Mealworms at Lowes

[galanie]

Here's what I did: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTjv5fek0-s

And I'm loving it. No, they don't stink and they are so easy to raise! I use oatmeal for bedding rather than wheat bran since I'm using the screen - bran would just fall through with the eggs. But I only had to buy one large container of the cheap kind. I can't imagine I'd ever use up a 50lb bag. Once I got the initial oatmeal in there I just fed mine food scraps, including the odd bits from raw potatoes, and garden waste. Right now the second tray is literally teeming with the little beggars. My son is grossed out by them but all I can see in there is tons of money saved.

 

[1muttsfan]

Thanks guys, I always liked science projects so this could be fun. Now I just have to find some mealworms.

Is there anything you should not feed them? Eg onions?

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

I don't think there are any vegetables that would be bad for them. If they don't like it, they won't eat it. Problems can arise if you add something new that they won't eat. If you don't recognize that they're not eating it and it begins to rot the excess moisture will create problems. I learned this lesson after I added a bunch of egg plants to the colony and left it for a week. It would've been great if they liked it since I had so too many from the garden.

 

[1muttsfan]

How high do the sides of the container need to be to keep the adult beetles in? I am not particularly squeamish, but don't think I want them crawling around the house. Right now the larvae I bought are in a plastic tub about 6" high

 

[GiddyMoon]

Quote:
Ohhhh my..we are sooo doing this, thank you!

 

[Caliphe]

Do they bite?

 

[galanie]

Quote:
No. And I give the small ones to one week old chicks with no problems. I don't know how the thing got started of thinking they would bite a chick's stomach. I make sure the chicks have some grit before I start doing this though.

 

[Mallory]

Quote:
Ohhhh my..we are sooo doing this, thank you!

Okay I'm intrigued. I guess I'll go check out the video. But even if they're dry, I think they're gross. Don't ask me how I'm willing to slaughter chickens but can't stand the thought of grabbing a handful of worms.

 

[Mallory]

Okay I like how its not some huge setup. Still don't think I'd like touching them but if its for the birds and its money saving I'm likely to consider it.

 

[DixieChickie]

I used to raise them for my hedgehogs..if you start getting to many just put them in containers with holes and some bran or oatmeal..pop them in the fridge, doesn't kill them they just won't mature as fast. SLLLOOOOOWWWSSSS them way down. It was so easy, I was just thinking, last weekend, about raising them again. We bought the 10$ bag at TSC for the lil red hens' 1 yr birthday.