Mealworm farming

[DMRippy]

Thought you guys might want to know about this... it will apply to mealworms and bees too..... ANY LIVE ANIMAL SHIPMENTS.

Would you please help us say "NO" to the United States Post Office's plan to raise shipping rates on the poultry you order?​

Dear Valued Murray McMurray Hatchery Customer,
It has come to our attention the Post Office is requesting a change to the shipment of poultry through the mail. The following link is a copy of the proposal in PDF form or You can read the proposal on-line at the Federal Register: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/04/24/2013-09603/new-mailing-standards-for-live-animals-and-special-handling
They are asking that a Special Handle Fee be charged on every Live Animal Shipment. This proposal would increase the postage amount by $9.00 to $11.95 per box.
The proposal outlines the new fees to be charged but it does not include any new rules to insure us that service would also improve. Nor does it offer how additional funds would address their concerns about; Protection of Postal Service employees, mail and the environment, or animals against death.
Please read the proposed changes and send your comments to the US Post Office. We have included a link to a sample letter (in MS Word) for your use. (Sample Letter Link)
Make your voice heard, do it today. The comment period ends next week May 24. Thank you for your continued support.

​

Letters and e-mails must be submitted on or before May 24, 2013, by sending to the below address or Emailed to [email protected], with a subject line of "Live Animals".
The Manager, Product Classification
U.S. Postal Service
475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 4446
Washington, DC 20260-5015
RE: 39 CFR Part 111 New Mailing Standards for Live Animals and Special Handling

 

[Hypertay]

Uggghh! I have mites! I was so excited - I saw movement in a corner of the bin that had no large mealies and no beetles. I thought it was micros. Then I noticed the mites crawling up the sides of the bin and all over the lid. I washed the lid with soapy water and wiped the sides of the bin down lightly and am letting it air out. I don't want to bake the substrate because I know there's got to be micros and eggs in there with all the beetles that have morphed during the last week. I was really hoping to avoid these little nasties. It's not humid and there were only a few baby carrots sliced up in there . . . I did have a couple leafs of lettuce in there a few days ago.
The bin is going to have to go in the garage for a few days now until the mite issue dies down. Any suggestions other that baking the wheat bran or starting over???

Use a reptile heat mat underneath your bin or put a light on it to increase the heat. Take out any vegetables to reduce the humidity. If you dry out the substrate it should kill off the mites, or so I've read in this thread.

 

[kwol]

Uggghh! I have mites! I was so excited - I saw movement in a corner of the bin that had no large mealies and no beetles. I thought it was micros. Then I noticed the mites crawling up the sides of the bin and all over the lid. I washed the lid with soapy water and wiped the sides of the bin down lightly and am letting it air out. I don't want to bake the substrate because I know there's got to be micros and eggs in there with all the beetles that have morphed during the last week. I was really hoping to avoid these little nasties. It's not humid and there were only a few baby carrots sliced up in there . . . I did have a couple leafs of lettuce in there a few days ago.
The bin is going to have to go in the garage for a few days now until the mite issue dies down. Any suggestions other that baking the wheat bran or starting over???

I think I read in this thread about a month back about microwaving the substrate. Don't remember exactly, but for some reason I got the impression it would dry it out without killing the eggs and wormies.

 

[gaitngirl]

It's warm enough today that I thought about putting the bin outside in the sun. It's not too humid and there's a light breeze. Maybe with a screen over the top to keep other critters (i.e. my chickens!) out.
I had read the post about microwaving the bran before it was added to kill any mites/eggs . . . I'll have to go back and see what it said to do after mites became a problem. I may end up washing all of the mealies, pupa, and beetles and adding them to all fresh bedding. Putting the old bin in a corner of the garage where the mites can't hurt anything, and try to salvage what I can of it later.
BTW - whoever recommended using old fashioned oats and a magic bullet or ninja - that works great!

 

[MalMom]

Finally, I have my first beetle!

 

[ReefRanch]

Great info! I never thought of raising mealies for my chickens. I used to raise them for my reptiles and even ended up growing some that showed up in my old horse feed storage box. I am going to get some from the pet store next week to start a colony. Does anyone feed crickets? Both are pretty easy to raise and watching my chicks catch them would be fun.

 

[gaitngirl]

Finally, I have my first beetle!

Who'da thunk we'd get so excited over bugs, lol. Congrats! You will be pleasantly surprised at how fast the rest will morph now.

 

[bowen012]

Switching over to mealworms as my main chicken treat away from Madagascar Hissing Roaches. Chickens seem to favor them over the roaches and the eating isn't as savage to watch (they pick apart the roaches rather than eat them whole like the mealworms - unpleasant). I'd been raising a few (50 or so beetles) but ordered a couple of thousand worms yesterday to increase production soon. Overall they seem to be a little higher maintenance than the roaches, but it's nice not having to listen to hissing all the time (although the 'creaking(?)-ish sound of them going through the bran can be irritating in an otherwise quiet room.

 

[Hypertay]

One of my bins was wall to wall worms, so I took a huge cup outside for the song birds. After I poured them into the tray that catches the seeds that the woodpecker spills, I realized the worms I put out yesterday were not eaten, but had crawled under the rock that holds the tray down! So there is a whole lot of worms out there, and my wild birds are not eating them! What kind of wild birds eat mealworms? We have Thrasher, Indigo Bunting, Cardinal, tufted Titmouse, Oriole, Chickadee, Cowbird, Sparrow, Grosbeak, Mourning Dove, all kinds of Finch, and I don't know what else. And the red bellied Woodpecker. The Robins would have but they are already gone up north. I hate to see the worms get eaten by the squirrels but that is what will probably happen. I won't risk regifting them to my hens since they have been in contact with wild bird dooky.

 

[gaitngirl]

That's what I'm afraid will happen to me, lol - wall to wall mealies! I already have bin after bib of red wigglers.