Let’s take mealworms for an example. These small, squirming beings look like they belong in a sci-fi film. But it turns out that they’re not just for the birds — literally. Mealworms may be a great source of nutrition for a variety of pets, including reptiles, chickens, and even some small mammals. If you’ve ever been amazed by the idea of feeding something that resembles a creature out of a horror movie to your pet, you might as well continue to read this. That idea is likely to change your mind. Read more now on Healthy pet diet.
To begin with, mealworms are full of protein. This is a sort of nutrient-packed snack that could give your pet an extra jolt of energy. For reptiles like bearded dragons or geckos, mealworms are a surprise treat. They’re easily digested and contain the crucial fats which keep scales shining and skin looking great. Chickens even love them to bits, and let’s face it: when a chicken chases after a mealworm, it’s funny.
But the protein isn’t everything. Mealworms are also full of vitamins and minerals. They’re rich in calcium, potassium, and magnesium, all of which are essential to keep our–or a pet’s–bones healthy and muscles functioning. Mealworms may be the difference that saves a pet’s diet, inviting insulin supplements in this regard. Only make sure that they’re in balance with other foods; a diet with too much of any given nutrient will soon take its toll.
Which brings us, at last, to the elephant in the room — or rather, the worm in the box. Maintaining a population of live mealworms can feel if you’re running a miniature bug zoo. They need a cool, dry place to live and you’ll want them in a box with either some oats or bran for bedding. If you can’t face the idea of live worms, dried mealworms make an excellent substitute. They’re less messy, have a longer shelf life, but still provide all the nutrition found in their live siblings.
Yet there is more to feeding mealworms to your pet than nutrition. Hand-feeding your lizard or watching as your hamster jams these morsels into its mouth is also liable to be oddly satisfying. And it turns out to be an excellent way of adding variety to their diet, too. Pets, like people, get tired of eating the same old stuff. Throw in some mealworms to liven things up a bit, quite literally and metaphorically.
Of course, as with anything else don’t overdo it. Too many mealworms can lead to weight gain or dietary discrepancies. Think of them as the pet food world’s dessert–delicious and good, but best in small doses.
So next time you’re at a pet store and that jar of mealworm is staring you in the face, do not turn away. Snuggle up intended to the wiggle. Your pet will be grateful, who knows as a kind of extra bonus?? It may be that you become even more excited by these tiny little powerhouses of nutrition than they are! For go figure: you can never be too puritanical in life.