Mealworms As Only Food Source?

[MelissaM]

Hey guys!

I would like to get a pet frog. I live in a rural area, and I can only get mealworms as the main food source. Is there any type of frog that can survive (and be healthy) on mealworms only (and/or superworms)?

Thanks!
Melissa

[KingCam]

Short answer? No. Mealworms have way too much shell, and not enough meat to be nutritious for your frog. Mealworms often cause impaction (consitpation) in your animals, which will lead to death if not dealt with properly. Try breeding your own roaches, they are easy to care for (way easier and cleaner than breeding crickets), provide plenty of nutrients, and my frogs absolutely love them!

[MelissaM]

Short answer? No. Mealworms have way too much shell, and not enough meat to be nutritious for your frog. Mealworms often cause impaction (consitpation) in your animals, which will lead to death if not dealt with properly. Try breeding your own roaches, they are easy to care for (way easier and cleaner than breeding crickets), provide plenty of nutrients, and my frogs absolutely love them!

Thanks for your reply.

Unfortunately, it is illegal in Canada to keep roaches. (I don't think I could keep them anyway. I'm terrified of most insects! )

[KingCam]

Unfortunately, it is illegal in Canada to keep roaches.

That's silly. Even tropical species that could never reproduce or even survive a Canadian winter?

I don't think I could keep them anyway. I'm terrified of most insects!

Yeah, I'm scared of roaches, too. hahahaha If they weren't such a cheap and efficient way to keep my animals fed I definitely wouldn't keep them in my house.

[MelissaM]

That's silly. Even tropical species that could never reproduce or even survive a Canadian winter?

I'm not certain, but I believe it includes all species. Although, I do agree that they probably would not survive in Canada!

[xStatic]

I'm not certain, but I believe it includes all species. Although, I do agree that they probably would not survive in Canada!

you may have to try and order some crickets and breed the yourself then My Western Toad also loves to eat earthworms. I think some species of toads and frogs really enjoy eating worms and they don't have an exoskeleton so they are easier to digest. If you want to feed a diet which includes mealworms you might want to consider getting a toad since a lot of toads are designed to eat a lot of hard bodied insects in the wild like beetles and spiders. I feed my toad crickets and worms on alternating days and then I'll cut the heads off of one or two superworms (apparently their biting jaws can do damage to a frog's stomach) so he only gets one or two superworms a week and seems to handle them well.