Can My Bearded Dragon Eat Hornworms?

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can my bearded dragon eat hornworms

Hornworms caterpillars are part of the moth family sphingidae. They are known to be a great source of protein.

You already know that giving food packed with nutrients will keep your beardie healthy.

So, to the question can my bearded dragon eat hornworms? We answer Yes, beardies can eat hornworm caterpillar occasionally.

 

Nutritional value of hornworms

Hornworms are made of 85% of water, 9% protein and 3% fat. Furthermore, the calcium to Phosphorous ratio also known as Ca:P is 1:3. Given the Ca:P ratio, it is recommended to feed hornworms occasionally to your dragon.

In short, hornworms have all the relevant nutrients that your bearded dragon needs as a treat for a balanced diet.

 

Where can you find hornworms?

Hornworms caterpillars can be found on your garden plants. There are two common varieties: tobacco and tomato hornworms.

The tobacco ones have a red horn and the tomato ones have a blue or black horn. They all have white markings on their body.

 

You can also buy hornworms from specialized shops such as GreatLakesHornWorm

 

How to feed your beardie with hornworms?

 

You need to ensure that you select only small hornworms given that some of them can be big. Big food items can lead to impaction in your beardie.

Once you pick small worms give them to your dragon one at a time.

Alternatively, you can cut the hornworms in half but make sure that you feed them to your beardie immediately!

See also  Do Bearded Dragons Eat Everyday?

 

Summary

Hornworms caterpillars are protein-rich worms that your bearded dragon can eat. We recommend occasional treat though for a balanced diet.

Further reading you may find interesting:  Do bearded dragons eat everyday?

 

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