# How often to feed wax worms



## Xboxguy (Dec 17, 2012)

How often should I feed wax worms to my leopard gecko he is 4 months old


----------



## switchback (Nov 25, 2011)

As a treat. They can get addicted to them... 

Not too great nutritionally too much fat. Say 1 or 2 every fortnight.

Do wait for a more experienced keeper to respond 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk and technology


----------



## Jesterone (Sep 30, 2012)

I feed in the same frequency as above. 1 or 2 a fortnight. They're hardly worth buying to be honest. Luckily I'm good friends with a pet shop owner and I just take a few.


----------



## Nekudan (Nov 10, 2012)

I believe they should be only fed wax worms as a treat.
I think they're basically the junk food for geckos, so feeding them often would be unhealthy for your geckos diet, with being high in fat. 

I THINK people mainly use them if they're reptile is ill, underweight or just after giving birth. 

So.. i think the best answer would be once or twice a month, more if its one of the above...


----------



## Xboxguy (Dec 17, 2012)

Ok thanks everyone I think 1 every two weeks will do i just got him to eat today after 5 days I gave him a wax worm then he ate 6 mealworms hopefully that kick started he's eating


----------



## zzxxy (Aug 28, 2011)

I use either wax worms or pinkies to bulk up females after they have laid eggs. I've also used them in the past to get some bulk onto rescue or previously ill gecko's. I always make sure they are extemely well dusted if i use them in to try and make them at least a little nutritional as they are very high in fat as previously stated. 
As a rule, A couple a month shouldn't hurt. What you can do to save wasting them is let a few pupate and see if your reptile / lizard will eat the moths 

Daz


----------



## Gregg M (Jul 19, 2006)

switchback said:


> As a treat. They can get addicted to them...


No, they can not become addicted to them. They are not drugs. There is not one single addictive substance in wax worms.



switchback said:


> Not too great nutritionally too much fat.


They have a higher fat content than most other feeders, however, not that much higher. They are also packed with calcium and protien. On a nutritional evel they are not bad.



switchback said:


> Say 1 or 2 every fortnight.


Even if you gave your leo a wax worm once a day, it would be perfectly fine.
Wax worms are a part of my leopard geckos varied diet.


----------



## Jesterone (Sep 30, 2012)

Gregg M said:


> No, they can not become addicted to them. They are not drugs. There is not one single addictive substance in wax worms.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


There are certainly many cases of leopard geckos becoming 'addicted' to wax worms in the sense they will refuse any other live food if fed too often. 

The fat content of a locust is roughly 5.25%, compared to that of a wax worm at 22.19%. They also have less protein (40% for locust, 15% for wax worms) less calcium (1.7:1 to 0.131:1 locust:wax worm) and more calories. Feeding foods high in protein is better because they take longer to break down during digestion, leaving the reptile feeling more satisfied for a longer time. It also helps break down fat cells, something which the wax worm doesn't offer (lower protein than fat). 


An your last point is answered by above.

Edit: just an after thought, even a meal worm has a better balance of nutritional values. E.g. Higher protein to fat content.


----------



## Gregg M (Jul 19, 2006)

Jesterone said:


> There are certainly many cases of leopard geckos becoming 'addicted' to wax worms in the sense they will refuse any other live food if fed too often.


No, they do not become addicted. I have leos that will only eat roaches and not look at anything else. Does this mean they are addicted? No. It is what they were being fed by the previous owner. Leos that I produced myself are on a largely varied diet. They get roaches, meal worms, super worms, crickets, and wax worms weekly. They are used to eating a varied diet and will eat anything whenever it is offered. If someone had a gecko that took nothing but wax worms, it is because that gecko got used to eating only wax worms. It has nothing to do with addiction.



Jesterone said:


> The fat content of a locust is roughly 5.25%, compared to that of a wax worm at 22.19%. They also have less protein (40% for locust, 15% for wax worms) less calcium (1.7:1 to 0.131:1 locust:wax worm) and more calories.


And do you know what that means when a leo has a properly varied diet??? Nothing at all....



Jesterone said:


> Feeding foods high in protein is better because they take longer to break down during digestion, leaving the reptile feeling more satisfied for a longer time. It also helps break down fat cells, something which the wax worm doesn't offer (lower protein than fat).


Now, you are just making stuff up.
A reptiles metabolism breaks down fat cells. Their metabolism depends solely on their core temperature. What are you even talking about, mammalian digestion? What applies to warm blooded animals does not apply to cold blooded ones. Sorry dude. Try again...


----------



## tremerz97 (Nov 30, 2012)

i feed 2 every fortnight


----------



## Jesterone (Sep 30, 2012)

Gregg M said:


> No, they do not become addicted. I have leos that will only eat roaches and not look at anything else. Does this mean they are addicted? No. It is what they were being fed by the previous owner. Leos that I produced myself are on a largely varied diet. They get roaches, meal worms, super worms, crickets, and wax worms weekly. They are used to eating a varied diet and will eat anything whenever it is offered. If someone had a gecko that took nothing but wax worms, it is because that gecko got used to eating only wax worms. It has nothing to do with addiction.


