1000's of Meal Worms

[Phatturk]

Hi All,
I just wanted to let everyone know that I started breeding meal worms about a month or so ago and I sifted through the bedding last night to find 1000's of meal worms. It was the easiest thing to breed honestly I didn't really do anything. They are in a Bran bedding that they can also eat so feeding isn't a huge concern, I add some fruit and veggies every now and then. Anyone who is thinking about starting a breeding setup for some feeders, I would say meal worms are a very easy starter for someone who has never done something like this before. It is also very clean and dosen't stink very bad.

 

[lele]

yeah, these guys are super easy. I must have had some dormant eggs in a bag of repti-bark that I had used in an anole tank about 4 years ago. I used it as substrate for my cave roaches and a few months later I came across mealworms! That was almost 2 years ago. Now I pick out the size I want mainly to feed to my side-blotched lizards. I cull out the beetles from time to time as it can get to of control but they are in a large 30 gal tank with the roaches. Just be careful not to let the bran get too moist and warm to avoid a mite outbreak. Have fun!

 

[JimNPHX]

Hi All,
I just wanted to let everyone know that I started breeding meal worms about a month or so ago and I sifted through the bedding last night to find 1000's of meal worms. It was the easiest thing to breed honestly I didn't really do anything. They are in a Bran bedding that they can also eat so feeding isn't a huge concern, I add some fruit and veggies every now and then. Anyone who is thinking about starting a breeding setup for some feeders, I would say meal worms are a very easy starter for someone who has never done something like this before. It is also very clean and dosen't stink very bad.

Sounds like a plan. What would I need to get started?

Jim

 

[mightyzug]

http://www.chameleonsdish.com/insects/breedmealworms.htm <-- breeding mealworms.

 

[Phatturk]

I used that website also and it was very helpful... also I started with about 200 Meal Worms that I bought from the pet store. I would say that out of that 200 at least 150 have become beetles.

I also have a question if someone knows... do they eat the dead beetles or do they just sink to the bottom? I haven't found any dead beetles yet.

 

[bg77]

I wish I could get my guy to eat mealworms, he wants nothing to do with them.

 

[lonomac]

I just use a cricket keeper. Fill it about 1/2 inch with oatmeal and throw some dead leaves in there when they become beetles. The meal worms pupate, become beetles and breed and you really don't have to do anything. I rarely feed them off though since I have so many other healthy feeders.

 

[reyesjoshuacruz]

how do you gut load these guys? mealworms into beetles? whoah i didnt know that, is it better to feed in the first or final stage?

 

[Phatturk]

Thats a good question about which to feed off. I tried to feed off a beetle before but my guy wouldn't have it. Are meal worms nutritious enough to be fed everyday or are they too fatty or something? I don't mean as a staple diet just as treats but everyday. My guy loves all kinds of worms pretty much.

 

[Phatturk]

how do you gut load these guys? mealworms into beetles? whoah i didnt know that, is it better to feed in the first or final stage?

I am not sure if it is gut loading cuz i have no idea about their digestive system or anything but mine gorge on apples, potatoes, and pretty much everything I have put in there so far.

 

[lonomac]

Thats a good question about which to feed off. I tried to feed off a beetle before but my guy wouldn't have it. Are meal worms nutritious enough to be fed everyday or are they too fatty or something? I don't mean as a staple diet just as treats but everyday. My guy loves all kinds of worms pretty much.

I wouldn't feed them every day. Too many can be hard for them to digest. Beetles Ive never fed off, but the have a hard exoskeleton so I imagine it would be even harder to digest. Only really bad thing about mealies is they have a bad Calcium/Phosphorus ratio and are somewhat fatty. You want something that has close to 2:1 ratio Cal/Ph.

 

[lonomac]

how do you gut load these guys? mealworms into beetles? whoah i didnt know that, is it better to feed in the first or final stage?

I feed them every other day. Basically throw a fruit/vegetable in there. You can also put a damp napkin in there and they will suck the water out of it for hydration. Eventually they will turn into Pupae and thats where I pick them up and move them into the cricket feeder. They will come out as beetles a week later and start breeding. The beetles just eat dead leaves but I spray them every so often for hydration.

 

[lele]

I find that Darwin (beardie), Cyrus (cham) and Stan & Ana (side-blotched lizards) all like the pupal stage of both mealworms and superworms. They recognize them and will usually eat them (Cy loves super pupae). They are soft bodied and easily digestible. I will often put supers and/or mealies in a bait box (each in own compartment) and place in drawer (dark) for a week or so to pupate. Then take them out and feed off before they morph to beetles.

Cyrus will spit out super beetles and none will eat the mealie beetles. They both give off a chemical defense odor (supers are stronger) but some chams will eat them.

If you leave the beetles in the mealie bin the mealworms will eat them as a protein source.

My mealies are in repti-bark, less chance of mite outbreak, and I feed my cave roaches good food & veggies (even though they are not feeder roaches) so the mealies get gutloaded that way.

 

[Phatturk]

Well I just wanted to add that my meal worms can now eat an entire apple in 1 day! I was Shocked! And I looked in there last night and the whole tank was crawling, literally every inch was moving. I think I might have too many.

 

[bg77]

And I looked in there last night and the whole tank was crawling, literally every inch was moving. I think I might have too many.

Ya think?????