Superworms and their Beetles

TRection

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 19, 2017
Messages
267
Im using superworms for my feeders as i do with my lizard as well, i am in the process of setting up a little system for breeding them so i dont have to keep buying them. As you may know, superworms turn into relatively large, and slow, black beetles. I have heard at that stage they are useless as feeders and only good for laying eggs, but im just wondering why that is? Is their exo just too thick for a T and can damage its fangs? or are they basically just all bone at that point and not much of a meal?

On a side note if anyone is breeding them right now i would love to see pictures of your set up :) im planning to use a 3 drawer plastic sorting bin.
 

sasker

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 9, 2016
Messages
1,091
Well, you may have noticed that almost nothing remains after a tarantula is done with a superworm. The black shields of the beetle are indigestible, so that is just waste. I have not tried feeding the beetles to my Ts because their exoskeleton is indeed very hard. Perhaps tarantulas can pierce it with their fangs, but why risk their fangs? I think only soft, freshly pupated beetles could be fed, but consider that it takes about a month for a superworm to pupate into a beetle. It does not eat during this time, so it contains less nutrients than a superworm, I suppose.
 

TRection

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 19, 2017
Messages
267
Well, you may have noticed that almost nothing remains after a tarantula is done with a superworm. The black shields of the beetle are indigestible, so that is just waste. I have not tried feeding the beetles to my Ts because their exoskeleton is indeed very hard. Perhaps tarantulas can pierce it with their fangs, but why risk their fangs? I think only soft, freshly pupated beetles could be fed, but consider that it takes about a month for a superworm to pupate into a beetle. It does not eat during this time, so it contains less nutrients than a superworm, I suppose.
thought so, thank you :)
 

Eek

Arachnosquire
Joined
May 15, 2016
Messages
63
I've read that the superworms wont pupate if they are around other supers. I woke up a few days ago and found one of the grubs had become a beetle in my B. albo's cage. I'm going to leave it in there for a few days and see if she/he eats him. I'll let you know how it goes.
 

Venom1080

Arachnoemperor
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Sep 24, 2015
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4,611
Just fed a beetle to my A aurantiaca last night. No issue. It was probably only a few days post molt however. They apparently secrete Chemicals that most T's don't like.
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
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IMG_2483.jpg
I've read that the superworms wont pupate if they are around other supers. I woke up a few days ago and found one of the grubs had become a beetle in my B. albo's cage. I'm going to leave it in there for a few days and see if she/he eats him. I'll let you know how it goes.
Hopefully your t doesn't molt...those beetles are voracious
.
Just fed a beetle to my A aurantiaca last night. No issue. It was probably only a few days post molt however. They apparently secrete Chemicals that most T's don't like.
Yeah, some ts will take them for sure.
 

Nightstalker47

Arachnoking
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
2,612
Im using superworms for my feeders as i do with my lizard as well, i am in the process of setting up a little system for breeding them so i dont have to keep buying them. As you may know, superworms turn into relatively large, and slow, black beetles. I have heard at that stage they are useless as feeders and only good for laying eggs, but im just wondering why that is? Is their exo just too thick for a T and can damage its fangs? or are they basically just all bone at that point and not much of a meal?

On a side note if anyone is breeding them right now i would love to see pictures of your set up :) im planning to use a 3 drawer plastic sorting bin.
I feed all the superworm beetles I find to my Bearded dragons (adults), they eat them with enthusiasm. The beetles do have a strong scent.
They are not used for feeders for insectivore lizards either, as they apparently taste quite foul.
Not always, some will eat them but I wouldn't feed that to a young Beardie.
Just fed a beetle to my A aurantiaca last night. No issue. It was probably only a few days post molt however. They apparently secrete Chemicals that most T's don't like.
My big female LP was eating one the other day that I must've missed, I'm sure larger Ts can crunch them no problem.
 

TomKemp

Arachnoknight
Joined
Feb 5, 2014
Messages
160
/\/\ I was getting ready to say this about my Beardies. When I stumble across a random beetle in an enclosure, I just pull it and toss it to the Beardies. They don't mind them.
 

antsman

Arachnosquire
Joined
Oct 3, 2016
Messages
59
I've been breeding them for a few years now, they are quite easy. I use a 2 stage bin top is beetles and bottom worms with a screen on the bottom of the beetle bin, atop the worm bin for auto sorting.
I have 5x24 slot fishing tackle box. I put one worm in each slot to keep them separate(If not they wont pupate). Once they turn to beetles I move them to the bin and so on. I noticed the worms and beetles live for quite long time, and if kept clean they do not stink. I clean out old food and dead beetles weekly. I believe they are in the stink bug family and excrete a noxious smell when disturbed. I will take some photos when I get home.
 

