Chameleons are one of the most beautiful creatures and many people considered them as good pets. They belong to the family of reptiles and they look similar to the lizards but are available in different colours and they also change colours to resonate with their surroundings.
Chameleons usually feeds on insects and worms. They have a long sticky tongue that they use to catch their prey and they usually catch flying insects from extending their long tongue and the prey gets stuck in to their sticky tongue. They are also fond of worms too and worms provides them with lots of nutrients.
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Importance of worms for chameleons
As we know that the chameleon feeds on variety of insects, worms and roaches. Every type has their own importance in the diet of the chameleon. We will discuss about the worms and their importance in the life of chameleon.
They can be found easily and the worms keep the chameleon stronger, help them to live longer and provides them with lots of nutrition that is essential for the chameleon to live longer and stay happy and healthy.
The correct diet also helps the chameleon to have a stress free life and also the worms itself have lots of nutrition value and they are present in various varieties and due to this the chameleon have lots of options to choose from and every type of worm has its own nutritional value. If you are feeding the baby, make sure to read our guide on how To Get A Baby Chameleon To Eat easily?
The worms are used as the secondary food for the chameleons and the worms should not be overfed to the chameleons as it will increase the weight of the chameleons and also they will refuse to eat other foods. You should feed them with worms quite occasionally and that should be once a week with the main diet.
Best worms for the chameleons to feed
The best worms for the chameleons that are available for them and can be fed to them easily are listed as below:-
Hornworms
The hornworms is an amazing food or feeder for the chameleon and also the best because of their large size and because of this they are full of protein. The hornworm also have high moisture content and they are low in fats unlike other worms.
They are also loved a lot by the chameleons and they are used as secondary food with the staple diet of the chameleon. The hornworms are not so easy to maintain as they eat a lot and grow at a very fast pace. But they are one of the best worms for the chameleons because they provide them with lots of moisture and protein and the fat content in them is very low which is very beneficial for them.
Wax Worms
The wax worms are basically the larvae of the wax moths and they are quite easy to keep and maintain and you can easily hand feed them to the chameleon. The wax worm cannot be used as the staple diet for the chameleon but as a treat or the secondary food for the chameleons as they love them and is a good option to take a break from the regular diet.
The wax worms are all about fats and do not have much of nutritional value so that is why they are usually given as treat to the chameleon and also they are easily available and due to their easy maintenance they are preferred for the chameleon. Though your chameleon will definitely love the wax worms as this will be a change from their regular diet and they will love this change but do not overfeed them with these worms.
Phoenix Worms
The phoenix worms are also basically the larvae of the black soldier flies. They are known for having large calcium content and are quite easy to gut load. They are also known as a substitute for the supplement powder and they also have high moisture content in them.
They are not so high in fat content but are very small in size that causes problem for the adult chameleon to notice them and they get disinterested in eating them. They also have tough skin which is not easy to digest if not properly chewed before swallowing. But still they are one of the best worms for the chameleons and they enjoy eating them as a treat.
Butter Worms
The butter worms have a high content of moisture in them and they are known for having a fruity smell and also they have high content of fats in them. They are much preferred as treats for the chameleons. As the fat content is too high so they cannot be considered for the staple diet and are quite difficult for gut loading.
In some cases they are not easy to digest by some chameleons due to the high fat content. But due to the high interest by the chameleons in butter worms they are usually fed with these worms and these butter worms are one of the best worms for the chameleons.
Silk Worms
The silk worms are one of the best worms for the chameleons because of its high nutrition value as they are low in fats and high in moisture. The silk worms also have another benefit and that is they add an enzyme namely serrapeptase which helps chameleons to absorb the calcium.
They are one of the best choice as feeder worm for the chameleons. They are quite expensive to breed and buy but still they are much preferred by the chameleons though they are also difficult to gut load for the chameleons. They are still preferred the best of the worms for the chameleons even if they are expensive or difficult to gut load.
Morio worms
The morio worms are also known as the super worms. They are easily available and are cheap to buy and have a longer shelf life compared to other worms. They are a low maintenance worm so that is why they are easily available and are also the best option for the chameleons. But they are also difficult to gut load for the chameleons and are given as treats to the chameleons.
Mealworms
They have a high content of fat that is another reason that why should they be used as a treat and not as a staple diet. But they are still loved by the chameleons and they enjoy morio worms as a treat irrespective of the fact that they are having a high fat content. They do not have much of nutrition value but due to their low maintenance and cheap price they are usually preferred for the feeding purpose.
The mealworms are basically the larvae of the darkling beetle and they are not expensive worms so they are also considered one of the best worms for the chameleon the mealworms can also be served as the staple diet for the chameleon unlike other worms as they have high nutrition value as compared to other worms.
But still they are used as staple diet only if appropriate minerals and vitamins are already being fed to the chameleon. The mealworms are considered as one of the best feeder for your chameleon and they are available in variety of sizes. It is also sometimes considered as the principal feeder for the chameleons and they are also enjoyed by the chameleons.
Pachnoda Worm
The pachnoda worms are also the larvae of flower beetles but of various different species. They are large worms and you can easily take care of these worms and are considered as one of the best treat for the chameleons whenever you feed them to the chameleon.
They usually can bite your chameleon or even you if you handle them. So you need to remove the mandibles before feeding it to the chameleon, so that they are not able to bite your chameleon.
They are not too high in nutrition but still they are amazing treat for your chameleon as they enjoy every bit of these enormous worms. This is the reason that they are considered among the best worms for the chameleons. The pachnoda worms cannot be given as the staple diet but only as a treat for the chameleons.
The above mentioned worms are the best worms for the chameleons as a treat for them as worms are not considered as the staple food for the chameleons because they do not have much of nutrition value and they have fat content that is not good for the chameleons to be fed on a regular basis.
Conclusion
The chameleon feed on insects and usually live insects and worms are one of them on which the chameleons feed. They are good feeder insects for the chameleons but only as a treat not as a staple diet. Your chameleon definitely enjoy the worm treats as they are not given on regular basis.
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They eat the worms with full interest and enjoy every bite of it. But before feeding them with worms you should be aware of the fact that which worm is good for them and which are not as not all worms can be fed to the chameleons because some can be poisonous for them. So you have to be careful with whatever you feed your chameleon with as a healthy diet plays a very important role in a life of a chameleon.
