7 Best Bugs for Ackie Monitors (Heathy Pet Feeding Guide)
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Feeding Guide · Reptiles

7 Best Bugs for Ackie Monitors (Heathy Pet Feeding Guide)

Which bugs are best for ackie monitors? We rank 7 feeder insects by nutrition, availability, and how much your ackie will love them.

Table of Contents
  1. Why Bugs Are Essential for Ackie Monitors
  2. The Best Feeder Insects for Ackie Monitors
  3. How to Gut-Load Feeder Insects for Ackies
  4. Supplement Dusting: Don’t Skip This Step
  5. Feeding Schedule for Ackie Monitors
  6. Building the Ideal Bug Rotation for Your Ackie Monitor
  7. Common Questions About Feeding Bugs to Ackie Monitors
  8. Final Thoughts on the Best Bugs for Ackies

If you own an ackie monitor (Varanus acanthurus), you already know these small Australian dwarf monitors are some of the most rewarding reptiles to keep. Active, intelligent, and packed with personality, ackies thrive when their diet closely mirrors what they’d hunt in the wild. And in the wild, bugs make up a massive portion of what they eat.

But not all feeder insects are created equal. Some are nutritional powerhouses. Others are too fatty, too hard to digest, or simply not worth the trouble.

This guide breaks down the best bugs for pet ackie monitors, how to use them, and how to build a balanced bug-based diet your ackie will love.

A Quick Introduction

Why Bugs Are Essential for Ackie Monitors

Ackie monitors are insectivores and carnivores by nature. In their native habitat across the arid regions of northwestern and central Australia, they spend their days actively hunting invertebrates – beetles, spiders, centipedes, grasshoppers, and more.

Their high metabolism and active lifestyle mean they need a protein-rich diet with adequate fat, calcium, and variety.

Feeder insects offer exactly that. Compared to a diet that’s heavy in pinky mice or other vertebrate prey, a well-rounded insect-based diet is more nutritionally appropriate for ackies, less likely to cause obesity, and more mentally stimulating for the animal.

The key is variety and proper supplementation. No single insect checks every nutritional box, so rotating through several species (each gut-loaded and dusted with supplements) gives your ackie the closest thing to a wild diet in captivity.

Expert Tips

The Best Feeder Insects for Ackie Monitors

#1

Dubia Roaches

Staple

Blaptica dubia — The Gold Standard

High in protein (~23%), soft-bodied, and easy to digest. Dubias accept a wide variety of gut-load foods, don’t smell, and a colony is simple to maintain long-term.

💡Feed no wider than the space between your ackie’s eyes — 2–5 roaches per session for juveniles.
#2

Crickets

Staple

Acheta domesticus & Gryllus bimaculatus — A Classic

Widely available and budget-friendly. Their movement triggers strong feeding responses. Poor calcium-to-phosphorus ratio means calcium dusting is essential. Best used in rotation with dubias.

⚠️Remove uneaten crickets within a few hours — they can bite and stress your lizard overnight.
#3

Black Soldier Fly Larvae

Supplement

BSFLs / Calci-worms / Phoenix Worms

Exceptional calcium-to-phosphorus ratio (up to 1.5:1) — almost unheard of in feeder insects. Their wriggling movement is irresistible to most monitors, and no gut-loading is required.

💡Little to no calcium dusting needed. Offer several times per week alongside your primary feeders.
#4

Hornworms

Treat

Manduca sexta — Hydration & Enrichment

High moisture content makes these ideal for hydration, especially in dry arid enclosures. Low in fat and very digestible — ackies go wild for them. Not ideal as a staple due to lower protein.

💡Order small — hornworms grow fast and large ones may intimidate smaller ackies. Offer 1–2× per week.
#5

Mealworms

Use Sparingly

Tenebrio molitor

The most widely available feeder at pet stores, but high in fat with a tough chitin shell that’s harder to digest in quantity. Fine as an occasional treat or to encourage a reluctant feeder.

⚠️Limit to once or twice a week. Superworms carry the same caveats — larger but still high in fat.
#6

Waxworms

Treat Only

Galleria mellonella — The Candy of Feeders

Extremely high in fat and low in nutritional value. Irresistible to most lizards — which is exactly the problem. Regular feeding leads to obesity and can cause your ackie to refuse more nutritious feeders.

⚠️Reserve for rare treats (1–2× per month) or conditioning an underweight animal.
#7

Silkworms

Premium

Bombyx mori — A Nutritional Standout

High protein, low fat, solid calcium-to-phosphorus ratio, and extremely soft — ideal for juveniles or animals recovering from illness. Less common and more expensive, but worth the effort in a rotation.

