# Meal Worm Care?



## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

So for some reason I can't really keep my meal worms in great health and I don't know what I'm doing wrong so I'm hoping maybe someone can tell me how to care for these cross buggers AND how to clean their cage. Cause they're gross and smell and need to be cleaned. They have a layer of black poop building up.
Anyway
I keep them in this...http://www.petco.com/product/5914/PETCO ... s_Carriers The little pink one.
I have oatmeal in there as well as I put at potato in there. But the potatoes go bad so fast is there anything else I can use? 
I really don't want this batch to mold like my last one :/ 
So my main thing is the cleaning them. How do you clean them with all the oat meal and poop and stuff without getting them gross and picking them out one by one?
;-;


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I actually just spent last night cleaning out my big mealworm bin. I lead such an exciting life. :lol: 

What I did was use plastic tweezers (or you could use regular metal ones, or chopsticks) to pick out all of the mealworms and put them in another container. I don't mind touching them, but the container was full of icky, dead mealworms and beetles. Double checked through all of the poop and then just tossed all the gross stuff into a plastic bag, tied and threw it away. For moisture I use carrots instead of potato, it's easier for me to toss a baby carrot or two into their container for them and they usually last at least a couple days.


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

And how often do you clean it?  
How long does it take? I feel like it would take at least an hour or so.

Can I give them the cricket thing that crickets drink off of?  Those square orange things
http://www.petco.com/product/11817/Fluk ... FruitFlies
It says meal worms on the site. And these are supposed to be food and water. So would it be for the mealies too???


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

I'm not sure about those, I use carrots like Lilysmommy also. I find they hold their moisture better. If you have to use a potato sometimes you can fold a paper towel up under it and then remove both in the morning, just make sure to check for mealies that might have went into the folds. I usually offer something for night and then remove it in the morning and just do it more frequently. If the bedding is okay and it's just the frass you are wanting out you can mount a screen on a form and use it to separate. I put screen over the spot I cut out in the lid so that it's duel purpose and I can get the frass out easily. If the big pieces are messed up you can separate by hand into a clean container with new bedding, I use a plastic fork for this. It will take a little longer but saves the colony and not have to start from scratch. I've had to do it for over a thousand once and with my sifting method and plastic fork it was probably 30 minutes of work


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Ah, sifting is a better idea! I'll have to remember that for next time. I just clean it out when it looks like the frass is overcoming the bedding. The bin I cleaned out last night didn't really have any bedding in it since I got the whole container with mealworms, etc. in it from someone I know. So it was easiest to pick the mealies out with tweezers since all the gross stuff (dead mealies, beetles, etc.) was as big as the live mealies. It took maybe around half an hour, but I don't have more than maybe 200 mealworms in the container. The orange cricket things could probably work for mealies too, you could always try it! Carrots are just easier for me to get.


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## moothecow (Jun 4, 2011)

I also use carrots, just cut two one-inch pieces in half (so that I have four smaller pieces to put in the container). I put in the carrots every two days, not every day. For my container I just use an open, square tupperware container, a second one just like that for the beetles, and two smaller containers exactly like the ones you linked to for the aliens.

Also, I use just wheat bran for my bedding, not oatmeal. I stir it all up every day, generally, and once there is more frass than wheat bran, I just sift the whole thing through a sieve and pick out dead mealworms and gunky bits that don't go through the sieve with a plastic spoon. 

Oh also: I find that sometimes it looks like the carrots are gone, but if I spoon through the bedding, I will find the leftover bits burried on the bottom. I guess they get dragged down by the mealworms. Anyway, good to do that, so that leftover carrots aren't sitting in the bedding somewhere.


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

Cool  But why separate them? -curious- Is it easier to care for them or?


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

ShutUpAndSmile said:


> Cool  But why separate them? -curious- Is it easier to care for them or?


You mean having the mealworms, aliens, and beetles all separated from each other? If I remember right, it's best to do that so the mealworms and beetles don't eat the aliens. Plus then you know the beetle container will be the one with eggs/baby mealworms in it, and once the mealworms are big enough that you can find them (I'm not actually sure how small they start out), you can move them to the mealworm container to grow bigger.


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

Hmm I see. Maybe I will do that. I'll have to find a place to put all these containers though.. 
This may sound stupid but is there anyway to tell if the beetle is pregnant? Like so I don't feed my girl a pregnant female beetle?


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

I don't think you can tell the diff between male / female beetles. 

