# Is this safe?



## Mel_W (Apr 26, 2013)

I know this person who mealworm farms and then supplies a local bait shop with mealworms. He offered to sell some to me, but I am not sure if it is safe to get some for my hedgie or not. If I do know where the mealworms are coming from is it safe? Or do I need to ask him a bunch of questions? If so, what should I ask him?


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## MochiAndMe (Jul 13, 2013)

The insect guide sticky says you shouldn't buy from a bait shop...I don't know if it's different since you're getting it from the supplier and not the shop itself.


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## Mel_W (Apr 26, 2013)

MochiAndMe said:


> The insect guide sticky says you shouldn't buy from a bait shop...I don't know if it's different since you're getting it from the supplier and not the shop itself.


That's what I am confused from.


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## ZeeMartin (Aug 5, 2013)

wonder what the difference would be? only difference I can think of might be what they're fed... after all a worm is what it eats.

I've grown mealworms (for my chickens) and they're insanely easy to grow. if you're going to feed lots of them you might consider growing them yourself. they don't need more than a shoe-box worth of space, although you can certainly do a bigger setup. I used a plastic 3-drawer bin, but then, I've got a lot of chickens


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## Mel_W (Apr 26, 2013)

ZeeMartin said:


> wonder what the difference would be? only difference I can think of might be what they're fed... after all a worm is what it eats.
> 
> I've grown mealworms (for my chickens) and they're insanely easy to grow. if you're going to feed lots of them you might consider growing them yourself. they don't need more than a shoe-box worth of space, although you can certainly do a bigger setup. I used a plastic 3-drawer bin, but then, I've got a lot of chickens


Thank you ZeeMartin! I will totally consider mealworm farming myself! After all the price my petstore sells mealworms for it is going to get exspencive.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Agreed with farming yourself! Very easy, and you'll end up with extra in no time - you can put them outside for the birds.

To clarify on the original question - since you're getting them from the original supplier & you can inquire about what they're fed, how he raises them, etc., you should be just fine.  The main reason not to buy from a bait shop is not knowing the supplies - the bugs could have parasites, etc. (kind of like outside bugs). The raising conditions might not be as good as bugs that are being sold as feeders for pets. But raising your own is probably the best as far as mealies are concerned - you'll know exactly what's going into them.


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## Mel_W (Apr 26, 2013)

One more question: When I start my own mealie farm, how much mealworm do I need to start with? Right now I have around ten petstore mealworms.


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## ZeeMartin (Aug 5, 2013)

the more you start with, the quicker you'll build up worm-count.
someone said there's a worm-farming thread on here, you might check for that. if you don't find it, let me know and I'll write up what I do.
basically, the lifecycle is this:
worms become pupae become beetles
beetles breed and lay eggs
eggs become tiny tiny tiny worms
tiny worms grow up to feeding size.
and then they cycle goes again, multiplying the counts each time.
beetles can lay hundreds of eggs, but not all will mature to feedable size worms.
I started with a batch of 100 worms (the large container from the pet store), not all survived to pupate, and not all those became beetles.
so the more you start with, the sooner you'll have lots of worms. I don't think I'd start with less than the small container, but i tend to think in bulk. starting with 10 might not ensure you have enough beetles to breed by the time they mature, and it would be a shame to wait that time and then find out you have to start over.


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## Mel_W (Apr 26, 2013)

ZeeMartin said:


> the more you start with, the quicker you'll build up worm-count.
> someone said there's a worm-farming thread on here, you might check for that. if you don't find it, let me know and I'll write up what I do.
> basically, the lifecycle is this:
> worms become pupae become beetles
> ...


My local petstore sells mealworms for 10cents for each mealworm not in a pack (they put them in a bag that people bring new fish home in, and sometimes the bag does not last ). I might just go to another petstore and buy a container of mealworms.


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## ZeeMartin (Aug 5, 2013)

10c/worm? ouch!
around here it's maybe $2.60 for a 50-count tub. but then, some of them will be dead so you rarely get 50. maybe 40.
definitely need to raise your own at that rate.
once you're set up, the cost is.... er... nothing.

let's see... cost to set up...
a plastic shoe-box bin maybe $5
wheat germ maybe $6
oatmeal maybe $4
an apple $1
kitchen vege scraps $free
... that's all you really have to have.
so that's... what, $16? 
I also used a thermometer that had hi/low recording, so maybe $10 for that.
temperature matters, but since you've got hedgies, you could probably just keep the bin on top of their cage and it would work fine. in a couple of months you'll have all the mealies you need. and at 10c/worm, you could even turn a profit... maybe the pet store should be buying them from you...


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## Mel_W (Apr 26, 2013)

Yep 10c/ worm at my local 'Total Pet'!!!  When I first got mealies there I thought it was crazy because that means 30cents a day for just a treat that does not last long at all. Mealie farm here we go!! 

I have wheat bran which I am using now. And I got a shoe tub already that I am not using, I also got a 10L fish tank that I can use. And I got a potato slice in there. I will have to got in the next city to PetLand and get a box of mealies.


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## abbys (Oct 13, 2012)

I just have to say that Piglet's lucky I manage to give him mealworms with minimal screaming and running away, and this whole thread made me *urp* a little bit and get phantom squirmy feelings all over my skin...

That is all.


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## Mel_W (Apr 26, 2013)

abbys said:


> I just have to say that Piglet's lucky I manage to give him mealworms with minimal screaming and running away, and this whole thread made me *urp* a little bit and get phantom squirmy feelings all over my skin...
> 
> That is all.


Hahaha 

I got a mealie phobia too. I got to have gloves and tweezers ready before I even go near those..*yuch*..._mealworms_. The worst thing is that they twitch yuuuuck! My little Rosalie loves them for all I care.


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## ajweekley (Aug 8, 2013)

abbys said:


> I just have to say that Piglet's lucky I manage to give him mealworms with minimal screaming and running away, and this whole thread made me *urp* a little bit and get phantom squirmy feelings all over my skin...
> 
> That is all.


Oh thank goodness, I'm not the only one. This is the part of hedgehog ownership that I'm not looking forward to. Maybe I'll make my kids give her mealworms -- they like worms.


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## ZeeMartin (Aug 5, 2013)

big bug phobia here too... but raising them helps... familiarity you know...


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