It’s often assumed that the hornworm looks the way it does because it’s full of fat. Now, as tasty as the hornworm may be, its plump appearance has led to a common misconception about its nutritional value. This, when coupled with the fact that they have no hard outer shell or exoskeleton, makes them easily-digestible meals, especially for young reptiles or reptiles that are feeling unwell or dehydrated. Aside from that, both hornworms are equally up to the job of being a tasty, nutritional meal for your pet reptile.Īlthough hornworms are full of protein and minerals like most feeders, what makes them particularly appealing to reptilian customers is their high moisture content (about 85%), which gives them their distinct plump appearance. Although they’re quite similar in appearance, the tobacco hornworm has ‘V’ shaped markings down its sides, while the tomato hornworm has diagonal lines - plus, the tail spike on the tobacco hornworm is red as opposed to black. Bright green in color, they have a soft horn on their tail (hence the name) and come in two types: the tobacco hornworm ( Manduca sexta)which is the larva of the tobacco hawk moth, and the tomato hornworm ( Manduca quinquemaculata) which is the larva of the five-spotted hawkmoth. Hornworms - or goliath worms as they’re sometimes known - are large caterpillars that can grow up to 3-4” long. The question being, if a chameleon could read the menu, what would it pick? The answer for most reptiles would be ‘hornworms, please’. The most common types of live food you’re going to encounter are crickets, roaches, locusts, and various kinds of worms and grubs. Fortunately, when it comes to food that moves there’s no shortage of choices. To keep your pet reptile happy, you’re going to need to supply it regularly with live food. Now, as increasingly popular as these pets are becoming, they do require a little more care than your average cat or dog when it comes to feeding. From iguanas to corn snakes, 4.5 million reptiles are kept in homes across America alone. In recent years, the humble reptile has moved out of the desert and into the city as a common household pet.
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