Silkworms for Anoles, Tegus, Tree Frogs, and Other Reptiles

Silkworms get most of the attention as a bearded dragon and chameleon feeder, but they're equally valuable across the broader range of insectivorous reptiles and amphibians kept in the hobby. Their soft body, low fat content, and naturally favorable calcium balance translate well to anoles, tegus, tree frogs, uromastyx, and African fat-tailed geckos — animals with very different diets and life histories. The application differs by species; the underlying value of the feeder doesn't.

Anoles

Green anoles (Anolis carolinensis), brown anoles (Anolis sagrei), and the various Caribbean anole species all eat small insects in the wild — mostly fruit flies, small moths, and tiny crickets. Silkworms fit this profile when sized correctly.

• Sizing: anoles are small. Use very small silkworms — 1–2 cm maximum. Anything larger is unsafe.
• Frequency: 1–2 small silkworms per feeding, 2–3 days per week. Daily feedings for hatchlings; every other day for adults.
• Presentation: anoles hunt by sight and movement. A still silkworm in a dish often gets ignored. Tong-feed individual worms or use a feeding cup at branch level where the anole can spot them.
• Why bother: anoles are prone to MBD on cricket-only diets — silkworm calcium balance is genuinely useful, especially for breeding females.

Tegus

Tegus (Argentine black-and-white, red, and gold tegus) are large opportunistic omnivores. As adults, they eat rodents, eggs, fish, and fruit; as juveniles, they eat heavily on insects. Silkworms have a clear role here for hatchlings and juveniles.

• Sizing: hatchling tegus take medium silkworms (3–4 cm) easily. Adult tegus generally don't bother with silkworms — they're too small to be worth the effort.
• Frequency: hatchlings 4–6 silkworms per feeding, mixed with crickets and small roaches, daily. Juveniles 6–10 silkworms 2–3× per week.
• Why bother: hatchling tegus grow fast and need calcium. Silkworms provide that without the bone-development risk that cricket-heavy diets sometimes create. Once tegus are large enough to take rodents (~10–12 in), silkworms drop out of the rotation naturally.

Tree frogs

White's tree frogs, red-eyed tree frogs, and gray tree frogs are insectivorous frogs with sticky tongues and a strong preference for moving prey. Silkworms work but require specific handling.

• Sizing: very small to small silkworms (1.5–3 cm). Frogs swallow whole — too-large prey causes regurgitation.
• Frequency: 2–4 silkworms per feeding, 2× per week for adults; daily for froglets.
• Presentation: tree frogs need movement to trigger a strike. Most won't take a still silkworm. Tong-feed individual worms or warm them briefly to encourage movement.
• Why bother: tree frogs are notoriously prone to obesity on insect-heavy diets, and silkworms' low fat content lets you maintain feeding volume without the weight gain. White's tree frogs especially benefit.

Uromastyx

Uromastyx are primarily herbivorous as adults — most of their diet is leafy greens, seeds, and dandelions — but juveniles eat insects readily, and even adults occasionally take prey. Silkworms have a narrow but real role.

• Sizing: medium silkworms (3–4 cm) for juveniles. Adults rarely take insects regularly.
• Frequency: juveniles 3–4 silkworms 2× per week, alongside the staple greens-based diet. Adults 2–4 silkworms 1× per month or less, as enrichment.
• Why bother: juvenile uromastyx need protein for growth and calcium for shell development. Silkworms provide both without the high-fat trap of mealworms or superworms.
• Caution: uromastyx are prone to obesity. Don't overdo insect feedings even with silkworms — the species is herbivore-leaning by design.

African fat-tailed geckos

African fat-tailed geckos (Hemitheconyx caudicinctus) are the leopard gecko's larger, more robust cousin — same general husbandry and diet, with subtly different behavior. Silkworms work the same way they do for leopard geckos.

• Sizing: small to medium silkworms (2–4 cm) match the gecko's mouth size at most life stages.
• Frequency: 3–4 silkworms 1–2× per week, with crickets and small discoid roaches as the staple.
• Why bother: same reasons as leopard geckos — calcium balance, low fat, soft body. AFTs gain weight even more easily than leopard geckos, so the lean profile of silkworms is especially useful for adult animals.

What silkworms work for in general

The pattern across these five species: silkworms are useful for almost any insectivorous reptile or amphibian where:

• The animal is prone to MBD on standard cricket diets (most insectivores)
• The animal is prone to obesity on richer feeders (leopard geckos, AFTs, tree frogs, adult tegus)
• The animal is small or has a soft mouth (anoles, hatchlings, tree frogs)
• You want a hydration boost (most desert and savanna species in winter)

What silkworms don't work for

• Strict carnivores past juvenile stage — adult tegus, monitors, large snakes. Silkworms are too small to be efficient prey.
• Animals on a hunger strike — silkworm slow movement won't trigger a strike when nothing else is working. Switch to crickets or hornworms in those cases.
• Strict herbivores — adult uromastyx don't really need them; tortoises ignore them entirely.

Storage and rotation

Storage is the same for any species: silkworms in their shipping container at 72–82°F, mulberry chow refreshed every other day, never refrigerated. A batch lasts 2–4 weeks before pupating. Order quantities matched to your collection — a single anole or tree frog burns through 30 silkworms slowly; a hatchling tegu can put away 30 in a week.

Bottom line

Silkworms are versatile in a way most feeders aren't. The same feeder that supports a panther chameleon also supports a juvenile tegu, a green anole, and a White's tree frog — adjusted for size and frequency. The role is consistent: lean, calcium-rich, soft-bodied protein that improves nutritional balance without the trade-offs of richer feeders. Browse the full feeder lineup or species-specific guides in our Creature Insights blog.