Rice Bran as a Substrate for mealworms

[PemberleyChicks]

Does anyone know if I can use Rice Bran as a substrate for my mealworm production? My worms arrive tomorrow and my local feed store only has Rice Bran. I don't want to hoof it all the way into the city for wheat bran from the Whole Food Store.

 

[Percheron chick]

Use cornmeal. Rice bran is pretty high in fat plus you don't need a 50# bag.

 

[PemberleyChicks]

Excellent, Thank You for the info.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

I wouldn't use cornmeal. If you can't find wheat bran, use oatmeal instead.

 

[PemberleyChicks]

Plain old oatmeal, or does it have to be the oat bran? I have oat bran, but I hate to give it to the worms, its my food

I should just bite the bullet and run up to the city for the wheat bran. Although for what it will cost me in gas I could buy the 50lb sack next week at the local feed store. He was out of it and only had rice bran.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Plain old oatmeal is fine as is oat bran. You can also use chicken feed until your feed store gets a new shipment of bran. Unmedicated chick crumbles, layer crumbles/mash would be good and you're likely to have some of that on hand now.

 

[PemberleyChicks]

I used a new box of whole oatmeal and some of my oatbran, I threw in a couple of potato slices and they seem happy. 2000 mealworms does not look like alot. How do they count them haha.

 

[ShanCarl1971]

I always use crumbles (usually starter,but I think any kind would be fine) and mix in some oatmeal from my kitchen. I have been doing it for the three years since I started. I like not having to buy something else to store, just for the mealworms. They are SO easy!! You don't have to be picky or even consistent with them!! I once left mine in a closet in the garage for MONTHS without any care at all!!! I just knew they were goners.....but there were actually plenty of live ones in there, all stages, so I refreshed their containers with some oatmeal and potato, and they were thriving again!!! I have always had tons of animals of all sorts, and this is probably the easiest thing I have done for any of them!!