The 5 Best Worms For Bearded Dragons

The 5 Best Worms For Bearded Dragons

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Bearded dragons are omnivores, which means that they eat both plants and animals. When they are very young, bearded dragons need a protein-rich diet comprised primarily of insects to fuel their growth.

As they get older, they tend to eat more vegetables. Throughout your bearded dragon’s life, however, you should feed it live insects like worms to supplement its staple diet.

In this article, we’ll talk about the basics of feeding your bearded dragon live food and provide some simple tips for choosing the best bearded dragon worms. You’ll also see our top 5 picks for the best bearded dragon worms.

At A Glance: Best Worms For Bearded Dragons To Buy

We highly recommend looking at the comparison table we have below where we highlighted the features of each product. You’ll also find more detailed information about each product later in the article.

Compare Best Worms for Bearded Dragons

Overall Best 1. Bassett’s Cricket Range Organically Grown Mealworms View on Amazon Read Review	Runner-Up 2. Gimminy Crickets & Worms Live Superworms View on Amazon Read Review	Best Budget 3. Josh's Frogs Waxworms (250 Count) View on Amazon Read Review	Best Worms 4. Josh’s Frogs Live Hornworms View on Amazon Read Review	Best Staple Worm 5. Predator Foods Bulk Live Mealworms View on Amazon Read Review
Type Mealworm	Type Superworm	Type Wax worms	Type Hornworm	Type Mealworms
Amount 2,100	Amount 1005	Amount 250	Amount 25	Amount 100
Nutrients 20% Protein, 13% Fat	Nutrients 20% Protein, 13% Fat	Nutrients 21% Fat, 15% Protein	Nutrients 9% Protein, 3% Fat	Nutrients 16% Protein, 5% Fat

What To Look For In Worms For Bearded Dragons?

There are many different types of worms that bearded dragons will eat, but some of them are better options than others. For example, bearded dragons love wax worms, but they are very high in fat and should not make up a significant portion of your pet’s diet. Read on to learn what kind of things you should look for when shopping for worms for your bearded dragon.

Here are some important things to look for in bearded dragon worms:

• Rich in nutrients. Your bearded dragon needs a balanced diet, so plan to feed it a variety of different worms. Keep in mind that some are higher in fat and others high in protein, so try to strike a balance.
• Delivered alive. You obviously don’t want to pay for a shipment of dead insects, so double-check with the company’s shipping policies to make sure your insects arrive alive.
• Fed a healthy diet. In order to be a good source of nutrition to your bearded dragon, the worms must have a nutritious diet themselves. Check to see what they are fed, or plan to keep them on a good diet of vegetables for several days after you receive them.
• Dusted with nutrient powder. Bearded dragons and other reptiles require the proper ratio of calcium and phosphorus in their diet, so dust your live insects with a reptile calcium powder. For bearded dragons, use a powder without D3.

Our Top Picks For The Best Worms for Bearded Dragons

Now that you have a better idea what to look for in bearded dragon worms, it’s time to start shopping! Keep reading to see our top 5 picks for the best worms for bearded dragons.

Here are our top 5 picks for the best bearded dragon worms:

Overall Best

1.

Bassett’s Cricket Range Organically Grown Mealworms

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Type: Mealworm
• Amount: 2,100
• Nutrients: 20% Protein, 13% Fat

Pros

• Very popular for bearded dragons
• Good balance of protein and fat
• Available in a wide range of sizes up to 2”

Cons

• Hard outer shell may be difficult for baby bearded dragons to eat

One of the most popular feeder insects for reptiles, mealworms are very affordable and easy to keep. They can grow up to 2 inches in length and they have a hard outer shell called chitin which can be difficult for very young bearded dragons to digest, so reserve these for adolescent and adult bearded dragons. Mealworms offer a satisfying crunch and they contain about 20% protein and 13% fat.

Runner-Up

2.

Gimminy Crickets & Worms Live Superworms

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Type: Superworm
• Amount: 1005
• Nutrients: 20% Protein, 13% Fat

Pros

• Larger than regular mealworms
• Rich in both protein and fat
• Fast 2-day shipping to arrive alive

Cons

• More expensive than mealworms
• May be too large for very young bearded dragons

If you’re looking for something a little larger than a mealworm but with the same nutritional profile, try superworms. Superworms are very large mealworms and they contain 20% protein and 13% fat. Keep in mind that these may be too big for juvenile bearded dragons, so be smart when purchasing the insects for your beloved pet.

