# Holy Cow it ate a meal worm!



## Malaki33 (Dec 21, 2007)

Ok so My oldest daughter was holding in her hand one of my small bearded dragons (who she just fed some mealworms too), while she was holding her she was feeding my leucomelas and evidently the Bearded dragon had a meal worm stuck to its chin and it fell in the tank with the leucs....one of the leucs ate the mealworm! has anyone ever heard of that?


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## ggazonas (May 11, 2008)

How big was the meal worm?


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

Most of my frogs will take the mini/really small mealworms without issue.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/beginner-discussion/16541-risk-impaction-mealworms.html


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## Malaki33 (Dec 21, 2007)

well it was the really tiny ones and it was only the one that fell in there. I would myself not use it as actual staple but I was surprised when it ate the thing!


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

Ed said:


> http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/beginner-discussion/16541-risk-impaction-mealworms.html


you beat me to it.


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## kingnicky101 (Feb 20, 2009)

I had a fire salamander that ate a meal worm and the meal worm ate it's way out of its belly and that was the end of him. I would suggest not feeding mealworms to small amphibians. I know it was not intentional but I don't want anything bad to happen to anyone elses pets. If you want to feed worms, feed baby earthworms, (what I use), very nutritionious and safe.


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## jwthought (Oct 30, 2004)

I recently had a clown treefrog ( that is smaller than most PDF's in my collection) suffer from a very bad rectal prolapse after it ate a rather large mealie, relatively. I was very surprised that I was able to save it. Hooray for sugar water. Be careful with those things.


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## R1ch13 (Apr 16, 2008)

Today I got a few new feeders through the mail, and originally wanted to feed out some Wax worms as a treat to the Terribs today, but these things are ginormous, at least 1 1/4 inch and about 8cm thick.

So I threw some 1/2inch Meal worms in one at a time, and the chowed down on 3 each.

Now these, supermealie, eating out of stomach statements are a tad worrying....

Richie


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

A lot of the concerns about impactions, prolapses and "alien style" deaths are overstated. Typically impactions are also related to overfeeding the animal at one time as both reptiles and amphibians are hard wired to take advantage of food abundances and gorge themselves with the result of an impaction. With respect to prolapses I have to question as to whether the meal worm was the actual cause as prolapses are often associated with calcium insufficiencies, and/or parasite infections and as a result the meal worm simply unmasked the associated underling problem. 

There are a lot of anectodal reports of mealworms eating thier way out of the body of the animal, but most of these cases were later shown to be due to excess mealworms being present in the cage and attacking the animal, there are very very very few substantiated instances of this actually occuring.... 

Ed


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## R1ch13 (Apr 16, 2008)

Ed said:


> A lot of the concerns about impactions, prolapses and "alien style" deaths are overstated. Typically impactions are also related to overfeeding the animal at one time as both reptiles and amphibians are hard wired to take advantage of food abundances and gorge themselves with the result of an impaction. With respect to prolapses I have to question as to whether the meal worm was the actual cause as prolapses are often associated with calcium insufficiencies, and/or parasite infections and as a result the meal worm simply unmasked the associated underling problem.
> 
> There are a lot of anectodal reports of mealworms eating thier way out of the body of the animal, but most of these cases were later shown to be due to excess mealworms being present in the cage and attacking the animal, there are very very very few substantiated instances of this actually occuring....
> 
> Ed


Thanks once again Ed.

Thats put my mind at rest. 

I don't think I will use them again, for my piece of mind.

Cheers bud

Richie


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## jwthought (Oct 30, 2004)

Ed, 
Can you elaborate on the connection between prolapses and calcium insufficiency?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

jwthought said:


> Ed,
> Can you elaborate on the connection between prolapses and calcium insufficiency?


Other than referring you to the literature, not at this time. I haven't looked into the underlying reason for the links. 

Ed


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## Rain_Frog (Apr 27, 2004)

My tincs will readily consume small mealworms. It can be difficult sometimes when they swallow, so be careful that they aren't too large so the frogs don't choke.


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