional benefits from such a mix!
Conclusion
The diet of your beardie depends on their age. Young beardies should receive more insects or protein-rich food items to meet their dietary requirements. Therefore, whether bearded dragons eat wax worms depends on quantity and frequency considerations.
Your beardie needs other forms of sustenance in addition to waxworms—butterworms, crickets, silkworms, hornworms, and superworms, among others! Be sure to incorporate fruits and vegetables into their daily diet.
Attention to your beardie is vital; any food that doesn’t suit him/her should be removed immediately from its reach.
FAQs
Can baby bearded dragons eat wax worms?
Yes, the bearded dragon can eat wax worms but in moderation.
Do bearded dragons like wax worms?
Yes, most beardies find the wax worms’ taste delicious.
Are wax worms safe for beardies?
Yes, when served in limits, wax worms are safe for beardies.
Can bearded dragons eat dead wax worms?
Dead wax worms lose their nutritious value. So, it is better not to feed the dead one.