How often do you...
- Thread starter kupo969
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Depends on the ratio of mealworms to substrate you have. It also matters what kind of substrate you use. I personally use wheat bran/oatmeal mix and when it turns into a majority of frass is when I change it. There are plenty of stories of mealworm colonies lost for over a year, and later found with thousands of mealworms.
You can wait until it turns into a fine dust 
. Like I said, they are almost indestructible.
I personally find it to be a little more sanitary and more clean to put new substrate when the substrate is powder like.
(If you clean out the substrate when its crumby like, its a pain to sort out the mealworms.)
Its ALOT more cheaper and easier to clean out substrate when its almost powder like.
Just get a sifter and sift out the mealworms, throw away nasty old powder, and start fresh with some nice wheat bran/oatmeal.
Throw in 2 carrots in once a week, and its gone by the next 2 days. Seperate Pupae and Beetles once a week. and repeat.
Its REALLY simple to keep a colony thriving.
I have a strong colony of at least 10,000. So its alot easier for me to use the method I use for large amounts of mealworms.
Hope this helped, CT9A
. Like I said, they are almost indestructible. I personally find it to be a little more sanitary and more clean to put new substrate when the substrate is powder like.
(If you clean out the substrate when its crumby like, its a pain to sort out the mealworms.)
Its ALOT more cheaper and easier to clean out substrate when its almost powder like.
Just get a sifter and sift out the mealworms, throw away nasty old powder, and start fresh with some nice wheat bran/oatmeal.
Throw in 2 carrots in once a week, and its gone by the next 2 days. Seperate Pupae and Beetles once a week. and repeat.
Its REALLY simple to keep a colony thriving.
I have a strong colony of at least 10,000. So its alot easier for me to use the method I use for large amounts of mealworms.
Hope this helped
, CT9AIt is "advised" to seperate pupae, larvae and beetles. I also do this to have different sizes available and to be organized, instead of having to dig around for a specific size.
I have around 25 different containers with different stages. I filter through these containers and always sell a majority to local pet shops.
It isn't neccesary to seperate them but it is ALOT more easier to find the size and more organized.
I have around 25 different containers with different stages. I filter through these containers and always sell a majority to local pet shops.
It isn't neccesary to seperate them but it is ALOT more easier to find the size and more organized.
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If you let it get that bad might want to wear a facemask when dealing with them or do it in a well ventilated area.
LOL Thanks for the heads up, I had no idea it smelled that bad.
Ahhh, one more question before I get annoying (probly too late for the O.O). I started with about 200 and seen about 4-5 die. When they turn into beetles, how many mealies can I expect to have?
Ahhh, one more question before I get annoying (probly too late for the O.O). I started with about 200 and seen about 4-5 die. When they turn into beetles, how many mealies can I expect to have?
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Don't worry about the questions, I'm glad to help
. Mealworms do not smell bad. You only need a face mask, because of the fact that the substrate and/or frass gets airborne and gives you allergies. After some exposure, you can sometimes pick up serious or not so serious allergies from their frass over some time. Its perfectly fine to see a few straglers die. Female Beetles lay at and average of around 40 eggs per day. (average total of around 300) before they die. Don't worry, if you continue to see alot more deaths, then just raise the humidity, by maybe adding a lid and/or more potatoes or moisture foods.
I first started out with potatoes and ow I'm using carrots as they do not mold as easily.
I've been watching a lot of youtube vids about raising them and I noticed people using hides (mainly paper towel rolls and pieces of cardboard) for their beetles. I guess my question is, is it better to use hides? Will they lay eggs on them?
I've also seen them lay eggs in their moisture foods, I guess you just gotta toss them out 'cause you don't want mold?
I've been watching a lot of youtube vids about raising them and I noticed people using hides (mainly paper towel rolls and pieces of cardboard) for their beetles. I guess my question is, is it better to use hides? Will they lay eggs on them?
I've also seen them lay eggs in their moisture foods, I guess you just gotta toss them out 'cause you don't want mold?
I would reccomend oraganic carrots. They are cheap. 5$ for a big bag. (5 lbs). Hides are not neccasary, as far I have not used them, and have seen no ill effect. If you do happen to have some cardboard tubes, then sure why not. As for throwing out the moldy food, I would just use less food, so that they eat up all of it. No need to throw out, and no worries for mold. As you feed, just take note on how much they consume and how fast they do.
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I use alfalfa pellets for substrate and give them egg crate to climb on. It just gives the beatles a place to go. I only change the 'strate after it is all completely broke down to dust. Then just sift and replace. I keep mine in 5 gal buckets. It can take up to a year or more before its all broke down if you have a smaller colony. The larger the colony the sooner it'll need changed. Takes a little while to get the numbers going but once you have a lot it's very very easy. I like the idea of sizing them I just don't have the space to dedicate to mealworms. Too many turtles, T's, and geckos that I'd rather house. My very first colony, (I thought was dead) got neglected for a long time during a really bad move. They got left outside in nebraska the entire month of november and part of december and hadn't been fed in over 4 months. When I finally got around to taking care of it... there were still a few worms and beatles alive!! They are almost bullet proof. I think the thing that is most detrimental is mold. Once the colony is going you can give them pretty much any fruit or veggie trim/scraps and they'll eat it fast enough to not worry about mold. When I had sugar gliders I would have a ton of leftover fruit and stuff and I always would just dump it in the colony like a garbage disposal. Never had mold problems. I noticed you can feed them things like mango and avacado pits too and they will hollow out the "seed" and leave an empty shell.
Well, I started with 200, couple of deaths, and now I have about 10 pupating. I ordered 2,000 mealies to jump start this because this is going to take wayyyyy long. I calculated that I need to use about 27 (108 monthly) mealies a week soooo hopefully I will do okay with the 2,000 I ordered.
What do you think?
What do you think?