Mealworm farming

[anklebiter]

An update for those who have recently bought from, or are considering buying mealworms cheap from eBay seller 'Tasteycrawlers'. Well, they seem to be a legit business, here's their website:

http://www.tastycrawlers.com/

They're not just into mealies, but red wigglers, composting, etc. Apparently a new business, but you have to start somewhere...



Mine should arrive either tomorrow or Saturday. I'll report back when they arrive with full details and pics of the shipping container, mealies, etc...

 

[S.L.Swope]

OMChicken! I feed mealworms to my chicks for the first time yesterday! Sooooooo funny

I died watching them grab and chase eachother around!

I think their creepy and disgusting but might put on my big girl panties and raise some for my chicks.

for the bedding I found oat bran at my grocery store would that work?

 

[hannakat]

Quote:
Just an observation....their prices are higher than what our BYCers are charging.

 

[hannakat]

S.L.Swope :

OMChicken! I feed mealworms to my chicks for the first time yesterday! Sooooooo funny

I died watching them grab and chase eachother around!

I think their creepy and disgusting but might put on my big girl panties and raise some for my chicks.
for the bedding I found oat bran at my grocery store would that work?

You do get over the yuk factor quickly. Wolled oats work well for waising wormies... oh sorry. Let me try again. Rolled oats work well for raising wormies.

 

[hannakat]

Quote:

Congrats on the numbers! I've counted them as well...definitely takes a while to stand straight after that!

Can't say I've seen dead mealies with something stuck to them. Black ~ yes. Can you take a picture and post it?

 

[hannakat]

Quote:
Welcome to the farm! Hope you join in the fun. I'd love to hear about the parrots running and screaming at the sight of a mealworm! hahahaaaa

 

[Kassaundra]

S.L.Swope :

OMChicken! I feed mealworms to my chicks for the first time yesterday! Sooooooo funny

I died watching them grab and chase eachother around!

I think their creepy and disgusting but might put on my big girl panties and raise some for my chicks.

for the bedding I found oat bran at my grocery store would that work?

You really do get used to it, and the mealies aren't bad at all for gross handeling factor, I also raise dubias (very large roaches) those I still have to wear gloves to handle over a year into it.

I think oat bran would work, so would your chick feed if it isn't medicated, or almost any grain product.​

 

[oneofseven]

Quote:

You do get over the yuk factor quickly. Wolled oats work well for waising wormies... oh sorry. Let me try again. Rolled oats work well for raising wormies.

Try saying that 5 times fast

 

[oneofseven]

I was advised by an entamologist to bake the substrate on a low setting for 10-12 minutes to dry out and kill any unwanted things.

 

[oneofseven]

Temperature update: The heat rope and dimmer switch project is still going strong. House temp - 68 degrees / mealies tank 78-80 degrees