Mealworms????? Myth or Fact?????

[Germ]

Mealie 'Basher' Challenge

I have started this thread because I received a rather insightful response to the above thread, but because of the request to have only responses with documentation to back up the claims, I can not allow it to stay posted there without defeating the purpose of that thread. But it is too good & too much thought went into it, to just 'Delete'. So here it is ...

Will Mealworms cause Impaction?

Do mealworms cause impaction? That's a question that most reptile enthusiasts are plagued with and are warned not to use mealworms as apart of their staple diets for the risk of impaction. Let's talk about impaction first before I launch ahead with the mealworms and bearded dragons.

Impaction-a blockage in the intestinal tract of any type of animal or reptile. Any of us can get impacted and therefore necessary edema's and laxatives have to be given. Impaction can be deadly for both species, human and reptile. Impaction is caused by large amounts of food that isn't chewed properly or digested properly. The point of relieving impaction can be as simple as looking into our diets as well. Fiber plays a role in helping us relieve ourselves. Reptiles included. The reptile I'm writing about is the bearded dragon. Our loving friend or 'master' as everyone seems to think of them. (Pogona's were once great dragons and there was a great war between the dragons and their 'humans'.) However, the bearded dragon's a wonderful pet, but they're no ordinary lizards. They capture our hearts and love us unconditionally. There are so many people who mistreat them because they're uneducated what it takes to care for a bearded dragon. For the dragons who suffer, I feel for them. It hurts me when I see pictures of dragons with no fat and only bones. You've got to think of those dragons and their owners. It makes me think of how can they sleep at night when they're 'friend's' lying there, dying. It's a horrible death. Then there's their saviors. Ones who help rescue them and nurse them back to health. People who rescue dragons are heroes. We are their voice, after all.

Now onto, mealworms. One of the moderators of this forum has informed me that mealworms have been fed to reptiles for many years and has stopped based on personal preference. Mealworms come in a variety of different sizes. Small to Giant. Mealworms have a hard chitin shell. This can be hard for beardies to digest. Before you say, impaction, there's several ways to keep them from getting them impacted from eating mealworms. Number One: Smaller amounts is best. That means only giving them 1 or 2 small sized mealworms. Overfeeding mealworms to beardies or any type of reptile is like eating a full case of chocolate bars with reckless abandon. If we overeat, we get sick and regurgitate whatever we've ingested. Same goes with beardies. Most beardies, aren't able to tolerate a lot of mealworms so they regurgitate them whole. Second: Make sure the beardie is well hyrdated. Hydration's the key when they eat mealworms and any live prey. Extra soaks in warm water will help ensure they stay hydrated and not become impacted. Impaction also can happen if you house the beardie on calci-sand, sand, walnut shell, and corncob bedding. I checked out a website that showed an Iguana impacted from corncob bedding. It's dangerous and deadly if you're keeping your beardie on that bedding. Third: Babies and Juveniles should NOT be fed meal worms as a staple. It can do more harm than good. Simply because of their hard chitin shells as the complete body mass of a mealworm, the beardies' stomach isn't able to digest mealworms. Fourth: Don't use mealworms as part of a staple diet. Always have variety of greens and vegetables readily available for them to eat. Fifth: Mealworms can be used for dragons who need extra fat if they're underweight. Mealworms can be fed to dragons as long as they're not babies and juveniles.
I've went through some pictures on the web from a website, showing a female bearded dragon who was once gravid with eggs. After laying her eggs, the owner tried every trick in the book to get her to eat. He fed her some mealworms which she accepted, but she had died. An autopsy showed undigested mealworms in her stomach. There is no evidence that the undigested mealworms caused impaction to this beardie. They were not in her intestines showing no impaction on the x-ray. Another picture showed an impaction from walnut shells and the worst possible death.
Impaction can be caused by not only meal worms, but anything bigger than the space between the eyes. Big crickets, big superworms, big pieces of greens not properly cut up, improper water spritzing of salads, and soaking can cause impaction if not hydrated well. You see, hydration and fiber's the key to keep a healthy beardie. A well-hydrated beardie makes everything flow through their bodies without incident. Impaction can be avoided. Mealies can be fed in small careful amounts. Mealies should be the smallest size possible or the space between his or her eyes.
The choice of feeding mealies as a treat is yours to make and whether you chose to feed mealies is based on preferences. You're the decision maker and caretaker. So, thanks for taking the time for reading. Oh yes, if you spot anything wrong, let me know kindly. Good night or morning.

 

[Germ]

What I do have to say about Noella's post, is that if you really check the findings on the charts of either one of the attached PDF files in the 'Challenge', you will find that both, based on scientific studies, reveal that the claim, that Mealworms have a higher 'Chitin' content than crickets or most other common feeders, is also false or 'Myth'.

Actually I will attach them both here ...