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My mealworm beatles are eating each other!!!! Is that normal? they are on flour and they also have a big juicy piece of apple in there!!!!!
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What the &^#* ??
- Thread starter genious_gr
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don't worry it's normal mealworm beetles sometimes have cannibalistic tendencies.
This usulay happens when they don't have a "moisture supply" but in your case they do have one...
But it's normal!
Where did you get them and how much?
This usulay happens when they don't have a "moisture supply" but in your case they do have one...
But it's normal!
Where did you get them and how much?
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When I got my T.Blondie, the guy at the pet-store gave me a hand full for free. (I counted them, they were 78 
)
)Does anyone know if they bite? I have a breading collony of mealworms/pupa/beetles and was just wondering if the beetles can bite us. I read on a site that they do but I have fed them to my Veiled Chameleon many times and when i pick them up they have never bitten me. Any idea?
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They definately have strong chewing mouthparts, but I'd be surprised if they could actually chomp on a person. The bigger, zoophobas worms...maybe, but I've yet to experience it.
Keep in mind, though, these critters CAN injur or kill a molting tarantula...try not to let them escape into the substrate when feeding!
Wade
Keep in mind, though, these critters CAN injur or kill a molting tarantula...try not to let them escape into the substrate when feeding!
Wade
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They have jaws so they should be able to bite!
You have to be careful when feeding them to your chameleon since there have been incidents of people who lost their pets when a mealworm ate its way out of the chameleons stomach!
You better cut their heads before feeding them to your pet.
For Ts don't worry since they don't eat them but "drink" them.
My cham is very good at chewing his food before swallowing but i think i might start choppin the heads off just in case. Thanks for the info on their bites, i will also be more careful when touchin them. Dont really want to get bitten, i am a wimp when it comes to being bitten... haha.
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That would totally suck! Sounds like the basis for a new sci-fi movie......food you eat that eats its way out of your stomach....hmmmmm, not much different from the new Stephen King movie......not that that ever stopped anyone before!
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I think the mwealworms-eating-their-way-out-of-a-lizard thing is a myth. They drown very quickly in just water, I cannot believe they can survive in the digestive fluids of an animal!
However, the base of the rumor is probably the fact that these insects have a very thick, chitonous exoskeleton and are somtimes indigestable by some herps. Such a large, undigested object can easily cause an intestinal blockage in a lizard, especially smaller ones, leading to death. Cutting off the heads will allow the digestive fluids to get in and do their job, although the harder remains of the worms may still be enough to cause problems. This is not an issue with tarantulas, as they crush up and digest their food externally.
Annother possible explanation is that a lizard that has died (from othe causes) becomes partially eaten by mealworms loose in the cage. This gives the impression that they ate their way OUT, when in reality they ate their way IN.
Wade
However, the base of the rumor is probably the fact that these insects have a very thick, chitonous exoskeleton and are somtimes indigestable by some herps. Such a large, undigested object can easily cause an intestinal blockage in a lizard, especially smaller ones, leading to death. Cutting off the heads will allow the digestive fluids to get in and do their job, although the harder remains of the worms may still be enough to cause problems. This is not an issue with tarantulas, as they crush up and digest their food externally.
Annother possible explanation is that a lizard that has died (from othe causes) becomes partially eaten by mealworms loose in the cage. This gives the impression that they ate their way OUT, when in reality they ate their way IN.
Wade