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Staple insects

MaxTheconfusedkeeper

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
11
Hi, My name is Max and I am a 14-year-old reptile keeper who is getting a bearded dragon shortly. My question for today is what Insects can I use as a staple other than Dubia roaches? My mom absolutely despises roaches and won't let them anywhere near the house. So I've been looking online trying to find alternatives. I was thinking mealworms as they seem easier to care for but according to the internet, their levels of chitin make them a bad staple. So what can I do instead? Or am I just overreacting and mealworms make a fine staple even though they're not ideal? I just wanted a little clarification on what type of bugs I should breed to use as a staple. Thanks.
 

BeardieLover<3

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
467
Haha hey we are almost the same age, i recently got a baby bearded dragon, i would not recommend mealworms as a staple feeder. I was worried at first for my baby but i have been feeding mealworms cut up to her and she is fine, so mealworms are ok to feed just not every day. Some good staples are crickets and BSFL are also pretty good.
 

HoomanSlave

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
Messages
691
Location
Hogwarts
Black soldier fly larvae are great, but they don't live as long as dubias and are small so you would have to buy a lot of them. They're so high in calcium no dusting is necessary, and they're pretty easy to keep. Hutloading them isn't even necessary.

Crickets are fine as staple feeders, but they aren't as nutritious as BSFL. They're also messy, loud, and are more likely to carry parasites than other feeders. They also don't live very long, so constantly buying new ones can get expensive.

Mealworms should only be a treat. The chitin content is pretty high, and they are too high in fat and too low in many other things.

Silkworms are highly nutritious and are great staples, but they aren't very hardy at all and require a specialized diet. They're also pretty expensive, and shipping is usually as much as it costs to buy the worms.

You could also try explaining to your mom that dubia roaches aren't like other roaches. They are clean (no diseases, not smelly), they don't bite or fly, and they will not infest the house if one or two escape. You can also work on a way to keep the dubias so they won't bother her, such as keeping them in a spare closet so she won't have to see them.
 

MaxTheconfusedkeeper

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
11
Thanks that sounds like A great Idea I told her this but she was worried about them escaping, It doesn't seem to matter that they're clean or whatnot she just hates them because of their roaches. I'll try though. Great information on the others though, Thanks!
 
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