Small Mealworm Beetles - Good Feeders?

[SteveIDDQD]

I know darkling beetles from the big mealworms (morioworms in the states?) can be nasty, but what about the little red beetles form small mealworms?

I've ended up with (I guess due to the heat) a tub full of them. The larvae are great for my terrestrial slings that eat anything dropped in front of them, but thinking the beetles would be ok for my C.versicolor sling, who is rubbish at finding food that isn't moving...

 

[Patherophis]

Do You mean normal Tenebrio beetles or Alphitobius ? Anyway You can try them without worry, but be avare that some animals may refuse them due to smell and hard cuticle, if you still have some that are pale and quite soft use them primary.

 

[Paul1126]

I've never seen any small red beetles from small mealworms....?????

 

[RobertBennett]

My spiders seem to enjoy them sometimes, it’s such a loud crunch when they’re taken.

 

[StampFan]

I know darkling beetles from the big mealworms (morioworms in the states?) can be nasty, but what about the little red beetles form small mealworms?

I've ended up with (I guess due to the heat) a tub full of them. The larvae are great for my terrestrial slings that eat anything dropped in front of them, but thinking the beetles would be ok for my C.versicolor sling, who is rubbish at finding food that isn't moving...

In North America these are called Superworms.

You'll see various reports of folks saying certain critters (reptiles) won't eat them, but I've had at least 4 or 5 species of reptiles happily eat them. I've also tried at least a dozen species of T's with these and then all eat them happily. Same with my scorpions and centipedes.

 

[lazarus]

Mealworm beetles (T. molitor) are also black when they are fully hardened, they are white when they emerge from the pupa then turn red-brown, and after 3-4 days they turn black.
I sometimes feed beetles before they are fully hardened, most Ts will take them but from what I've read they are less nutritious than the larvae or pupae.
I avoid feeding fully hardnened beetles because their exoskeleton is quite hard.

 

[FrDoc]

My LP loves them. I don’t think I’d try them on my versi, it’s pretty much a sissy.

 

[StampFan]

Mealworm beetles (T. molitor) are also black when they are fully hardened, they are white when they emerge from the pupa then turn red-brown, and after 3-4 days they turn black.
I sometimes feed beetles before they are fully hardened, most Ts will take them but from what I've read they are less nutritious than the larvae or pupae.
I avoid feeding fully hardnened beetles because their exoskeleton is quite hard.

Roaches have hard shells and people feed those. Is it harder than a roach?

As for nutrition, we know little about the nutritional needs of T's.

I've had 1 inch slings eat mealworm beetles without an issue.

 

[SteveIDDQD]

Thanks all. The versi wasnt interested, so looks like I need a box of small crickets just for this guy. Wish it would eat the half mealworms I hang in its web.

I should probably put more effort into keeping the crickets alive tbh. I just throw in a handful of bug gel and some veg slices, but they only ever seem to last a week before 80% of them are dead.

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

Roaches have hard shells and people feed those. Is it harder than a roach?

As for nutrition, we know little about the nutritional needs of T's.

I've had 1 inch slings eat mealworm beetles without an issue.

I know for a fact the wild American Aphonopelma species eat June beetles quite easily where they occur. I don't think the hardness of a mealworm beetle would be much of a concern.

 

[Lissabyrd]

Mealworm beetles (T. molitor) are also black when they are fully hardened, they are white when they emerge from the pupa then turn red-brown, and after 3-4 days they turn black.
I sometimes feed beetles before they are fully hardened, most Ts will take them but from what I've read they are less nutritious than the larvae or pupae.
I avoid feeding fully hardnened beetles because their exoskeleton is quite hard.

Beetles are more nutritious

Mealworm beetles (T. molitor) are also black when they are fully hardened, they are white when they emerge from the pupa then turn red-brown, and after 3-4 days they turn black.
I sometimes feed beetles before they are fully hardened, most Ts will take them but from what I've read they are less nutritious than the larvae or pupae.
I avoid feeding fully hardnened beetles because their exoskeleton is quite hard.

Beetles are more nutritious

 

[LucN]

In my limited experience, not all Ts will accept them. My B. boehmei and G. rosea want nothing to do with them, while my B. hamorii and T. albopilosus will happily take them. Simply experiment and you'll quickly find out which Ts prefer which feeders.

 

[spideyspinneret78]

If your tarantula will eat them, sure! Mine love them.