Feeder Insects for Reptiles & Amphibians
Live feeder insects are an important part of many captive reptile and amphibian diets. Providing variety is important to ensure your pet is receiving adequate nutrition. This article summarizes the different feeder insect options available to help you make informed choices for your pet.
Unless confined to a dish, always remove uneaten live insects from your reptile’s cage after a few hours. Insects left in the cage can bite and chew at your pet, causing serious skin injuries and infection.
Crickets
Acheta domestica
Domestic crickets are a mainstay of the feeder insect industry. They are bred in large quantities and are easy to find at most local and chain pet stores, available in a variety of sizes from pinhead (newly hatched) to 1-inch adults. Most reptiles enjoy hunting and chasing them, and they tend to be very palatable. They are also relatively inexpensive.
Nutritionally, crickets are relatively low in calories compared to other feeder insects, high in phosphorus, and low in calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin D. Both calcium and multivitamin supplements are recommended when feeding crickets.
One downside is that keeping a live supply on hand can be challenging. Crickets eat a lot, produce significant waste, and require regular cage cleaning — unsanitary conditions will rapidly kill them.
Mealworms
Tenebrio molitor
Mealworms are the larvae of the darkling beetle and are widely available at most pet stores that carry feeder insects. Their nutritional value is similar to crickets, with the addition of being very low in vitamin K — making supplementation equally important. Unlike crickets, mealworms are easy to keep on hand. They go dormant when refrigerated and can be stored that way for weeks without food or water.
Giant Mealworms
Giant mealworms are the same species as regular mealworms, but have been treated with insect hormones to delay pupation, allowing them to grow into larger than normal larvae.
Superworms
Zophobas morio
Superworms are the larvae of the Zophobas beetle and are significantly larger than mealworms. On a dry matter basis, they are higher in calories than both crickets and mealworms — be careful not to overfeed, as this can quickly lead to obesity. Nutritionally they are similar to mealworms, and supplements are necessary when feeding them.
Superworms store well long term as long as they are provided moist vegetables for food. They will not pupate into beetles as long as they are housed in groups. Do not refrigerate superworms — they will die.
Waxworms
Galleria mellonella
Waxworms are the larvae of the wax moth — while considered a pest by beekeepers, they make popular treats for reptiles and amphibians. They are even higher in calories than superworms, so feeding too many can quickly cause obesity. Like mealworms, they are high in phosphorus and low in calcium, vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin K. They can be refrigerated but will not last as long as mealworms.