💡Temperature-sensitive and require fresh mulberry leaves or commercial silkworm chow to survive.
Improve Nutrition

How to Gut-Load Feeder Insects for Ackies

Gut-loading means feeding your feeder insects nutritious foods 24 to 48 hours before offering them to your lizard.

Whatever the insect eats, your ackie eats – so this step dramatically increases the nutritional value of every feeding.

Gut-Loading Guide

🥬 Leafy Greens

  • Collard greens
  • Mustard greens
  • Dandelion greens
  • Kale

🥕 Vegetables

  • Squash
  • Sweet potato
  • Carrots
  • Bell peppers

🍋 Fruits

  • Apple
  • Mango
  • Papaya

✦ In moderation only

🛒 Commercial Diets

  • Reptile gut-load powders
  • Cricket chow
  • Available from reptile suppliers
🚫

Avoid Feeding Feeder Insects

  • Citrus
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Spinach (large quantities)

High-oxalate greens and alliums can be passed on directly to your ackie through the feeder insect — what they eat, your lizard eats.

This Is Important

Supplement Dusting: Don’t Skip This Step

Even the best-gut-loaded insects won’t provide all the calcium your ackie needs. Metabolic bone disease is a real risk in captive monitors that don’t receive adequate calcium.

Recommended Supplementation
🦴

Calcium without D3

Dust most feeder insects lightly at every feeding or every other feeding.

Every feeding
☀️

Calcium with D3

Use 2–4 times per month without proper UVB. If UVB is adequate, use less frequently.

2–4× / month
💊

Multivitamin

Dust once or twice a month to cover micronutrient gaps.

1–2× / month
💡 Pro Tip

Use a light coating — you shouldn’t see a heavy white powder layer on the insect, just a fine dusting.

Recommended Feeding Schedules

Feeding Schedule for Ackie Monitors

The right feeding frequency depends on your ackie’s age and activity level.

Feeding Schedule 🦎

Juveniles

Under 12 months
📅 Daily or every other day
🦗 5–10 insects per session

Young ackies are growing fast and need consistent protein intake. Keep portions appropriately sized and frequency high during this critical growth window.

Sub-adults

12 – 24 months
📅 Every other day to every 2–3 days

Gradually reduce feeding frequency as they approach adult size. Body condition should guide how quickly you taper back.

Adults

24+ months
📅 Every 2–4 days

Adjust based on body condition. A healthy ackie should have a visible waist when viewed from above and some muscle tone along the back and tail base. Watch for signs of obesity.

📌

Always monitor body condition and adjust accordingly. Ackies in larger enclosures with more opportunity to exercise can typically handle more frequent feedings.

Variety Is Key

Building the Ideal Bug Rotation for Your Ackie Monitor

A well-balanced rotation might look something like this:

Primary Staples Offered most often
Dubia Roaches Crickets
Frequent Supplements Several times a week
Black Soldier Fly Larvae Silkworms
Occasional Variety 1–2 times per week
Hornworms Mealworms Superworms
Rare Treats A few times per month
Waxworms
Frequency at a glance
Staples Supplements Occasional Treats
💡 Pro Tip

Rotating through at least 3 to 4 different insect species at any given time gives your ackie a broader range of nutrients, prevents dietary boredom, and keeps them mentally engaged — which matters for a species this intelligent.

FAQ

Common Questions About Feeding Bugs to Ackie Monitors

Can ackies eat wild-caught insects?

Wild-caught insects can be offered occasionally but come with risks: pesticide exposure, parasites, and pathogens. If you do offer wild insects, collect them only from areas you’re certain haven’t been treated with pesticides. Stick to known safe species like grasshoppers and beetles.

How do I know if my ackie is eating enough?

A healthy ackie is active, alert, and maintains steady body weight. If your ackie is losing weight, refusing food for extended periods, or showing lethargy, consult a reptile veterinarian.

Do I need to remove uneaten insects?

Yes, always. Crickets especially can bite and stress your lizard. Remove any uneaten insects within a few hours of feeding.

My ackie won’t eat certain insects — what should I do?

Some ackies can be picky at times. Try offering insects in different ways: using tongs, a feeding dish, or simply placing them loose in the enclosure to trigger hunting behavior. Scenting a new insect type with the smell of a favorite feeder can also help with reluctant eaters.

Wrapping Up

Final Thoughts on the Best Bugs for Ackies

Feeding your ackie monitor a varied, insect-rich diet is one of the best things you can do for their long-term health.

Dubia roaches and crickets make excellent staples, black soldier fly larvae and silkworms add impressive nutrition, and worms of various kinds round out the rotation as supplements and treats.

Combine consistent gut-loading, proper supplement dusting, and age-appropriate feeding frequency, and you’ll have a thriving, energetic ackie monitor that stays healthy for the 15 to 20 years these remarkable lizards can live in captivity.

The right bugs, offered the right way, make all the difference.

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