The Puffer Forum

Hey there,

So, I have been giving a varied diet of crickets, mealworms, ghost shrimp, red cherry shrimp, pond snails and ramshorn snails mostly to Luau and Yoshi since PZ really only likes to eat bloodworms. She won't even go after crushed snails.

When I bought the meal worms, the guy told me that they are only given to reptiles are treats because they are so fatty. Does this hold true for puffers? Yoshi and Luau just love them. Usually get them every 3rd day of feeding or so. I was just curious. I know they all love bugs are most bugs are good for them, but should the mealworms be given more as a treat or are they ok as part of the diet?

Thanks!

Yea only add as a treat, I think the skins are really tough on their digestive systems

+1 to Bertie's comments.

I used to raise meal worms for birds and herptiles), and \I would only use the "white" mealworms (freshly shed, so he surface is soft, not yet hardened) for fish treats.

My leopard gecko has been eating mealworms for 5 years straight. As anything their digestive system I believe will get used to it.

Your gecko is not a fish. In addition to the above comments on their chiton, the mealworms are too fatty of a food for them.

im curious... are snails and bloodworms (with blackworms if i buy them sometimes) an ok diet for f8s? Should i try out other food options? i mean she is eating like any normal puffer should eat, but i want to make sure she lives for at least 10 years or more. only thought to ask after seeing all the things that luau gets =P

Perfectly fine. Try FD plankton, too.

hadla wrote:im curious... are snails and bloodworms (with blackworms if i buy them sometimes) an ok diet for f8s? Should i try out other food options? i mean she is eating like any normal puffer should eat, but i want to make sure she lives for at least 10 years or more. only thought to ask after seeing all the things that luau gets =P

I can't help it :p I like trying out new things to see what he likes. I love looking at the reptile food at Petsmart. Starting feeding them bugs ever since someone posted about a stinkbug getting into someones tank and PP replying bugs = yummy haha.

PP, what is FD plankton?


And thank you every one for the advice, I will only grab them once I see they have shed.

FD I believe is freeze dried...

ok good, if i try the plankton, do i use it to gut feed something? or just soak it or what? i have no idea what it looks like or anything lol

i couldnt do crickets lol i always feel sorry for the ones sold as food when i go to petco or petsmart.

I raised mealworms for Geckos and such and for birds. I do agree with PP that what is good for geckos and birds is not necessarily good for puffers. Herp food is not fish food.