Are Mealworms Good for Bearded Dragons?
Planning a feeder insect is one of the biggest steps in getting a new reptile pet. Your feeder is your pet’s staple food source, its main source of protein, and something you will be relying on to feed your pet every day. Mealworms are one of the most popular options for exotic pet owners, but are they any good for bearded dragons?
The short answer is yes, but there are always better (or more complete options). Bearded dragons need lots of things to make sure they have a balanced diet and no single feeder insect will keep your beardy healthy on its own.
So to give a fuller answer, we’ll look at what beardies need to stay healthy, what mealworms can offer, and how you can build a balanced diet for your bearded dragon. Here’s the scoop on using mealworms as feeders.
Bearded Dragon Biology
The bearded dragon (genus Pogona) is a ground-dwelling lizard native to the hot, dry deserts of Australia. They are mostly solitary, and they scavenge for food over the desert. This means that they have to take whatever they can get, which means bearded dragons are omnivores by nature.
Omnivores are animals that eat meat and veggies. For beardies, this usually means a steady supply of insect protein, lots of leafy greens, and the occasional piece of fruit.
Juvenile bearded dragons are more carnivorous, relying on a steady supply of insect protein and fat to keep their energy up. As they age, they shift to be more vegetarian, living mostly on leafy greens with a few insects thrown in for good measure.
So as a rule, bearded dragons need lots of protein and fat, high calcium content (like all reptiles), and low fiber. Beardies’ stomachs are pretty sensitive, and fiber can constipate them, which can be a serious health concern.
Mealworm Nutritional Facts
Now let’s look at what the mealworm has to offer. Mealworms, which are the larval stage of a darkling beetle (species Tenebrio molitor), are native to the Mediterranean. They live in leaf litter on the forest floor before pupating into beetles. Mealworms have a hard, chitinous exoskeleton, and grow from around ¼” to about 1” long.
Here are the basic mealworm nutrition facts:
Protein: 20%
Fat: 13%
Moisture: 62%
Ash: 1.5%
Fiber: 5.7%
Calcium to phosphorus ratio: 1:8-1:17
As you can see, the fat and protein content both look good. However, mealworms have high fiber content compared to other insects like dubia roaches and superworms. They’re also low in calcium, which is a common problem with feeders. This issue is pretty easy to solve- you can just dust your feeders with calcium powder.
But the high fiber content is a little trickier. Mealworms aren’t the worst for fiber content (crickets may run as high as 7 or 8%), but they can still potentially give your beardy digestive issues. Some bearded dragon owners will avoid them outright for this reason. Others use mealworms in combination with other insects.
After all, one of the main benefits of mealworms is that they’re easy to get and easy to store. So maybe the best way to use mealworms is as a “backup feeder,” in case something goes wrong with your main colony and you need to run to the pet shop quickly.
One other problem with mealworms is their size. A good rule of thumb is to give your reptile insects as long as the space between your pet’s eyes. Mealworms work well for young beardies, but adult beardies can outgrow them and may need something a little beefier.
Easy Alternatives
So as I mentioned, mealworms aren’t necessarily a bad choice. They meet your beardy’s need for fat and protein just fine, and with a little calcium powder, they’ll cover that base too. They’re just a little too fibrous for regular, consistent feeding.
So what are some alternatives you can look into?
Two of our favorites are ones I’ve already mentioned: superworms and dubia roaches.
Superworms are actually pretty similar to mealworms, biologically. They come from the same family (darkling beetles), but they have much softer exoskeletons, and also grow a lot bigger. This means you’ll be able to feed them to a beardy of any age, including old timers. Superworms are a little more fatty, but they have a lot less fiber. Here are the full nutrition facts:
Superworm Nutrition Facts
Protein: 19.7%
Fat: 17.7%
Moisture: 57.9%
Ash: 1%
Fiber: 2.7%
Calcium to Phosphorus ratio: 1:13
Superworms are a little less active, so we recommend them for senior bearded dragons that aren’t as interested in hunting. Juveniles are going to want something a little more active.
And for that, look no further than the dubia roach. Dubia roaches are a small, flightless roach native to South America. They’re active enough to keep your beardy entertained, but they’re notoriously bad climbers, so they’re easy to keep in the house as they won’t escape. Here are their nutrition facts:
Dubia Roach Nutrition Facts
Protein: 22%
Fat: 7.7%
Fiber: 2.9%
Ash: 1.7%
Water: 60%
Calcium to Phosphorus ratio: 2:3
The only downside to dubias is that they’re more of a “lean meat” feeder. You’ll want to mix in some fat for a rounded diet.
Creating a Healthy Diet
Beyond just feeder insects, it’s always important to remember that bearded dragons have diverse diets and need a lot of different kinds of food. In addition to your feeder insects, you should be sure to give them lots of hearty green vegetables (kale, mustard greens, collard greens, etc.) and the occasional piece of tropical fruit. They love apples, bananas, papayas, and mangoes. Too much sugary stuff can be bad, but an occasional piece of sweet fruit will give them some extra nutrients. Put it all together, and you’ve got a balanced, healthy diet.