9 Best Types of Worms for Bearded Dragons to Eat
Sourcing the best worms for bearded dragons online can sometimes be a little challenging.
However, when you are able to find a trusted supplier who can deliver healthy worms, you (and your beardie) are on to a winner.
Why Are Worms Important?
Bearded dragons love living food, they see movement and they are instantly attracted to it. Worms crawl around which gives your beardie some exercise when it comes to feeding time.
It is important to ensure your beardie is getting an all-round balanced diet full of protein for growth and development as well as fat for energy.
Beardies also get the majority of their hydration through the foods which they eat.
Therefore worms with high moisture content will aid in your beardie’s hydration.
Keep reading to find out which worms are best for your bearded dragon’s needs.
9 Best Worms for your Bearded Dragon
1. Hornworms
Hornworms are one of a beardie’s favorite worms. They are rich in nutrients and contain 9% protein, 3% Fat, and 85% moisture.
The protein content makes it ideal for the rapid growth and development of bearded dragons and the 85 percent moisture allows your beardie to become hydrated.
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2. Butterworms
Butterworms come in various sizes. They’ve been described ‘juicy,’ and ‘fresh’ hence making a great addition to a beardie’s diet.
The benefit of butterworms is they are easy to store. You don’t have to feed or clean them to get the best of them for bearded dragons.
Furthermore, butter worms are non-sickly and incredibly tasty, the best of treats for bearded dragons.
3. Mealworms
Mealworms are essentially the larvae of the darkling beetle. Because of their high protein content, mealworms have formed a great addition to bearded dragons food.
In fact, for every 100 grams of raw mealworm consumed, 25 grams of protein are contained.
Note: Mealworms will eventually develop into beetles, which can lay even more eggs, providing you with even more mealworms for your bearded dragon.
4. Superworms
Superworms are probably one of the best choices of worms for bearded dragons.
They are raised on a nutritious, specially formulated diet of double ground, mineral, and vitamin-fortified grain, to ensure a consistently high nutritional value.
Note: Super worms should be consumed when bearded dragons mature into adults. Baby beardies may struggle to digest these fully.
5. Black Soldier Fly Larvae
Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) are an ideal worm for beardies and they will certainly go down a treat.
These worms have the right mix of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates needed for growth and development in dragons.
A lot of bearded dragon owners have made a switch from crickets to BSFL owing to its newly discovered nutrient ratios.
The high levels of calcium and phosphorus content within these worms are great for bone development and overall growth.
6. Silkworms
Silkworms are probably the most convenient and economical feeders for your bearded dragons. They are high in protein, vitamins, calcium, and other minerals and are also low in fat.
With their great nutritional content, silkworms can contribute to your beardie’s rapid growth and stronger bones.
On average, silkworms have a moisture content of 20%, protein content of 59%, and fat content of 17%.
Their soft bodies make them particularly enjoyable for bearded dragons due to the ease of swallowing.
They digest quickly and are easily absorbed. Silkworms make a great addition to a bearded dragon’s diet.
7. Waxworms
Waxworms have the highest fat content of any worm in this list. They are soft-bodied worms, and easy for bearded dragons to consume.
It is advisable to keep them at room temperature; doing so will allow them to last a little over a month.
While delicious for your beardie, these worms should not constitute the main part of your dragon’s diet.
To ensure your beardie doesn’t become addicted to these worms, we recommended you include them as a part of a varied diet. Consider them as occasional treats.
8. Uncle Jim’s Redworms
Redworms make for a delicious high protein bite for bearded dragons. These worms feed on compost and consume up to their body weight every day.
Due to this, Redworms are guaranteed to double in size every three months, which is excellent news for your beardie.
9. Mealworms
Mealworms are rich in protein, making them ideal for a bearded dragon’s growth and development.
As a rule of thumb, your bearded dragon should be a little over one year before being fed with mealworms to aid proper digestion.
This is due to high chitin content.
Furthermore, these worms also have high calcium content and can, therefore, contribute to the rapid growth and development of bearded dragons.
Summary
The decision on which worms to feed your bearded dragon should be based on several factors, including the age of your beardie and the nutritional content of the worms.
For instance, if your beardie gets dehydrated too quickly, it might be a good option to include more of hornworms into their diet.
If you’re looking for rapid growth and development, black soldier fly larvae, silkworms, and waxworms would be great options.
Finally, if your dragon is getting too fat, you might consider reducing high-fat worms such as waxworms in their diet.
When feeding your beardie, you may want to consider providing your dragon with a feeding bowl to keep things tidy.
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I was just 15 years of age when I first met a bearded dragon. It was at my friend's house and I instantly grew an immediate attraction to, what has now become, my favourite animal on the planet! Making fantastic pets for both children and adults alike, they each have their own personality and are certainly full of character. There are, though, some important things that we should all know when it comes to caring for these amazing animals!