Hornworm bites

[NYDragon]

So I got some hornworms for my beardie to try. They are fairly large, 3 or so inches long. The first night she ate two no problem. Last night, I fed her one. She grabbed it and it turned around and bit onto her eyelid. She pulled it off with her foot but he came right back. She swallowed it before I could intervene. Her eye was watery afterwards but looked alright. Not damage. I didn't feed her anymore after that. But I did notice that one of them grated their mandibles across the tongs and they sounded pretty hard and sharp. So now I have 8-10 giant caterpillars and I'm too nervous to feed her anymore of them. Anyone have these problems with them? Do you think I should try again? I've heard of problems with Chams before too? I just don't want her to get injured Thanks!

Erin

[blackcrystal22]

Even mealworms can deal a mean bite.

I've heard that it's a good idea to feed them dead (if they'll eat them dead) or to feed them head first, so the lizard grabs the head and not the tail so it can't turn around and bite them.

[dembonez]

So I got some hornworms for my beardie to try. They are fairly large, 3 or so inches long. The first night she ate two no problem. Last night, I fed her one. She grabbed it and it turned around and bit onto her eyelid. She pulled it off with her foot but he came right back. She swallowed it before I could intervene. Her eye was watery afterwards but looked alright. Not damage. I didn't feed her anymore after that. But I did notice that one of them grated their mandibles across the tongs and they sounded pretty hard and sharp. So now I have 8-10 giant caterpillars and I'm too nervous to feed her anymore of them. Anyone have these problems with them? Do you think I should try again? I've heard of problems with Chams before too? I just don't want her to get injured Thanks!

Erin

well i wanted hornworms but they are illigal in toronto but a tip if u feel like doing it is crush their heads? lol i know it feels gross but if u still wanna feed or feed with tongs covering the head till he eats them i prefer silkworms as a staple my gizmo lOVES THEM!! and they don't bite!! from the sounds of it i think your beardie will be okay!!

let us know how it goes but try not to feed superworms or mealworms because the exoskeleton



keep us updated plz i hope everything is okay!!!!

[suzuki4life]

Hornworms don't get a nasty bite until they exceed the 2-3" mark. Under that and their bite is pretty unnoticable.

If you are nervous, feed smaller worms.

But for the ones you have already, you can nip the heads off and feed them while they still wiggle. I personally would just feed them and the lizard is quite capable of handling the situation.

[suzuki4life]

I raise mealworms and never had one bite me....

just stopped raising supers and never had any of them bite me either....they will pee on you at will though. I have hear others say about superworm bites, never experienced any before.

[mainbutter]

I've been bit by big hornworms and superworms. Neither broke the skin, they just kind of grab and hold on. Heck even crickets will bite (only happened once to me so far), I was quite surprised.

when feeding to our cham, I hold the hornworm by the head, so when the cham grabs the worm, he grabs the middle of the body and restrains the worm's movement.