Mealworms

[Sparkle]

Having read the thread Mealworm limit?, I've decided to try giving Woody some mealworms and wondered if it was all right to give Woody the dried mealworms you buy for the birds from Wilkinsons?

[racinghamster]

All dried mealworms (usually sold for birds) are the same and fine to feed to hamsters. I tend just to half them and offer them as treats, or I will place one in the sand dish and one on a shelf for my robo to find them when he wakes up. Just a couple daily is fine. You can feed more of course but I don`t particularly know what the protein content of one mealworm is, so I don`t like to feed too many in a maintenance diet as this already has a correct protein level. Mealworms should be used as a daily addition really and a yummy treat. Hamsters will find and store insects in the wild as part of their diet, so they catch what they can.

[Sparkle]

Thanks for your reply.

[kiania]

Live (gutloaded) mealworms are 53% protein, and 33% fat (dry weight). For dried, 65% protein, 26% fat (for one type - depends on what they eat I'm sure), if that helps?

I worry about compaction too much to feed dried outside of the food bowl Plus wigglers must be more fun

[Sparkle]

I brought Woody some mealworms and he won't touch them.

[StarlightSerenity]

LOL seems that some hamsters don't like them. First time my Syrian had some she grabbed each one, bit it in half then went onto the next one. Really, really quickly. I think she thought they were alive >.<

[Sparkle]

Originally Posted by StarlightSerenity

LOL seems that some hamsters don't like them. First time my Syrian had some she grabbed each one, bit it in half then went onto the next one. Really, really quickly. I think she thought they were alive >.<

It sounds like she was'nt going to let any mealworms get away.

Woody won't even look at them,I'll keep putting them in his cage, he might change his mind once he tries to eat one.

[kyrilliondaemon]

Our syrian takes them but won't eat them. We find other treats for her now and our other hams get the mealworms to themselves.

At worst the local birds can enjoy them or something

[Willow's mummy!]

Willow loves them but younger son keep trying to give her loads - the other day she must have had about a hundred in the cage! Luckily, I retrieved most of them back into the packet. I did buy the packet thinking 'If she doesn't like them, mum can have them for the birds' (too many unbelled cats round here to make it worth trying to feed wild birds anymore).

[Vicki S]

My Rodney is on a meal mix which contains them its called Supa Hamster
he doesn't pay them much attention he would rather have some pork and bramely apple sausages or an egg.

Just depends on the Hamster i guess as i give him pepper carrots and parsnips and he wouldn't touch them not even if you paid him to but he will eat his banana.

Vicki