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I have a mealworm question.

Discussion in 'Feeding & Watering Your Flock' started by bzbrown, Aug 1, 2011.

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  1. Aug 1, 2011 #1
    bzbrown

    bzbrown Chirping

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    Twentynine Palms, California
    Today I learned that mealworms turn into beetles. I can handle the little mealworms, but beetles are out of the question. So I am no longer interested in growing my own, and would just like to order them in small batches as needed.

    So, here is the question:

    If I order 1000 live meal worms and keep them in the fridge won't they just develop into beetles?

    I ask because the website I am looking at ordering from says to keep them in the fridge and remove every 5-7 days to allow them to "liven up" and move around, and feed them an apple or potato. So if I go this route, aren't I eventually going to end up with beetles? I only have 5 chicks, they like worms, but I don't know how long 1000 mealworms would be in my fridge... I just don't want beetles.

    Should I just order the freeze dried ones?
     

  4. Aug 1, 2011 #2
    ChicKat

    ChicKat Crowing Premium Member

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    May 20, 2011
    Texas - right here at the computer, right now....
    Mine love the freeze dried---- and I can handle those. ( c'mon---feeding apples to worms in the fridge, having worm beetles -- no way! ) O.K. so I'm a big insect wuss.


    I think my chickens think that freeze dried mealworms are cashews. I have them from TSC. There are websites where then can be bought cheaper, also wild bird stores/supplies. Someone said that they got a good deal on them in Wal Mart--but I looked at a couple of WalMarts and no luck.

    Isn't life too short for non-freeze dried? ;O)
     
  6. Aug 1, 2011 #3
    hcppam

    hcppam Songster

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    Quote:they seem to have to be warm to develop into beetles... the beetles are not what you might think.
     
  8. Aug 1, 2011 #4
    Klwright1122

    Klwright1122 Songster

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    Lillian, AL
    Quote:Bz: don't be so quick to NOT raise em. They do change into beetles..but they don't fly...they crawl just like the worms do. There is very
    Little yuck factor in the worms...you only need to let 100 or so to change to beetles to let the next generation develop.
    Yes eventually the worms could turn to pupa (the stage before beetles)...the refrigeration just slows down their growth. A thousand worms wouldnt last long. 5 chickens, 20 worms a day...less than 10 days...At that rate they would eat them first before they changed--but it would be much cheaper to raise em then to buy em like that..
    There is another meal worm thread on here--it's 104 pages long. Pls go look... There are pics and ideas out there... Really, there isn't anything about the worms that are slimey or gross.
     

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