# Pupating superworms in my OBT enclosure.



## Methal (Dec 17, 2014)

I just noticed 2 pupating superworms in my OBTs enclosure (same one that tagged me last week) My gut says get them 2 out of there.
My head keeps saying "dude that thing bit you last week, leave it alone!" 

Is my 4inch female in danger?
What will they turn into if I dont get them out?
can i just squish them somehow and call it good?

For obvious reasons I'm quite nervous about going in and getting them out, they are right under a rock cave that she has filled full of webbing, I would likely destroy her "comfort zone" 
and man is she fast and unpredictable! The last/only bite i got was just a scratch....Not wanting to get a full on fangs face deep bite.


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## Poec54 (Dec 17, 2014)

Get them out!  Cup the spider and pick them out with tweezers or change the substrate.  And don't get bit again!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Neoza (Dec 17, 2014)

Yeah, superworms can be very dangerous to your T!


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## Methal (Dec 17, 2014)

nuts....Ok yeah I'll have to do that before they turn into beetles. Also thinking im going to stop using super worms. 
Not a big fan of cockroaches either. Those little buggers will squeeze into anything and then just stay there.


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## Tim Benzedrine (Dec 17, 2014)

Always crush the worm's heads before using them. They will still squirm a bit but they won't be burrowing down, and they won't be able to bite. I don't use them, but I use mealworms occasionally, and they are more or less smaller versions of superworms. I think superworms might be a bit more carnivorous though, but I could be wrong.
I wouldn't bother with mealworms, but they live a lot longer than crickets and are easy to breed if one is so inclined. I think they are easier to chop up than crickets too. I've seen some people say not all of their spiders will accept them, but my slings all do, as well as my juvie A. genic. But that thing would accept carrot slices, I think.  I guess the possibility exists that my spiders will start disdaining them later in life.

Anyway, if superworms are a convenient food source, and you spiders take them, I'd try pre-killing them and see how that worked before crossing them off the list entirely.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Ultum4Spiderz (Dec 17, 2014)

Poec54 said:


> Get them out!  Cup the spider and pick them out with tweezers or change the substrate.  And don't get bit again!


+1
These Beetles are big cant they kill a T? even if it isn't post molt.


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## MagicalLobster (Dec 17, 2014)

Methal said:


> I just noticed 2 pupating superworms in my OBTs enclosure (same one that tagged me last week) My gut says get them 2 out of there.
> My head keeps saying "dude that thing bit you last week, leave it alone!"
> 
> Is my 4inch female in danger?
> ...


She lit you up just fine so I'm sure she can handle a beetle... Kidding! You might want to get them out. Those beetles are nasty.


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## Ultum4Spiderz (Dec 17, 2014)

MagicalLobster said:


> She lit you up just fine so I'm sure she can handle a beetle... Kidding! You might want to get them out. Those beetles are nasty.


+1 beetles got very sharp mandibles one good bite could kill a T, scorp or pede , these prob could only kill a pede after molt though. Pede would prob eat the pupa though they are burrowers.


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## Neoza (Dec 17, 2014)

Tim Benzedrine said:


> Always crush the worm's heads before using them. They will still squirm a bit but they won't be burrowing down, and they won't be able to bite. I don't use them, but I use mealworms occasionally, and they are more or less smaller versions of superworms. I think superworms might be a bit more carnivorous though, but I could be wrong.
> I wouldn't bother with mealworms, but they live a lot longer than crickets and are easy to breed if one is so inclined. I think they are easier to chop up than crickets too. I've seen some people say not all of their spiders will accept them, but my slings all do, as well as my juvie A. genic. But that thing would accept carrot slices, I think.  I guess the possibility exists that my spiders will start disdaining them later in life.
> 
> Anyway, if superworms are a convenient food source, and you spiders take them, I'd try pre-killing them and see how that worked before crossing them off the list entirely.


 How do you breed them? I have them in coco fiber with some vegtables or bread and they do not breed, the same with my crickets: they have wet potting soil to put the eggs in and it just doesnt work!! I did what the TKG said and oher books but no results!


