# Meal worm keeping



## MikeVi (Jun 29, 2014)

Hello everyone, new hedgie and insectivore pet owner and wondering about mealworms. 

I've read to keep mealworms refrigerated obviously to slow their morphing but my friend also said it basically hibernates them and they do not eat in the fridge. He said to take them out every couple days to let them gutload. 

Also, I read somewhere that once they come out of the fridge, they begin to decompose and it is bad to feed them once this happens.

I'm not sure whats right or wrong but I'd just like to know how you guys handle your meal worms after you pick them up from the store.

Thanks!


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## DHammy01 (Jun 27, 2014)

MikeVi said:


> Hello everyone, new hedgie and insectivore pet owner and wondering about mealworms.
> 
> I've read to keep mealworms refrigerated obviously to slow their morphing but my friend also said it basically hibernates them and they do not eat in the fridge. He said to take them out every couple days to let them gutload.
> 
> ...


When I got my hedgehog last thursday, we got my mealworms the same day, and just put them in the fridge, and most of them are still alive so...


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## Melanie G. (May 29, 2014)

I store my mealworms in my fridge (which, as a vegetarian, is completely gross when I think about it). They go into hibernation mode on the fridge. When you take them out, they will start wiggling in a couple minutes after they have warmed up. I've never taken them out except to be fed to my hedgies.


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

Melanie, how long do they last for if kept in the fridge?


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## Melanie G. (May 29, 2014)

They actually last awhile. I buy a container of 50 and it lasts a couple months (depending on how many I give my hedgies). You can tell if the mealworm is dead as it will turn black. I usually end up throwing the container away when all I can find are really small ones, not because they're too old.
They come in a container, which I put in a paper bag, and the bag is then placed into a bigger container in my fridge. Eases my mind.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

It'd still be a good idea to take the container out once a week or so to let them warm up & eat. You can put a slice of carrot in the container during that time for moisture & food, just make sure you take it out before you put them back in the fridge.

It's also a good idea to make sure they stay out for a few hours to eat before going into the fridge since the pet store keeps them in the fridge & you'll have no idea when they were last warm enough to eat. Letting them eat once or twice a week means they still get to grow a bit (even though it's slowly), so that hopefully you'll end up being able to use all of them, and you may end up with some bigger ones for bigger treats!


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

Thank you. I did this yesterday. I chopped up some carrots and let them eat, they devoured all of it. It was gross, I hate bugs but I love with my little ball of spikes so I do it for her :lol: and they went back in the fridge that night. I just wasn't sure if that would lessen their life span (freshness). It's really weird to be taking care of something that will get devoured. The mealies, not the hedgie. LOL


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## MikeVi (Jun 29, 2014)

Thanks for the replies everyone. Much appreciated!


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