Can you salvage and reuse these crystals? And, what are they made of? I am left with nothing when I put veggies in, they don't just suck out the water, but eat them all. So I wonder if they are eating the gel too.
Mealworm farming
- Thread starter hannakat
- Start date
Can you salvage and reuse these crystals? And, what are they made of? I am left with nothing when I put veggies in, they don't just suck out the water, but eat them all. So I wonder if they are eating the gel too.
If you look carefully you will see small holes where the worms have eaten their way through. These holes increase if there is a wet spot like when you put a moisture source on top and it soaks into the paper. First try moving the box into a more protected environment such as a spare bedroom. They should really never be allowed to get above 95*F. If that is not an option, you can add water sources more often. Try wet bread slices. Stay away from things that are not naturally edible.
Everyone has their own two cents worth. Mine says you are what you eat, and scientifically that is true... to a point. The worms are what you feed them. then the chickens are what the worms are since you feed the worms to the chickens. Then you become what the chickens are when you eat the chickens or the eggs. At least theoretically. At some point we should sprout feathers and begin to cluck if the concept were 100%, but we know that it breaks down at some point because that never happens.
It is also true that at each level there is a filtration system in place which eliminates the offending matter to an extent, but the evidence out there suggests that there is some pass through... or at least that is what the EPA Nazis tell us is the reason we cannot eat the fish we catch.
So there you have it... feed, eat. and be merry, for tomorrow you're gonna die!
Another trick is to simply add a little water to the bedding. They seek out any moisture sources and consume them all. As long as you do not use too much water, they will consume all the wet and there will be no mold. It is better to sprinkle a little here and there repeatedly than to puddle it in a particular location.
I know that messes up everyone's warnings, but I have done it when I was out of carrots. Oh, and they MUCH prefer carrots to potatoes.
I know that messes up everyone's warnings, but I have done it when I was out of carrots. Oh, and they MUCH prefer carrots to potatoes.
This works fine if you have a dense and highly functioning colony. The problem is a lot of people that are starting out will try this and then they'll have grain mites, more so if they live in a moist climate. Happens on this thread a lot.
- Jul 18, 2013
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If you use a sponge Beverly, make sure you place it on top of something like a plastic container lid with a lip so the water doesn't run off into your bedding. I use a large Tupperware lid and neither the worms or beetles have any real problem getting in and out of it to suck water from the sponge and it keeps the bran below it from getting soaked and forming potential mold. If you're worried about access, just push the lid down into the substrate a little so they don't have as high to climb to get in
The sponge is dry as a brick by the end of a week's time. I've actually had beetles get trapped inside the sponge as it shrunk. When I take it out, I wash it well with soap and hot water then rinse well before putting it back in with the colony. (If you're REALLY concerned, you could soak it in a mild bleach and water mix for an hour then air dry over night before re-wetting for use) I live in a very dry part of the country and have been doing this in both my colonies since inception back in March and have had zero issues. I have no mold, I'm sure there are all kinds of bacteria, and both colonies are thriving.
I've actually considered that I may be washing eggs and baby larva down the drain when I clean it (the sponge) as the beetles have in all likelihood laid eggs on/in it <sigh>. I guess I can lose a few as I presently have tens of thousands between the 2 containers. Can't wait for the 3rd gen to kick in
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where do you get these meal worms? At a store or something? I no there is alive meal worms at petsmart. Could i get them there?
I got mine at a local pet store, started with just a hundred.
If you want more, probably be cheaper to buy them online unless you can get a quantity discount at petsmart.
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