Best Budget

3.

Josh's Frogs Waxworms (250 Count)

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Type: Wax worms
• Amount: 250
• Nutrients: 21% Fat, 15% Protein

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein: 15.8%

Crude Fat: 20.4%

Crude Fiber: 0.4%

Moisture: 62.6%

Ash: 0.8%

Dry Matter Basis

Protein: 42.25%

Fat: 54.55%

Fiber: 1.07%

Pros

• Excellent treat for bearded dragons
• Guaranteed to arrive alive
• Available in different quantities

Cons

• Not intended for staple diet (too high in fat)

Wax worms are very different from mealworms, both in size and nutritional value. These worms are small and white in color – they are also much wider than mealworms. Wax worms contain about 21% fat and 15% protein, so they should only be offered supplement ally instead of as a staple diet. Josh’s Frog’s wax worms are guaranteed to arrive alive and are packaged securely. They come in different sized packages, but this one has 250 count live wax worms.

Best Worms

4.

Josh’s Frogs Live Hornworms

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Type: Hornworm
• Amount: 25
• Nutrients: 9% Protein, 3% Fat

Pros

• Excellent option for a frequent diet
• Grow quickly in a matter of days
• Contain 9% protein and just 3% fat

Cons

• More expensive than other types of worms

Also known as goliath worms, hornworms are a great insect to include in your bearded dragon’s staple diet. They contain 9% protein and just 3% fat and they grow much larger than the other worms on this list. Hornworms grow quickly, so if they are too small when you get them you can simply feed them for a few days until the reach the proper size.

Best Staple Worm

5.

Predator Foods Bulk Live Mealworms

View on Amazon

Product Info

• Type: Mealworms
• Amount: 100
• Nutrients: 16% Protein, 5% Fat

Pros

• High levels of protein, low in fat
• Excellent choice to supplement staple diet

Cons

• Significantly more expensive than any on the list

Very similar in appearance to wax worms, mealworms are another smaller option for your bearded dragon. Mealworms are a great choice if you want to supplement your bearded dragon’s staple diet.

Tips For Feeding A Bearded Dragon Live Foods

In the wild, bearded dragons feed primarily on insects but will also eat some vegetation. When your baby bearded dragon is growing up, about 80% of his diet should come from insects and the rest from vegetables and fruits. Adult bearded dragons tend to eat less, however, so you should provide plenty of fresh fruits and veggies on a daily basis and supplement with worms and other live insects.

Here are some simple tips for feeding live foods to a bearded dragon properly:

• Make sure any insects you plan to feed your bearded dragon are given a good vegetable-based diet – this simply means that they have been fed healthy foods so the nutrients will be transferred to your bearded dragon when it eats the insects.
• Choose the appropriate size of insect according to your bearded dragon’s age and size – crickets come in many different sizes, but most worms are a standard size, so choose wisely.
• Offer only as many insects as your bearded dragon can consume within 15 minutes and remove any uneaten insects after that time.
• Dust your insects with a reptile calcium supplement powder without D3 with all worms to make sure your bearded dragon gets the calcium and other essential nutrients it needs. Use a vitamin supplement with D3 weekly.
• Be smart about how you offer your insects to make sure your bearded dragon gets to eat them – worms can generally be contained in a shallow dish that keeps them from crawling out.

Every bearded dragon is different, and your pet’s appetite will change as it grows and develops. When your bearded dragon is very young, you should offer food at least once a day and let it eat as much as it wants. As your bearded dragon becomes an adult, three to four feedings a week should be adequate.

Final Remarks

Live insects play an important role in your bearded dragon’s nutrition, so don’t skimp on them! You can use commercially prepared foods like pellets and dried insects to create an affordable staple diet for your bearded dragon but be sure to supplement with live foods a few times a week. Worms are a convenient and economical option in live foods for bearded dragons.

If you’re still not sure where to start in looking for bearded dragon worms, try out one of the top 5 best bearded dragon worms we’ve reviewed above. Good luck!