meallies eating stomach again - poll

[James Lamantia]

I always new it was a myth it’s been around as long as I can remember. I have however I have seen suppers eat a tale off of a sick gecko. The gecko was just sitting in its food bowl why they where eating its tail. They didn’t eat his entire tail, just the upper half along the entire length of the tale. Two days later the tail was completely dead and fell off. We have treated the poor little guy and his tail is growing back just fine now. I also new someone that left a mouse in his ball cage and left for the night, when he came home that night the mouse had eaten a section out the snakes body. So as long as the prey is alive anything is possible but once it hits the stomach its game over.

 

[Desdemona]

I read a webpage where someone said that the larger worms, maybe supers, could cause bite damage but that mealies mouths were to small. They didn't say anything about the worm being able to actually eat through the stomach.

While that sounds as unlikely as the poll topic, maybe that line of thought is what started the myth.

 

[minimoe80]

I was just told this last week at my local pet store (it was about super worms though not meal worms) How is this mis information so far spread all over the country? It just unreal. I believe for now on when I hear that kind of crap im gonna have a chat with the manager..

With that said, when I do get my lil ones some super worms, do I pinch the heads? Some have said thats best to do so that they dont stick them with there tail? or something when they are eating them. And if so does that not kill them? Cause I know my Geckos will NOT eat anything thats not moving

 

[tastyworms]

These rumors spread because there is a grain of truth to them. Someone SAW a mealworm or superworm eating the stomach out of a creature at one point in time and didn't understand WHY it happened. They assumed it was dangerous, and started talking about it as if it were a fact.

I liken it to someone witnessing an undercover cop chasing a criminal down through a crowded city street. To the casual observer, it might look like something it's not.

 

[Dog Shrink]

I usually give my supers a little pinch on the head before I feed them to my leo. It does not kill them it stuns them and they do still move, just not as vigerously. Altho my leo usually grabs supers by the head, I hated seeing them flip that lil scorpion tail up and trying to jab him. I noticed since I pinch the head they don't do that. If they don't move enough for your leo if you go in with feeding tongs or tweezers and give the tail a pinch that makes them jump and the leo usually pounced right on them.

 

[Dash107]

I have seen this same myth about Bearded dragons. I think it is hilarious. I have fed my beardie meal worms, super worms(they do bite by the way), and butterworms as well as crickets, all of which I would assume if not for the crushing of the body when they get chomped on could potentianly eat their way out. I do not see this happening, the worm is dead by the time it hits the lizards stomach, both of my guys are great at chomping their food up good so it is definately dead!!! I have watched my beardie eat the superworms, he is very carefull to catch the worm in the middle so he wont get bitten by it. After he bites it once it is dead. So to me this is totally a myth, no truth to it all.

 

[leppisrocks]

MYTH people myth and whoever created this myth was probobly ending a game of nazi zombies.....:main_rolleyes: :main_laugh:

 

[PaladinGirl]

Maybe cricket suppliers started it.:main_rolleyes:

LMAO!! Interesting thought!

 

[Doctor Peepee]

Maybe cricket suppliers started it.:main_rolleyes:

LOL too good, too good.

 

[PaladinGirl]

I wish the 3 people who claim that their leopard gecko died this way would tell their story. I'm interested to hear it.

 

[Jenn_tigercat]

- I need to buy at LEAST a 55gal tank for my cornsnake, because they can get 8ft long.

Hahaha sounds like something my pet store would say. I have 8 corns and my two oldest are around 4ft tops. I have never heard of a corn getting to 8ft, 5 maybe but 8 never.

- the pet store that I got my little Hayden (leopard Gecko) from the co-worker asked if I had a light for him. I politely corrected her that they were nocturnal and didn't need a light but that I did have a heat pad for him.

Thankfully no one here has asked about the mealies for them. I just ask for them and they bring me them. Plus they feed their leos mealies so they would be contradicting themselves.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

In the 15 years I have been feeding hundreds of geckos, I have never seen a mealworm bite anything or eat it's way out of a gecko's belly. BUT!!! I have been bitten by a superworm and it drew blood. I've had a couple of geckos with mouth/lip injuries from superworms, and know of two examples where a superworm injured a gecko's throat and tongue causing it to bleed. FACT.

 

[WulfSC]

That's been my biggest fear about feeding superworms to my Leo's. I've been bitten by them before, and the little buggers hurt. So, that's why I stick to mealworms, and the occassional crickets.

 

[DiscoDigi786]

That is why I tend to avoid supers. My geckos do not seem to like them, so I have not purchased them of late. Your stories also give me another good reason to avoid them... I had no idea supers could bite. Thanks for the info.

 

[THE WHISPERER]

I move me leos to supers at about 15 grams. still haven't had any issues that make me want to not feed them.

 

[AreUaBadfish2]

I am a new Leo owner as well, but when I was younger I had that happen to a green anole lizard I had as a pet. Fed it before I went to bed, watched it eat, and woke up to a dead lizard, eaten from the inside out... but I'd be willing to bet a Leo would have no problem with mealworms.

 

[KitsuneGem]

Hahaha sounds like something my pet store would say. I have 8 corns and my two oldest are around 4ft tops. I have never heard of a corn getting to 8ft, 5 maybe but 8 never.

- the pet store that I got my little Hayden (leopard Gecko) from the co-worker asked if I had a light for him. I politely corrected her that they were nocturnal and didn't need a light but that I did have a heat pad for him.

Thankfully no one here has asked about the mealies for them. I just ask for them and they bring me them. Plus they feed their leos mealies so they would be contradicting themselves.

I measured my friends male corn the other day.. Hes 5 feet exactly.. and hes big for a corn.. Hes a bit over weight to.. But 8 feet would be a corn on steroids...

I work in a pet store, and Id never tell someone this myth... Besides.. We feed our own geckos meal worms. Its cute to watch too.. I get to feed all our reptiles 5 days a week so I know for a fact its a myth.. and for the supers and giants.. Has to be a myth too.. My Zumi takes down supers like they where nothing.

 

[leoguy1]

Defenetly a myth. And lol on all the funny comments!

 

[RakesRepts]

OMG, I am so horrified by all the snide comments, sarcasm, and jokes in this thread! This is a SERIOUS problem and we MUST do something about it. My first leopard gecko, Hefner, died after a mealworm ate a hole clear through his stomach, down through the paper towel substrate, and through the bottom of the glass aquarium I kept him in. I never did find that little murderous mealworm, but I have found holes around my house since then. I think he's still alive. These mealworms can KILL!! I once heard of a band of entomologists who hatched a plan to break into Fort Knox using only a wheelbarrow full of mealworms. Let's do something about this problem, people! :main_evilgrin:

 

[CPS]

This is the funniest forum thread I have ever read.

I never heard this myth before, but honestly if somebody told it to me, I'd say, "huh, my gecko pinches the heads off of those mealworms and superworms just fine by herself."