Mealworms should only be fed to crested geckos as treats, not as the mainstay of their diet. Their difficulty digesting makes them dangerous for health reasons and their hard exoskeletons may block up digestive systems resulting in illness or blockages in digestive systems.
These worms contain low moisture levels, potentially contributing to dehydration in your crested gecko. For optimal health and welfare, they should always be pre-hydrated prior to feeding them to them your pet.
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They are a good source of protein
Crested geckos require plenty of protein in order to reach maturity. Mealworms – larval forms of Tenebrio molitor darkling beetles (Tenebrio molitor) – provide high amounts of this essential nutrient; however, they contain a hard exoskeleton that may prove challenging for crested gecko digestion, so overfeeding may result in digestive or impaction issues for your crested gecko.
Feeder insects, fruits and powdered diets specifically tailored for crested geckos can help combat this problem by providing an assortment of feeder insects, fruits and diet powders specifically formulated for them. Incorporating variety into its food supply ensures your crested gecko is receiving all of its essential vitamins and nutrients to thrive.
Provide your crested gecko with a diverse diet that contains proteins, carbs and minerals such as calcium phosphorus and potassium for optimum health and to avoid malnutrition or disease. There are many complete crested gecko diets on the market designed to address any deficiencies that might exist in their diets.
They are a good source of calcium
Mealworms are an excellent source of protein and make an ideal food supplement for crested geckos, providing calcium, phosphorus and potassium in their diet. Unfortunately, their tough exoskeleton made of chitin can make mealworms hard for crested geckos to digest if fed too frequently; too many can even block up their digestive tract! For this reason, mealworms should only be fed moderately.
Crested geckos are predators in their own right, feeding on whatever insects they find. With powerful jaws, a labrum above their mouths and claws that help them grasp food efficiently, these geckos pose serious threats when eaten.
Captive crested geckos can be fed live mealworms, crickets and waxworms to provide them with vitamins and minerals they’re lacking from their diets. Feeder insects should make up only a small part of their daily food regimen as they contain high amounts of fat that could pose potential health concerns.
They are a good source of phosphorus
Provision of adequate nutrition to your crested gecko is vital to its health and well-being. They need a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, greens like escarole, endive, and alfalfa which contain calcium while being low in phosphorus levels and antinutrients such as oxalates or goitrogens – these greens also reduce stress on their bodies by helping the gecko.
if you can’t offer live mealworms, freeze-dried mealworms may be an easier and less costly alternative. They require no care when feeding; however, their nutritional value doesn’t compare to live ones so these treats should only be given occasionally.
Always ensure the mealworms you offer your pet are small enough for them to comfortably chew; oversize mealworms may lead to digestive issues if swallowed whole, while waxworms are much safer because their hard exoskeleton may lead to impaction issues. Mealworm beetles should also be avoided, since their hard exoskeleton may lead to impaction; waxworms, on the other hand, have no such hard structure and are easily consumed by insect-eating reptiles.
They are a good source of potassium
Crested geckos are opportunistic feeders in the wild and will consume any insect they come across, such as crickets, roaches, moths and mealworms. While feeding these insects occasionally is fine, do so only as an occasional treat as too many could potentially pose health issues for crested geckos such as impaction in their digestive tract and carrying parasites or toxic residue from soil – canned insects could lower this risk significantly.
Dried mealworms provide calcium and phosphorus, but should only be fed as treats. Due to their high fat content, mealworms may become boring for your pet quickly. You could try offering other insects like superworms, waxworms, silkworms or nutrigrubs instead to provide variety in his or her diet and increase nutritional value further. You could even dust their food with powdered calcium supplements for extra nutritional benefits!
