Mealworm Urban Legend

[DAB1489]

Hey-
Now this is going to sound strange but I wanted to check up on it. I was a at Reptile show and I was talking to a Beardie breeder and she asked me what I was feeding my Beardie. I said, "Assorted fruits and veggies, crickets, and mealworms." When I said Mealworms she got all mad at me and said, "Oh NO! Don't feed them mealworms. Sometimes mealworms can survive being eaten and then they will eat there way out of the Beardies stomach and kill them. Especially will younger Beardies." I thought that sounded a little fishy but I quit feeding Liz (my beardie) mealworms anyway. Has anyone heard that before? Just thought that was something interesting.
-Casey
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[eddie]

Oldy but still a goody.....

And not true at all.
Usually the mealies won't survive the chewing process and if some do, then not the stomach fluids.

I think this one started from escaped meal worms in the tanks..
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[telefrag]

Ditto..


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[DAB1489]

Haha. Yup. I figured it was just a legend. Thanks!
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[onefreewoman]

I heard the same thing. I just feed one at a time. I crush each one's head before feeding and make sure each one is eaten before offering another. Looks like I dont have to do that anymore. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img] thanks!
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[Stormyva]

Sounds like the breeder stretched the truth a little to make a point. A meal worm or super worm's "shell" can sometimes be difficult for a young beardie to chew up and/or digest. I even read about cases where this may have been responsible for causing impaction. It has not happened to me but I was always cautious of what I fed my beardies. As far as eating their way out of a stomach, NO WAY!
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[Constrictor_BO]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE>Looks like I dont have to do that anymore </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

Dont let us ruin your fun there onefreewoman. We'd hate to take the fun out of feeding for ya.
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[Whatsabateater?]

Okay well I have a friend who just recently fed his beardie mealworms. The shells came back out undigested. Now he doesn't want to feed them mealworms anymore. hes afraid that they are not getting the nurtiuants they need I said bullhonkey but I said I would post this question in hopes of someone siding with me that way he would believe me saying that it was fine and it wasn't hurting the beardie. Thanks for the replys

sXe tell Death

[Ravnos]

Sometimes I wonder after eating McDonald's hamburgers - and they aren't even made with meat! The dreaded soy monster eating me from the inside out.

I've always offered mealies to my geckos, collared lizards, spiny lizards, and beardies - as well as all my box turtles and water turtles, and while the outer shell of mealies can be rough to chew up and digest, the innards still get dissolved nicely providing your lizard with nutrients. You'd think a breeder would take the time to research before spouting. :P

Rav

[Whatsabateater?]

Thanks you RTB folks

sXe tell Death

[dragondude!]

The guy at my local pet stor told me that berded dragons have stronger stomack acid than moste lizards so you do not half to crush the head.

[keller346]

If that was true then my brown anole would have been eaten along time ago....lol its still funny that a breeder said that

[lturbott]

I feed my beardie crickets and salads. Is there any reason to feed her mealworms or are the crickets enough? I wouldn't want to risk an impaction for anything.

[x-gekko-x]

what animals wont survive the gut of a reptile?