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## Tim Benzedrine (Dec 17, 2014)

Do you mean mealworms or superworms? Mealworms are just a matter of keeping the worms in some oats or bran and wait for them to pupate, supplying some moisture by way of a slice of potato. Watch for mold, change out the slice frequently. They will pupate, usually on top of the oats in my experience. Remove the pupae as they appear and put them in  as separate container also with oats. The beetles will appear after a while. you should probably move them to yet another container to avoid consumption of other developing pupae. The beetles will lay eggs and in time, tiny little worms should start appearing. I think some people remove the beetles after a period of time to keep them from eating their own eggs, but i guess that depends on whether you wish to lose eggs or not. I've been separating mine, but I am doing it very small scale.

Really, if you  have easy access to mealworms, it may be easier to just buy new ones when you run low. it can take a while for themn to grow up To keep them from pupating you can keep them refrigerated. i'm doing it so i always have something for times when I have no crickets. 

I've never done superworms, but you have to separate the worms into small containers individually, they won't turn to pupae in a community container. After they pupate, I think you follow a similar procedure as you use with mealworms, but I'm not sure. There are lots of tutorialsn on-line, plus video on YouTube on how to do both types of worms, more informative than my basic instructions.


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## Poec54 (Dec 17, 2014)

Methal said:


> Also thinking im going to stop using super worms.


I use superworms; they're nice when you don't have crickets on hand, and want to feed some newly-molted spiders (who aren't known for being picky eaters).  But you have to realize that they're not a toss 'em in and forget about 'em kind of prey.  If my spiders don't immediately grab them, I take them right out with forceps.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Ultum4Spiderz (Dec 17, 2014)

Poec54 said:


> I use superworms; they're nice when you don't have crickets on hand, and want to feed some newly-molted spiders (who aren't known for being picky eaters).  But you have to realize that they're not a toss 'em in and forget about 'em kind of prey.  If my spiders don't immediately grab them, I take them right out with forceps.


+1 I do the same thing I get mine as a treat every few months, can u buy bulk superworms online?LPs robs me blind $5 /50 , And cage clips $3ea.


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## Poec54 (Dec 17, 2014)

Ultum4Spiderz said:


> +1 I do the same thing I get mine as a treat every few months, can u buy bulk superworms online?LPs robs me blind $5 /50 , And cage clips $3ea.


Yes.  I know Premium Crickets carries them.


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## Neoza (Dec 18, 2014)

Tim Benzedrine said:


> Do you mean mealworms or superworms? Mealworms are just a matter of keeping the worms in some oats or bran and wait for them to pupate, supplying some moisture by way of a slice of potato. Watch for mold, change out the slice frequently. They will pupate, usually on top of the oats in my experience. Remove the pupae as they appear and put them in  as separate container also with oats. The beetles will appear after a while. you should probably move them to yet another container to avoid consumption of other developing pupae. The beetles will lay eggs and in time, tiny little worms should start appearing. I think some people remove the beetles after a period of time to keep them from eating their own eggs, but i guess that depends on whether you wish to lose eggs or not. I've been separating mine, but I am doing it very small scale.
> 
> Really, if you  have easy access to mealworms, it may be easier to just buy new ones when you run low. it can take a while for themn to grow up To keep them from pupating you can keep them refrigerated. i'm doing it so i always have something for times when I have no crickets.
> 
> I've never done superworms, but you have to separate the worms into small containers individually, they won't turn to pupae in a community container. After they pupate, I think you follow a similar procedure as you use with mealworms, but I'm not sure. There are lots of tutorialsn on-line, plus video on YouTube on how to do both types of worms, more informative than my basic instructions.


 I ment mealworms, and yeah maybe i just buy new one, they are cheep anyway. But the largest problem is the crickets. I need adult crickets, semi adult and pinheads. When i buy the pinheads they grow really fast, i cant use them anymore after 2-3 weeks because they got to big, so i have to buy new ones. And when i could breed them it will be a lot easier!


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## Formerphobe (Dec 18, 2014)

Neoza said:


> I ment mealworms, and yeah maybe i just buy new one, they are cheep anyway. But the largest problem is the crickets. I need adult crickets, semi adult and pinheads. When i buy the pinheads they grow really fast, i cant use them anymore after 2-3 weeks because they got to big, so i have to buy new ones. And when i could breed them it will be a lot easier!


If you're feeding slings, just cut up an adult cricket.  'Parts' will work until they can take larger prey.


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## Tim Benzedrine (Dec 18, 2014)

Yeah, wrangling pinheads is a pain anyway.


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