mealworm Q's.

[-matty-b-]

1. Are they worth breeding?
2. can leos eat the beetles?
3.are they easy to breed?
4.any one got any pics of there cultures?

thanx

[LFG]

Originally Posted by -matty-b-

1. Are they worth breeding?
2. can leos eat the beetles?
3.are they easy to breed?
4.any one got any pics of there cultures?

thanx

1. Depends, if you regularly buy in a lot of mealworms it probably is, breeding your own will save money.

2. They can, but dont seem so interested in them. I fed mine beetles in the past and a few were eaten, but the others just ran around the viv for a few days.

3. Yes. Just supply bran (a good 4-6 inches deep) in a container with a well vantilated lid, and a SMALL piece of fresh veg from time to time to give them moisture. Never spray them or add too much veg, the cultures can be smelly enough dry but they reak when they get wet.

4. Sorry, no photo, but it would just look like a big tub of bran with beetles in it.

Worth mentioning if you are feeding mealworms to leos research them thoroughly, some folk believe mealworms can eat their way out of leos' stomach and they can definately bite. Also make sure they are not the staple diet - this could lead to constipation or impaction.

[-matty-b-]

at the min there fed occasionally, but the whole chew through the stomach is just a myth i think

[kaimarion]

Yep the whole chew through the stomach thing is bs!

If you ask me it is not worth it as they take far too long to breed and get good sized mealworms.It has taken my colony 6-7 months to produce medium mealworms and they have been kept ontop of my Beardies viv which gets quite warm.

[Pioden]

Mine always did really well and i always had lots of baby worms all the time. I've been a bit lax with them atm and my colony isn't as great as it used to be. Am starting them up again though. Easiest livefood to breed imo

[-matty-b-]

what do the babies look like or are there eggs first?

[LFG]

like miniatures of larger mealworms.

there is an egg stage, but i've never been able to make them out.

[negri21]

for the amount you get in a tub i wouldnt think it would be needed unless you had loads of leos . .

and since its not a staple food then yo udont need loads of them .


always interesting to see the stages of development though

[Pioden]

Originally Posted by LFG

like miniatures of larger mealworms.

there is an egg stage, but i've never been able to make them out.

The eggs look like white dust. When you sieve your beetles to clean them out and remove the fras (poo :p), you'll get this white dust everywhere