Can Bearded Dragons Eat Calci Worms? 5 Benefits | Full Guide

Bearded Dragons

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Calci Worms
06 Jun, 2024

Nutrients and taste are the two major things you must consider before feeding your pet any food. If you have bearded dragons, their favorite foods may be various kinds of insects, and the insects mainly contain a good amount of protein, calcium, and other nutrients. 

Your bearded dragons always need beneficial compounds for healthy growth. Calci worms are one the popular feeder worms for reptiles and amphibians. Can bearded dragons eat calci worms? 

As beardies consume various insects, are calci worms a good option for them or not? You will get all the information regarding the feeder worms here.

Can Bearded Dragons Eat Calci Worms?

Bearded dragons can eat calci worms, and mostly they like their taste. Like wax worms, beardies find calci worms tasty. You can feed them the worm in moderation. As it has a huge amount of fat and the ratio of calcium and phosphorus is not so compatible, the worm is not a staple food for your beardie. 

Notably, people often confuse repti worms and phoenix worms with calci worms. Although, they are not the same. All three worms belong to the same family, but the species differ. Their nutritional values also differ. Calci worms come from the larvae of black soldier flies. 

How Often Can Bearded Dragons Eat Calci Worms?

The amount of worms you feed depends on your beardies’ age. If their age is less than one year, you can feed calci worms more frequently because the young beardie needs more insects than plants. 

But if your beardie’s age is more than one year, you should serve the worm less frequently as they need low quantities of insects. 

After all, there is no exact recommendation about how often you can feed calci worms to your pet. Though, they can consume 20 to 60 calci worms every day. But you should maintain the supplements of other insects like cricket, wax worms, etc. 

Additionally, phoenix and repti worms can be fed as a staple food to your beardie. But calci worms are not a stable food. Phoenix worms and repti worms’ calcium and phosphorus ratio are nearly 1.5:1. The same ratio of calci worms is 3.28:1. So it is not suitable for your pet. 

5 Benefits of Calci Worms for Bearded Dragons

Like other insects, calci worms also contain various nutrients. Calcium, fat, and lauric acids are the most remarkable compounds in this worm. If you can balance the moderate eating of your beardie, the worm would benefit your pet. 

1: Half of the Worm’s Fat Level is Lauric Acid

Calci worms have a large quantity of fat, and 52% of their fat is lauric acid. Lauric acid is one of the beneficial compounds for humans and animals as well, and the acid helps prevent viral diseases like flu and infections

Moreover, if you can properly feed the worm to your pet, it will work well. The worm can fulfill the basic need for fat in your beardie’s body.

2: Calcium Promotes Skeletal Structure  

Especially for baby, juvenile, and pregnant beardies, calcium is one of the crucial nutrients. Calcium promotes the skeletal structure of your beardie. When they are babies, they need proper growth, and calcium helps with it. 

On the other hand, calcium increases the egg-laying ability of pregnant beardies. So, if you can feed your pet the calci worms in moderation, it benefits. 

Although, the calcium and phosphorus ratio is not compatible if you feed them excessively. We will discuss the risk part of calci worms.  

3: Taste Enhances Your Beardies Mood 

As the calci worms taste very well for the beardies, they love to consume them. So why not your beardie if you find tasty foods throughout the day? 

You should feed the worms to your beardie for not only the nutrients but also for their taste. They love the variety. 

4: Easy to Maintain the Worms

Unlike other worms, such as earthworms or nightcrawlers, calci worms don’t need well observation. The worm can live at room temperature and doesn’t need food for a few weeks. You must keep them in the pot or jar you purchase from the shop. 

5: The Size is Easy to Digest 

Calci worm’s maximum length could be 1.5 cm. Whether you choose small or medium, worms are great for your beardie. The ideal size of beardies’ food pieces is the length between their two eyes. So, calci worms perform well. Also, the worms are easy to digest for your small pet. 

3 Risks of Feeding Calci Worms to Bearded Dragons

1: Excessive Fat Causes Obesity 

As calci worms contain a lot of fat, they could harm your pet if you feed it excessively. Fat causes unnecessary weight gain for your pet. So, moderate feeding and observation is the way to beat this difficulty. 

2: The Ratio of Calcium & Phosphorus is Not Compatible 

The suggestive ratio of calcium and phosphorus is 1:2 to 2:1. If the phosphorus is high, it blocks calcium absorption in the bloodstream. On the other hand, high calcium causes metabolic bone disease. 

As the ratio of calci worms is 3.28:1, it harms your beard. But if you feed it in moderation, it is fine for your beardie. 

3: Long Worms Lead Your Beardie to Complications

You need to consider the worm’s size before serving it to your pet to avoid complications. They might get into digestive issues, choking, and other severe health issues. 

How to Feed Calci Worms to Your Bearded Dragons?

Beardies are habituated to catching insects. But your pet is not a wild one; it is special! So, you must put in some extra effort. 

Purchase from a Reputed-Shop

First, you need to purchase the worms from a well-reputed pet-friendly shop. Don’t give them calci worms from your yards or any other place. 

Keep Them in Comfort  

After getting the worms, you can keep them at room temperature until your beardie eats them. You don’t have to do anything extra; keep them in the same jar you get from the shop. 

Serve in a High Pot

When you want to feed the worm to your beardie, you can serve the food in a one-inch high pot so that they cannot escape. 

You can give calci worms with other worms, which will balance the nutritional value. Do serve calci worms in a smaller quantity than the other nutritious foods. 

Conclusion

Calci worms are not harmful until you exceed the feeding limitations. The answer to the question, can bearded dragons eat calci worms, is yes when you maintain the guideline. 

Before choosing any food for your pet, you should consider the nutritional value and risks. You must maintain the quantity when you feed the worms with supplements, and you can create a schedule for your pet.  

Remember, if the food is safe, you must observe your pet to see if there is any adverse reaction because not every pet’s body works similarly. 

FAQs

Can baby bearded dragons eat calci worms?

Yes, they can. But do consider the size and frequency.

Do bearded dragons like calci worms?

Yes, they love the taste.

Are calci worms safe for Beardies?

Yes, it is safe until you exceed the limit.

Can bearded dragons eat dead calci worms?

Dead worms lose their nutritional value. So, don’t feed it to your pet.

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