Meal vs Wax worms

[rvtflyer88]

Im trying to figure out what the difference is b/w the mealworm and wax worm and which one is better for my flying squirrel. Im now the new adopte b/c last owner had to move so now I have a 6yr flying squirrel. He only ate mostly fruits so Im wanting to feed him a good well rounded diet. Ive looked at pyramid already and got some ideas of other foods but im just stuck on the whole wormy ordeal.

[Rhapsody]

Wax Worms are by far better, but also bar far more expensive, hence why most owners feed meal worms or super worms....... they are just as good and flyers lover them.

[rvtflyer88]

Are both offered dead because I dont feel like cutting heads off :(

[CritterMom]

Feed them live - your squirrel will handle the beheading duties. You only need to cut the heads off if the animal eats them whole (herps, baby birds). Here is a great nutritional comparison chart. What they refer to as "Phoenix" worms are wax worms. Source is www.exoticnutrition.com.

[Rhapsody]

ALIVE and WIGGLING :rotfl :rotfl :rotfl

[Rhapsody]

Here is an insert from one of my other websites: (basic meal worms / not Super Worms)

How to Care for Mealworms:

You will need a clean plastic container lined with about two inches of wheat bran, oatmeal or regular mealworm bedding. Gently shake the mealworms out of the paper they arrive in and place them into a medium size plastic container - discard the paper. If you ordered a large amount of meal worms you should place about a hundred or so mealworms into a smaller container (kept at room temp) these worms will be use for the first weeks feeding.

Add a slice of apple or raw potato to both containers - this is how the worms will receive their moisture. Leave the worms at room temperature for at least an hour before refrigerating the remaining worms in the medium container, cover with paper towel. Never leave food in the container of mealworms that is to be refrigerated as the food will become moldy and the worms will die.

Once you refrigerate the worms they will become dormant (free from pupating into a beetle bug) and last for months.

Take mealworms out of the refrigerator once a week for twenty-four hours and place a couple of fresh sliced apple or raw potato on top of their bedding so they can eat. Set aside all mealworms you will use for the next weeks feeding into the smaller container (kept at room temperature). Remove the moisture food (apple or potato) from the main container and refrigerate remaining worms for another week.

Never leave mealworms in direct sun or extreme heat.
If kept at room temperature too long, mealworms will pupate and turn into tiny beetle bugs.

[pappy1264]

Actually, phoenix worms are not the same as wax worms. They (phoenix) have a much better ca./phos ratio then waxies, but EVERYTHING I have tried them with (from geckos, to gliders, to flyers) would not touch them (the phoenix worms) and they are MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE then waxworms.

Waxworms have more fat then mealies, flyers seem to like them much more then mealies (at least in my experience w/my four flyers). You do not feed waxworms after you get them. Mealies you must feed and give fluids to for them to survive and be healthy. They both should be kept in a little cooler temps (basement is usually a good choice, unless it is really cold outside, and your basement gets very cold). Some put mealies in the fridge to make them go 'dormant'. You must take them out once a week, let them warm up, and feed them if you do this.

They are both decent sources of protein, although for in the case of flyers and gliders, definitely not enough.

When you feed either, you have to take into account the higher phosporus levels they have and adjust your diet according to try to keep good ca/ph ratios.

[owenssammy]

Out of interest can grey squirrels also eat wax and meal worms? I feed them to my bearded dragon and I gave one to peanut and she loved it! Hope its ok and does anyone else's squirrel eat them? Yuk! :rotfl

[CritterMom]

Out of interest can grey squirrels also eat wax and meal worms? I feed them to my bearded dragon and I gave one to peanut and she loved it! Hope its ok and does anyone else's squirrel eat them? Yuk! :rotfl


My gray squirrel LOVES waxworms, but only gets them occasionally, and I dust them with Henry's vitamin mix before I feeds them to him. I buy them for my little deermouse Nate, too. They have terrible calcium to phosphorus levels so only as a treat and only with some calcium to balance. They are just HIDEOUS!!