TRection

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 19, 2017
Messages
267
I've been breeding them for a few years now, they are quite easy. I use a 2 stage bin top is beetles and bottom worms with a screen on the bottom of the beetle bin, atop the worm bin for auto sorting.
I have 5x24 slot fishing tackle box. I put one worm in each slot to keep them separate(If not they wont pupate). Once they turn to beetles I move them to the bin and so on. I noticed the worms and beetles live for quite long time, and if kept clean they do not stink. I clean out old food and dead beetles weekly. I believe they are in the stink bug family and excrete a noxious smell when disturbed. I will take some photos when I get home.

That auto sorting sounds awesome! the pictures will be greatly appreciated :D
 

Amarok815

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 4, 2017
Messages
23
I would watch out when feeding super worm beetles to tarantulas. You definitely have to make sure they take the beetle before you walk away. My meal worm colony will happily attack live crickets that are hoping around and they aren't as ravenous as supers! I wouldn't feed your beetles to your Ts for breeding reasons anyway. You'd want them to have as many babies as possible to boost a starting colony. Once started though, you could try feeding them.
 

TRection

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 19, 2017
Messages
267
So i went to walmart and picked up one of these http://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/151679975485-0-1/s-l1000.jpg and a 4x24 tackle box. I have my supers in the middles and im going to be cutting out the bottom of the top drawer and lining it with mesh so when the beetle eggs hatch they fall through the mesh into the rest of the worms (is that a good idea or will the bigger worms eat the new borns?) and the bottom drawer is just where the tackle box will be stored with the pupating worms (but i have to drill holes in the tackle box first)
 

Moakmeister

Arachnodemon
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Oct 6, 2016
Messages
741
here's a video of a tarantula eating a superworm beetle:
I probably won't do this in the future, but there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it. I would LOVE to feed a beetle to an emperor scorpion, though, and watch those massive claws smash through the exoskeleton with a satisfying crunch.
 

TRection

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 19, 2017
Messages
267
here's a video of a tarantula eating a superworm beetle:
I probably won't do this in the future, but there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it. I would LOVE to feed a beetle to an emperor scorpion, though, and watch those massive claws smash through the exoskeleton with a satisfying crunch.
I love emperors, i had such a weird experience though the first one i ever had when i was a child i bought from a local pet store and i was told it was a male.....It wasnt. and it must have done some breeding and holding onto the sperm for a while because i had it for about 7-8 months and out of no where it gave birth to 14 babies. The moment they were off her back she began picking them off one by one eating them so i did the best i could to separate them all and started feeding them (there was only 5-6 left i think). Being the young kid i was i didnt know much so 2 of them died and the rest grew pretty well actually and i gave them to a exotic pet store downtown (very nice place, they took really good care of all their animals). I was traumatized.. :rofl::rofl::rofl:
 

Amarok815

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 4, 2017
Messages
23
So i went to walmart and picked up one of these http://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/151679975485-0-1/s-l1000.jpg and a 4x24 tackle box. I have my supers in the middles and im going to be cutting out the bottom of the top drawer and lining it with mesh so when the beetle eggs hatch they fall through the mesh into the rest of the worms (is that a good idea or will the bigger worms eat the new borns?) and the bottom drawer is just where the tackle box will be stored with the pupating worms (but i have to drill holes in the tackle box first)
Sounds cool! In my experience, the larger supers won't eat the smaller ones or new borns. Keep 'em well fed and you shouldn't have any problems. The beetles will eat pupaes though, so I would keep those separated until they are beetles and fully hardened. Even the freshly moulted beetles are preyed upon. On a side note, my geckos and curly hair (MM - has passed) LOVE the pupaes, you could also feed those to your Ts.
 

TRection

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 19, 2017
Messages
267
Sounds cool! In my experience, the larger supers won't eat the smaller ones or new borns. Keep 'em well fed and you shouldn't have any problems. The beetles will eat pupaes though, so I would keep those separated until they are beetles and fully hardened. Even the freshly moulted beetles are preyed upon. On a side note, my geckos and curly hair (MM - has passed) LOVE the pupaes, you could also feed those to your Ts.
Awesome :D thanks!
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
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Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,223
I've been breeding them for a few years now, they are quite easy. I use a 2 stage bin top is beetles and bottom worms with a screen on the bottom of the beetle bin, atop the worm bin for auto sorting.
I have 5x24 slot fishing tackle box. I put one worm in each slot to keep them separate(If not they wont pupate). Once they turn to beetles I move them to the bin and so on. I noticed the worms and beetles live for quite long time, and if kept clean they do not stink. I clean out old food and dead beetles weekly. I believe they are in the stink bug family and excrete a noxious smell when disturbed. I will take some photos when I get home.
What are you feeding them? Is it the same for both stages?

What are you using for substrate? How damp/dry are you keeping the sub?

How long does it take from starting to having baby supers?

I'd love to start breeding them myself...supers make great feeders, especially for gravid females.
 
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