Superworms, referred to as King worm or Morio worm, is the larva stage of the darkling beetle and is mainly used as food for reptile pets; However, they might not be easy to consume because of their body structure and biting nature.
Axolotls are a cute soft-bodied creature with voracious nature with a maximum life span of 17 years but they swallow their prey alive, which can be dangerous if it consumes super worms due to their hard exoskeleton and the ability to bite your axolotls in the process of consumption.
Therefore, your pets are not to consume super worms, but if you are left with no option but to feed them with them, there are ways to go about it, and this article will open your eyes to the needed thing to do.
Why Can’t My Axolotls Eat Superworms?
There are a few reasons why it is wrong for your pets to consume super worms.
1. Hard Exoskeleton
Superworms possess a hard exoskeleton which is always easy to consume by reptiles but might be very difficult for an axolotl as your pet’s digestive system is not structured to digest something very hard.
Besides, it takes your pet several days to consume its food, and the inability to digest it will lead to impaction, which might eventually kill your pet if not attended to immediately.
2. Defensive Habit
Superworms can bite your pet even after it has been swallowed and can use their leg to damage the internal organs while in your pet’s stomach, as axolotls are soft-bodied.
3. Incomplete Life Cycle
Superworms are in the larva stage and can continue their life cycle even in your pet’s stomach if it takes too long to get the worms digested.
This could be very dangerous if the super worm completes its life cycle, turning into a darkling beetle in your pet’s stomach as it will feed on your pet from the inside.
What Pets Eat Super Worms?
Reptiles such as turtles and lizards feed on super worms as they can swallow the hard exoskeleton worm. Besides, their digestive system is rigid and able to digest super worms.
Can My Axolotls Eat Superworm As An Occasional Treat?
Yes. Your pet can be fed with super worms once or twice a month as they contain few nutrients that can benefit your pet.
What Stage Of Superworm Is Safe For My Axolotls To Consume?
The larva stage is the safe stage to be consumed by your pet as it can be easily swallowed, and the exoskeleton is not as hard as the pupa or adult stage.
How Best Do I Feed My Axolotls With Superworms?
Although it is unsafe to feed your axolotls with super worms, you might need to feed them with the worms.
The best way to feed your pet with super worms is to feed them without the exoskeleton, and that will require you first to cut or crush the head before you get rid of the exoskeleton, making sure that it is cut into bits.
However, you might not need to cut it into bits if the super worm is small enough to fit into your axolotl’s mouth.
What Is The Nutritional Benefits Of Superworms To My Axolotls?
The nutritional benefits of super worms are less compared to the damage they will do to your pet although it supplies axolotl with more calcium, fiber, and fat compared to other worms.
These are the following nutrient your axolotls can get from consuming super worms;
| Nutrient | Percentage(%) |
| Protein | 17.4 |
| Fat | 17.9 |
| Calcium | 0.5 |
| Fiber | 6.8 |
However, this does not change the fact that super worms are unsafe for consuming your axolotls.
Can My Baby Axolotls Eat SuperWorm?
No, the digestive system of baby axolotls cannot digest super worms as it is still tender, and the super worm is too hard for your baby pet to swallow. Besides, your baby pet can die from the bite of the super worm.
Furthermore, your baby pet will have difficulty swallowing super worms as they cannot enter the mouth of a baby axolotl except if it is cut into bits.
Can Axolotls Eat Dried Superworms?
No. Dried super worms will make them harder, resulting in impaction, as your pet will have difficulty digesting it because it has no moisture in it.
The nutritional benefit of dried super worms is relatively low compared to what live super worms will supply.
Do Axolotls Eat Superworms In The Wild?
There is a general belief that pets will replicate their feeding habit in the wild when in captivity. Still, axolotls’ feeding habit might not follow the general belief as they are voracious and consume anything as far as they can swallow it.
Axolotls do not feed on super worms in the wild even if they come across them as they go for the easy-to-swallow worms in the wild, and axolotls are always careful not to get injured by anything as they are soft-bodied.
What Are The Health Risk Of Feeding Superworms To My Axolotls?
Axolotls can suffer impaction from consuming super worms, especially if fed to them in excess. That is because of the super worms’ hard exoskeleton, which might take several days before it gets digested in your pet’s stomach. Besides, axolotls have a slow digestion process.
Moreover, your axolotls might have difficulty swallowing other food as a result of chitin accumulation in the throat of your pet.
This accumulation is due to your pet’s inability to process chitin from the consumption of super worms as they possess chitin which forms the exoskeleton of the body.
Another health issue your pet can suffer from is Choking, especially when you feed it with one bigger than its mouth, and it might even bite its way out of the stomach after being swallowed, leaving the axolotls injured.
There is always a low chance of survival for an injured axolotl as it can not stay out of water for long where it is to be treated, and its condition will worsen, leading to death if it is still kept in water.
What Kind Of Worm Is Best For My Axolotls To Feed On?
Live worms are the best to feed to your axolotls, as dried ones will not fully supply the nutrients. The worms to feed your axolotls include,
- Earthworms: This provides your axolotls with the needed nutritional requirement, and it must be cut into 1 cm bit before feeding your pets.
- Bloodworms: This worm is best given to your axolotls in the iced form as they are widely available in frozen form.
- Blackworms are best fed to your juvenile axolotls as they are small, fit into your pet’s mouth, and contain the needed nutrient for your axolotl.
- Waxworms: These should be fed in the new state and as a treat to your axolotls but should also be cut into bits before feeding your axolotls with it.
Conclusion
Superworms are worms you should avoid feeding your axolotls with as there is a lower chance of it getting digested easily even after following all the necessary procedures, as axolotls’ digestive systems are not made for the likes of worms like super worms.
However, they can be fed to your pet as a treat once a month, and that is when you are left with no choice.