I did put 'addicted' in quotes, it's true it's not the correct term for it. But you've just confirmed yourself you have a Leo that will only eat roaches and nothing else because it is used to roaches. The same can happen with wax worms if fed as a staple. You're basing your argument on your own practises and not that of others. 





Gregg M said:


> And do you know what that means when a leo has a properly varied diet??? Nothing at all....


Actually it still means a lot. It's best practice to feed what is best for a reptile. Especially since sourcing such a varied diet can have it's difficulties and the fact that truly varied diets are simply not fed nearly as often as they should be. A large portion of Leo keepers feed a strict diet of mealworms. 




Gregg M said:


> Now, you are just making stuff up.
> A reptiles metabolism breaks down fat cells. Their metabolism depends solely on their core temperature. What are you even talking about, mammalian digestion? What applies to warm blooded animals does not apply to cold blooded ones. Sorry dude. Try again...


Whilst it is true that, because reptiles are cold blooded, digestion is slower in reptiles than in mammals Because of their low resting metabolism. However their metabolism is prodimnetly evolved that way so that is requires far less fuel to sustain bodily functions. It's an energy saving measure. The fact still stands that, nutritionally, a higher protein than fat value is significantly better. Especially in Leo's when this extra fat is stored and some may argue can cause obesity.


----------



## Gregg M (Jul 19, 2006)

Jesterone said:


> I did put 'addicted' in quotes, it's true it's not the correct term for it. But you've just confirmed yourself you have a Leo that will only eat roaches and nothing else because it is used to roaches. The same can happen with wax worms if fed as a staple. You're basing your argument on your own practises and not that of others.


And I never said that wax worms should ever be used as a staple. In fact, I do not believe that a staple of any one feeder is good for leopard geckos.

And I am basing my argument on the actual physiology of geckos and other reptiles. Offering a staple is not the choice of the gecko. The gecko eats what the keeper chooses for it. Geckos should be offered varied diets in captivity. If they are no offered a varied diet, it is because of the keepers lazyness and nothing else.



Jesterone said:


> Actually it still means a lot. It's best practice to feed what is best for a reptile. Especially since sourcing such a varied diet can have it's difficulties and the fact that truly varied diets are simply not fed nearly as often as they should be. A large portion of Leo keepers feed a strict diet of mealworms.


No it means nothing because when I diet is vaied, they will get from one food source that they do not get from another.

The fact that most keepers feed mainly meal worms, does not make it a correct diet. Sourcing a varied diet is not hard. It is quite simple.



Jesterone said:


> Whilst it is true that, because reptiles are cold blooded, digestion is slower in reptiles than in mammals Because of their low resting metabolism. However their metabolism is prodimnetly evolved that way so that is requires far less fuel to sustain bodily functions. It's an energy saving measure. The fact still stands that, nutritionally, a higher protein than fat value is significantly better. Especially in Leo's when this extra fat is stored and some may argue can cause obesity.


Reptiles that are not heated properly have low metabolic rates. Reptles that are actually given the option of high basking temps have very fast metabolisms. It is all down to husbandry. Obesity in reptiles has very little to do with diet. It has more to do with husbandry. A well heated, active reptile will not become obese. I can see why keepers have problems with leos becoming too fat. The basking temps are too low. These geckos bask at 100 degrees sometimes hotter in my collection. They are active day and night, they are lean and constantly looking for something to eat. And I am talking about 6 and 7 year old adults. Its all about the husbandry...

Keepers are more worried about whats easier for them and not really what is best for the reptile.


----------



## Jesterone (Sep 30, 2012)

This isn't going to go anywhere. Lol. 

For the OP's needs, I suggest not feeding wax worms too often.


----------



## switchback (Nov 25, 2011)

Christ I only offered abit if advice, sorry Gregg m you are just l33t


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk and technology


----------



## Gregg M (Jul 19, 2006)

switchback said:


> Christ I only offered abit if advice, sorry Gregg m you are just l33t


And that means what exactly?


----------



## switchback (Nov 25, 2011)

L33t...leet as elite.


----------



## Gregg M (Jul 19, 2006)

switchback said:


> L33t...leet as elite.


Why couldnt you have just typed the word elite out? I do not think a place where people come for important information should be dumbed down with slang typing. Anyway, it has nothing to do with being elite. It has to do with the proper information being put out there. I just said what I said and gave the reasoning behind it. No harm in that, right?


----------



## switchback (Nov 25, 2011)

Indeed you are correct. 

Sorry for putting it in slang terms. 

I offered some advice and stated that I wasn't experienced and that the op shoul wait for it to be stated by some o e more experienced. 

You then come on and say 

Switch is wrong 

Switch is wrong 

Switch is wrong.

Then somebody else states some thing and then they are wrong in your eyes. 

I found it quite irritating to be honest and I was being sarcastic by calling you l33t ....

If its caused you or any others offence then I am truly sorry


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk and technology


----------

