Mealworms as feeders?

[GingerC]

I use mealworms as the staple of most of my pets' diets (supplemented frequently with more nutritious bugs), but I haven't given any to my Asian forest scorpion... main reason being that I use very deep substrate, and anyone who has ever played around with mealworms knows what happens whenever they come into contact with such substances.

I still think it's worth a try; I just need to know a few things first.

-I would think mealworms are fine for them to eat, but it's better to be safe than sorry! Are there any known risks to scorpions when you feed them mealworms?

-If they disappear into the substrate, can the scorpion still hunt them down? I think I recall hearing in a documentary that scorpions can sense prey by vibrations (because that's pretty much their only good sense lol), but does this work underground?

 

[ArachnoDrew]

My personal experience and opinion with mealworms
None of my scorpions have ever responded to them. I've tried many times... but I think they Should only be fed in there diet as a (cheat meal) feed it mostly gut loaded feeders crickets, roaches, etc.. that you have feed.
The worm will borrow. The scorpion won't dig it up. I've left a worm in there that I assumed was eatin over night..... found it weeks later doing a re house. Same thing with dubias. They burrow they're gone. Scorpions from what I know do not dig for food.

 

[RTTB]

I've had some success with desert species liking them. The sandy substrate helps probably as the mealworms don't bury themselves as much.

 

[soldierof4cheese]

I have used meal worms, I hand feed them to the scorps at night while they are out foraging. Like the others said, they will disappear if given the chance. Mainly I use well fed crickets, its easier to throw a few in the tank and watch them disappear as a meal.

 

[kevinlowl]

I give my scorpion mealworms and superworms and he eats it no problem. I throw one in front of him and if he's hungry he grabs it and if he's not interested I remove the mealworm. I'd rather feed crickets but they are too much of a hassle to keep compared to mealworms and they stink.

 

[ArachnoDrew]

I really want to start my own breeder tub or box. For some red runner roaches. I can't stand keeping crickets especially the adult males.... that chirping all night in your room is enough to drive someone insane. And I don't have luck feeding with dubias... best option I can for see is ordering the red runners. Don't climb tall plastic. Dont chirp. And i dont believe they smell as bad

 

[Christianb96]

ive never used mealworms but my larger scorps will always eat superworms. id imagine it would be the same. i only feed them supers everynow and then, they are mainly fed large dubias and hissers.

 

[darkness975]

I use mealworms as the staple of most of my pets' diets (supplemented frequently with more nutritious bugs), but I haven't given any to my Asian forest scorpion... main reason being that I use very deep substrate, and anyone who has ever played around with mealworms knows what happens whenever they come into contact with such substances.

I still think it's worth a try; I just need to know a few things first.

-I would think mealworms are fine for them to eat, but it's better to be safe than sorry! Are there any known risks to scorpions when you feed them mealworms?

-If they disappear into the substrate, can the scorpion still hunt them down? I think I recall hearing in a documentary that scorpions can sense prey by vibrations (because that's pretty much their only good sense lol), but does this work underground?

If you are going to attempt to use mealworms as a feeder crush the heads so that they cannot burrow into the substrate.

 

[TheScorpionMan]

I really want to start my own breeder tub or box. For some red runner roaches. I can't stand keeping crickets especially the adult males.... that chirping all night in your room is enough to drive someone insane. And I don't have luck feeding with dubias... best option I can for see is ordering the red runners. Don't climb tall plastic. Dont chirp. And i dont believe they smell as bad

I used to have a red runner colony and you're right, far superior feeder for scorpions IME. They have a faint smell but nothing horrible. Crickets smell sooo bad XP.

 

[ArachnoDrew]

I have some coming in on Thursday along with 3 new scorps woot!!!

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

I tried feeding my scorpling a mealworm that I had pre-killed. I noticed that it was in my opinion a bit too large, and that the scorp was not interested anyway. So, I tossed in a baby cricket and left for a moment to tend to something else. when I returned, the scorp had already killed the cricket and was eating it. I didn't want to interrupt the meal, so I decided to return later and retrieve the unwanted mealworm. Time passed and I went to check the progress on consuming the cricket. To my slight dismay and amusement, I returned to learn that the scorpling had been saving the mealie for dessert and I took this picture of the little glutton, who looks a little ridiculous. I honestly don't know where the thing put it. Greedy little bugger is getting a bigger enclosure this week-end too, along with the new arrival. Been needing to get it done, but the stupid job I have in order to be able to keep them in the first place keeps getting in the way, along with other life distractions.

 

[GingerC]

If you are going to attempt to use mealworms as a feeder crush the heads so that they cannot burrow into the substrate.

Now this... THIS is some excellent advice! I'll have to try it; last time I had to kill a mealworm directly, I managed to get guts on my face and also completely failed at my intended goal because I was a doof. >.<

 

[High Lord Dee]

I prefer tong feeding to pre-kill. If they get them in their claws they will consume them. Often times with a bonus of the sting.

 

[darkness975]

Now this... THIS is some excellent advice! I'll have to try it; last time I had to kill a mealworm directly, I managed to get guts on my face and also completely failed at my intended goal because I was a doof. >.<

I prefer tong feeding to pre-kill. If they get them in their claws they will consume them. Often times with a bonus of the sting.

With the head crushed they will still move but be incapable of burrowing.

Tong feeding is doable but unnecessary for a predator that has evolved over the last how many millions of years to hunt other inverts. Not that it is detrimental at all but unnecessary.

 

[High Lord Dee]

Agree. And I stand corrected . I feed mine live. And never had a problem but IF I had to choose, I would tong feed over prekill.