Superworms

[Nosybe]

I picked up 70 of these bad boys this weekend to try with my veiled. He loves them and eats em really fast. I am interested in breeding them and have found some info but I have a few queries. I isolated 14 to let become beetles and I am keeping them warm and dark. About how long will it take to get beetles if they are at about 73 F? Also, do they need any substrate or food in this stage, once isolated? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[sandrachameleon]

No food necessary. The hardship encourages them to pupate. Depending how mature and large the larva were, can take 1-3 weeks to pupate, and then another long wait until they are beetles.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/can-i-breed-my-19747/
http://www.howtobreedsuperworms.com/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/bocajan/45-super-worm-breeding.html

 

[jojackson]

No food/substrate or anything needed once isolated, but choose the biggest possible worms you can.
About 80f is better, but 73f is ok ,just will take longer, maybe 4 weeks.
Darkness is very important, or they will not pupate, just starve to death.

Growing superworms is not hard provided you begin with large worms, keep it dry and warm and provide food.

Forcing pupation.

This can be done in a manner of ways including isolating worms in 35mm film cannisters. I prefer the takle/sewing box approach!

Notice the tiny air holes ive melted

You place the largest possible worm into each compartment or cannister. (this one is not quite big enough) . Next to it, is the beetle, called a 'darkling beetle'.

You place your worms without food in each compartment, no media is nessesary. You must keep them warm but dark. I use a heatcord inside a styrofoam box.

After about 2-3 weeks, the turn into pupae, (see below) and days after pale beetles. They go dark in the coming days.

Once you have either pupae or beetles, place them in your tub of media,
on the surface.
provide raw carrot (moisture) and fresh greens (food) for the beetles, on the surface and use eggcrate for the beetles to hide and mate inside.

Never add water, mould will kill them, only change food off the surface.
watch greens remains for eggs, which the beetles will deposit on them and in your media. I prefer oats.

Provide plenty to eat and keep the tub warm. You will see nothing but beetles for some weeks. Eggs hatch within 2 weeks and you will begin to see tiny worms. Be patient.
Dont change the media, you may throw out almost invisible eggs.
So keep it cleanand dry as possible

After 2-3 months, your worms will be growing rapidly. Need more? Repeat the process!

cheers

 

[Nosybe]

The worms I've got are pretty big, but how big exactly do they need to be?

 

[jojackson]

Well, full grown, 40-50mm do best. The bigger the worm, the bigger and more productive the beetle.

 

[sandrachameleon]

.. He loves them and eats em really fast. ...

A word of caution - offer these too often and you may end up with a fat chameleon who doesnt want to eat anything else. Supers are not an optimum feeder choice for frequent use - too fatty.

 

[Nosybe]

A word of caution - offer these too often and you may end up with a fat chameleon who doesnt want to eat anything else. Supers are not an optimum feeder choice for frequent use - too fatty.

Is 2-4 a week healthy?