Mealworms as Stable diet

[Lija]

I hear a lot about mealworm causing impaction, like everybody... then everybody keep saying they hear a lot about impaction but I'd like to ask this... can anyone here tell me of only one actually legit story of an amphibian getting impaction from eating something they're made for?
Amphibs digest chitin into protein if I remember well...... so this whole impaction thing are lies. If you frog has digestive issues, your temperature and humidity are prolly off.

Mealworms aren't good staple for nutrional value reasons. They're very good backup plan tho as they're cheap, easy to find and can be stored for a long time!
Ultimately, you really want a friend to ship you about 200-300 dubias roaches or any other kind and you start your own colony. Doesn't take much space or time to take care of and they're from far the best staple feeder out there for amphibians. They come in all sizes, don't stink, don't cry, don't bite, don't climb.. don't DIE!
Earthworms are pretty good too but not the greatest staple, they lack a bit of P. Easier to add Ca than P
Diversity is the key to a healthy frog tho.
Here's what I feed mine; roaches, flies, crickets, horn butter silk wax earth WORMS, beetles, weevils, springtails and isos, and I am hoping to start culturing aphids too.

Telling us what kind of frog you have would help too!

id be careful saying that in public. Roaches are illegal to keep in Canada.

as for mealworms, no, amphibians cant digest chitin, this impaction problem. If you want examples, just browse through pacman frog section, tons of threads of impacted and dying frogs there.

Nightcrawlers have the best ca ratio out of feeders out there, they are digested the best too. I definitely agree on statement tha variety (when possible ) is a key, however foods have to be safe.

[Unnar Karl]

Thanks for all the great answers! I definitely need to lay off the mealworms and start using them as a treat when i find another food source, guess i'll start calling the baits shops

[LilyPad]

id be careful saying that in public. Roaches are illegal to keep in Canada.

as for mealworms, no, amphibians cant digest chitin, this impaction problem. If you want examples, just browse through pacman frog section, tons of threads of impacted and dying frogs there.

Nightcrawlers have the best ca ratio out of feeders out there, they are digested the best too. I definitely agree on statement tha variety (when possible ) is a key, however foods have to be safe.

I was going to say. .. just start searching impaction threads and see what the primary diet was. I used to give them as treats to my greys, just 1 or 2 at a time. They came back out whole and undigested even with proper temps and humidity.

[numpty]

I fed them to my newts for a while, and they digested fine, but I was always careful to give newly-moulted larvae. If you have enough mealworms and you dig around in the substrate for a while, you can probably guarantee coming up with a few that have less chitin.

But again, that's newts. I fed some really small mealworms to one of my tree frogs for a while, without problems, but that was just a stopgap while waiting for crickets. No issues though.

[FwoGiZ]

id be careful saying that in public. Roaches are illegal to keep in Canada.

as for mealworms, no, amphibians cant digest chitin, this impaction problem. If you want examples, just browse through pacman frog section, tons of threads of impacted and dying frogs there.

Nightcrawlers have the best ca ratio out of feeders out there, they are digested the best too. I definitely agree on statement tha variety (when possible ) is a key, however foods have to be safe.

Yes there are stupid laws that aren't enforced so I don't really bother with em but I didn't say I own roaches... you're the one interpreting this
Heard of Alberta trying to pass a law that will ban ALL POISON FROGS? talking bout stupid eh?
I am advicing him to get some as they're the #1 best feeder insect for staple which is what he's looking for.

Altho nightcrawlers have a good ca/p ratio, they aren't a complete feeder, they have no chitin, high ash %, low protein... low fiber... but they're lean! basically for someone who uses calcium supplement they become quite obsolete but like I said, I will always encourage diversity!!! Plus some animals LOVES it.

Roach is the best all around feeder is what I meant, therefore the best staple feeder. Easy to breed, cheap, fast, wide range of sizes..
Mealworm is one of the worst out there... plus I am not sure if it's myth of not but they may come in parasited?