mealworms

[AnnW]

Thanks, I'll keep an eye on the food intake. They seriously come running & chattering when they see me coming & look very put out if I've brought some other treat!

 

[kilby]

One local pet store has meal worms two inches long and 3/16 fat. That would be the quicker way. Production would go sky high. Can you imagine the beetles in that box?
My mealies are growing twice the size I got them before turning into pupae. Feed has alot to do with it. Maybe some adjustment time for their metabolism after being in the fridge at the store too.
I soak a small piece of rye bread every couple days when I exchange their leftovers. That bread has not gone moldy in the few weeks I have had it there. Did not know that about rye but it is perfect for these guys. Otherwise I might use a piece of sponge.
Have a great spring

 

[DCasper]

I heard you can buy meal worm starter kits at PetCo. I don't know if this is true or not, but I am going to PetCo to find out.

 

[speedy2020]

I heard you can buy meal worm starter kits at PetCo. I don't know if this is true or not, but I am going to PetCo to find out.

Yes, you can buy from Petco. The local store price is much cheaper than their online.

 

[IGmom]

I recently was at Walmart and they had Kaytee brand dried mealworms. Pretty good sized bag for around 6 bucks. I had actually bought them to see if our Bluebirds would eat them, they wouldn't, so I tried my chickens...OMG, for sure, like chicken crack!! The next day they were waiting at the fence for their treat! All I have to do is shake the sack and they come running! They are so funny, I love my chickens!

 

[deek]

I hope this is the right place to ask this question. I searched and didn't find answers. I received worms and beetles yesterday. I added fresh bedding-2 1/2 in of wheat bran that I had frozen for 3 days and later warmed up before placing them in the bedding. I added fresh carrots. This morning I noticed several worms that are on top of the paper towel (where the carrots are placed) that are not moving. Some are big plump ones and some are smaller. I don't believe they arrived dead bc they wouldn't be on top of the paper towel. I have a pest service spray the floorboards inside monthly. The boards were treated 3 days before they arrived. Is the pesticide the cause of the deaths? Is the shock of travel the cause? Do they simply stop moving because they are going to shed their exoskeleton? Please answer if possible since I may need to move them in the garage. I don't want to lose any more if possible.Thank you.

 

[onafixedincome]

Well, I see this went unanswered for quite some time, but here goes anyway.

The mealies up on top of your towel are likely *not* dead, but rather about to either molt or pupate. At this time they lie around quite still in sort of a lazy J shape and the next thing you know you have a pupa or a white larva that goes and eats its head off until it's grown enough to do it again...and again...until it's ready to pupate. Once they pupate, they lie around for a while, then all of a sudden (I swear, it's like an Escher drawing) you have beetles, which start out white with a caramel head and gradually turn brown, then mahogany, then black.

The 'monster' size mealies, sadly, are usually either treated with an IGR (Insect Growth Regulator) or are a different species (Zophorbia) of beetle. Since any beetles coming from treated Tenebrio larvae are generally sterile, if they live at all, only buy these larvae if you plan to feed them out quickly.

Hope that helps, and head on over to that Mealworm Farming thread--it's HUGE but very well worth the read!

 

[Chicks Galore3]

I have a 10 gallon tank with approx. 2000 mealworms- is that to crowded? do i NEED to move them out when they turn into beetles? I got them only 1/2 hour ago.....

 

[DownSouthOrps]

Mealworms for sale pm me

 

[MealWorm Farm]

Mealworms for sale pm me

What is the going rate per 1000 medium these days?