Feeding my hens megaworms - should I take a precaution?

[sookiesmom]

I went to the petstore today to get my hens some treats. Got them the usual mealworms, that they LOOOOVVVEEEEE. Also decided to get them megaworms, which are about 2 to 3 times bigger than mealworms. Asked the guy there about them, and he did tell me that when they feed them to the reptiles, they have to chop their heads off, or else the megaworms can eat their insides. (Gross, isn't it?

) Was wondering if I should do the same for my hens? Or should I see if they wack it before they eat it, like they do with the crickets and such? Anybody with any info would be great!!!! I want to give them these treats in the morning, and I'd rather be safe than sorry.

On another note..............Merry Christmas to all!!!!! Hope everyone has a healthy & happy holiday and new year!!!!

 

[FoodKillah]

I am not sure but i would chop their heads of if i was you. If they eat the reptiles from the inside, i think they might eat chickens too. Also i would not trust how a chicken swallows when another chicken next to it is trying to grab the treat of the others mouth.

I would not like to find out if that worms eat chicken, think of the good will of you when you bought them as treats, you dont want to turn this to disaster, like everyone says in here, better safe than sorry.

 

[Tdub4chiks]

An Exotic Pet Store owner told me that those huge worms are fed a chemical to make them grow larger than a regular meal worm. The chemical also keeps them from reproducing. From what I have learned, they do this for fishing bait purposes. I would never feed them to my reptile or my chickens. But, I have never heard that they ate the insides of any animal. I did know someone who fed them to her hedgehog and reptile though.

Edited to say: She was my best customer for mealworms. She hasn't bought as many lately because her hedgehog died.

 

[meowteri2]

I have not heard the term megaworms used but I think what they are selling you is giant mealworms. You are right to get a giant mealworm they give it chemicals so it does not
grown into a adult which is a beetle. The worm keeps growing to a larger size. I did not feed these to my reptiles. The thing about those worms eating the inside of a reptile
is not true. Check out the internet for superworms. This is something in the same family as mealworms and they are larger. The chickens love them.
The superworms are used in alot of movies where there are dead bodies. They like to use them because they are so lively. The superworm will look like the meal worm
but they or maybe 5 or 6 times larger. Thet go for around 5.99 a 100 here but are worth it for there size.

 

[sookiesmom]

Thank you everyone for replying. Now I'm a little confused from the last post. These worms do look like bigger mealworms except they have black heads. I will do research to find out about the superworms.