"The extra Small and Small "hold" for two months or longer in the cup; Medium and Large will "turn" sooner. Keep at 60 - 70 degrees to slow pupation. Adults are great food, too.
You're right about the calcium/phosphorus ratio. That is really what got us interested in developing this insect for the herp food market--finally a ready to eat food that's naturally high in calcium, no need to dust or gut load. And then we discovered that the wiggly worms were especially appealing, even to pets who were reluctant eaters. Phoenix Worms are much more active than mealworms, superworms and silkworms! Breeders at Sun Pet Ltd. in Atlanta conducted a 6-mo. replicated study feeding hatchling Leopard Geckos nothing but Phoenix Worms and they did not develop any signs of metabolic bone disease. There is more info on this subject in our brochure and additional information will be available on our web site which should be up and running in about a week. Check out
www.phoenixworm.com.
We don't know of any parasites that are transferable to reptiles.
The testing started in 2001 with Allen Repashy's Sandfire Dragons. Allen contacted me concerning the possibility of Hermetia illucens being developed for the herp trade and I sent him prepupae for testing. Much has been done since then, particularly with breeders at Sun Pet in Atlanta. They have fed most of their amphibians and reptiles Phoenix Worms and found eager acceptance from nearly all, except for larger reptiles and snakes. We've also worked with a poison arrow frog breeder in Washington who reported that all of his frogs love this worm. And hobbyists across the country have helped with our research by feeding their turtles, geckos, bearded dragons, anoles, chameleons, tarantulas, scorpions, and fish--all with great results. Thanks, Allen, for suggesting we develop this insect for herp enthusiasts!
Good luck with your pets, Q.
Regards,
Dr. Sheppard"
