How Many Silkworms to Feed Your Reptile: A Feeding Chart

I treat silkworms as the lean, friendly variety feeder in nearly every reptile diet I run. At around 1% fat they are the leanest feeder you can buy, which makes them perfect for obesity-prone species and as a low-calorie partner to protein-heavy feeders like roaches. Because they are a variety feeder and not a sole staple, the amounts stay moderate: enough for nutritional diversity, not enough to replace the protein backbone.

Silkworm Feeding Chart by Species

Counts below assume silkworms are part of a rotation, not the only feeder. Match worm size to the animal and never offer prey wider than the space between your reptile's eyes.

Why Chameleons Get More Silkworms

You'll notice chameleons get silkworms 2-3 times a week, more often than most species. Chameleons are unusually sensitive to dietary fat and prone to gout, edema, and fatty liver when overfed rich insects. A 1% fat worm gives them a satisfying meal without the caloric load that causes those problems. For chameleons, silkworms are not just variety, they are close to a cornerstone feeder.

Silkworms for Overweight Reptiles

If an animal needs to slim down, lean on silkworms and pull back the richer feeders. The math is simple: a 1% fat worm lets the reptile eat a full meal without much caloric cost, the reptile equivalent of a salad.

• ◆Overweight bearded dragon: 3-5 silkworms 3x/week; cut roaches to 2x/week with smaller portions.
• ◆Overweight leopard gecko: 3-5 small silkworms 2x/week; drop mealworms entirely; reduce roaches.
• ◆Overweight chameleon: silkworms as the primary feeder 3x/week; roaches 1-2x/week; cut all high-fat feeders.

Pair this with the leopard gecko tail test and feeding chart if you keep geckos, since body condition should drive the portions, not the calendar.

Silkworm Sizing Guide

• ◆Small (about 1/2-1 inch): leopard geckos, baby bearded dragons, small chameleons, crested geckos, dart frogs.
• ◆Medium (about 1-2 inches): adult chameleons, juvenile bearded dragons, blue tongue skinks.
• ◆Large (about 2-3 inches): adult bearded dragons, monitors, tegus, large skinks.

When in doubt, size down. A worm that is too long is harder to swallow and slower to handle than one that is slightly small.

Don't Skip the Calcium

Silkworms have a better calcium-to-phosphorus ratio than mealworms, but they are still not a high-calcium feeder. For most feedings, dust them lightly with a plain calcium powder, and follow whatever D3 schedule your species and lighting setup call for. The exception across all feeders is black soldier fly larvae, which are naturally calcium-rich and should not be dusted. If you want the science on why calcium balance drives reptile bone health, see the Merck Veterinary Manual on reptile nutrition.

Feeding Method Tips

• ◆Branch placement (chameleons): set silkworms on a horizontal branch at eye level. Their prolegs grip while they wriggle slowly, which triggers a natural tongue strike. This is the most enriching way to feed a chameleon.
• ◆Tong feeding: offer worms one at a time with soft tongs. Their slow movement makes them easy to present and grab.
• ◆Dish feeding: a smooth-sided dish works for leopard geckos and bearded dragons. Silkworms can't climb smooth walls, so they stay put.

You can shop sizes at All Angles Creatures silkworms. However you source them, remember the silkworm's job is balance, not bulk: it complements a protein staple rather than replacing it.

See also my breakdown of silkworms vs mealworms and the full exotic-animals guide hub.