I use a 4 bin system, one for eating size worms, one for aliens, one for beetles....and another that eventually will be my first wee baby mealworms. (once eggs hatch will dump beetles bin into baby bin and give the beetles new food/bedding to lay more eggs) 

For moisture I use damp sponges on a plastic lid :mrgreen: I just bought a few sponges and cut them up. You can set them on a bit of plastic or aluminum foil too. Plus a carrot or potatoe set beside it. 

I use a large metal screening type sifter to remove the frass and dump everything else back in. I use bran and oats in the ready to eat meal worms but bran only in the rest cause it's easier to see whats happening. I put some of Hazels ground kibble mix in with the grown mealies.

I don't plan on sifting frass out of my beetle bin because I would lose all the eggs! Better to wait until babies are hatched and grown a bit.


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

Lol this may sound weird but would like a craft supplies stooge thing work as a home or one of those mini drawer things? Ya know they have the dividers and stuff 
Kinda like those things?
http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/prod ... xprd408781
http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/prod ... =xprd76561

Thank you all for the information.  it helps sooooo much


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

This type works well as long as you can keep enough air flow. With 3 drawers you would have to keep 2 stages together tho...like dump your tiny hatched babies in with grown mealies (I would worry they would eat them tho lol) plus the added factor of not being able to clean the frass out for a while until they were grown enough...you could clean just before putting them in each time tho.

I also had a bad batch of worms from a store...I had fed lots/many turned to aliens and needed to top up...that killed nearly all of my grown worms :twisted: I had to start fresh but only with the grown worms. Due to using seperate bins it had no bearing on my aliens or beetles. Many people farm them all together without any issues too.

with the other type of container you posted http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/productdetail.jsp?CATID=cat3014&PRODID=xprd408781 I've seen some people use these for putting the aliens each in a seperate space. They don't need to eat but beetles will snack on the aliens so I guess the idea is to avoid that with seperation if you can't check and remove beetles from the aliens each day.


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

I don't think the big mealies would eat the babies.  Maybe I'll go get that later  It would make cleaning easier too 
Do you put anything in with the aliens?  like just some oatmeal? 
And worst comes to worst I can put the baby ones in this and keep the older ones in the big container that I already have. :3


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

When I separate the aliens I usually do have some oats in there.  They don't eat or drink but that way there is something for when the beetles emerge, my alien container is smaller than the rest since there is no movement and I take the beetles as they emerge. You don't have to separate but I like to ensure nothing happens to the aliens and so that the eggs aren't messed up. I find that one of the benefits is you can control the stages and sizes of the mealworms better. I put my beetles on new bedding from time to time and keep the old container and their old bedding. Within a few weeks the bedding will be moving from the eggs that hatched. It keeps the mealworms spaced out. I usually feed the bigger mealworms so it helps out a lot. If I get to many aliens I feed those and do the same to keep the beetle population constant. I have a few different containers but if you are looking for a nice quick at home solution you can always use an old margarine container, they work really good too and you can punch or drill holes in the lid


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

Well, I like the drawer thing a lot because I'm working with a really small space and I also have my crickets there it's only really big enough for 1 container. So yeah 

Hmm I'm thinking for ventilation what if I punch really big holes and then hot glue the screens people use for tobacco bowls over the circles that way it screens them in? I'm worried about humidity and mold lol.


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

ShutUpAndSmile said:


> I don't think the big mealies would eat the babies.  Maybe I'll go get that later  It would make cleaning easier too
> Do you put anything in with the aliens?  like just some oatmeal?
> And worst comes to worst I can put the baby ones in this and keep the older ones in the big container that I already have. :3


I put a bran layer in my alien bin and a bit of paper towel so if they emerge as a beetle upside down they have something to grab onto 

Like mentioned already...you can use a small bin for the aliens cause they don't move around or eat. I would go grown worms, beetles and babies in the drawers and put the aliens in the container you have now. I root thru my grown worms all the time with a plastic fork looking aliens & for those that just shed for Hazel to eat so I worry I could damage or kill tiny babies doing that so often.


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

If you look on you tube there are a ton of videos with these drawer farms...lots of different ideas on air flow and some have screened the bottoms of the drawers on the beetle bin so eggs fall thru to baby bin under it. Not sure how well that works but ya lots of different ideas for set ups.


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

I have to see the size of the container if I can fit all my grown worms in one drawer. :3 So thats why the aliens might go in one drawer. 
But that paper towel idea is great xP

Ooo that sounds interesting. -checks youtube-


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

I just went and played with my farm "ewwww" ...I HAVE BABIES!!!!!  How exciting loll

I have a question now though...this is my first hatch and there are about 50 grown beetles about 3 weeks old max in there that started laying approx Sept 11-ish. 

Should I dump the babies & bedding into their own bin and refresh the adult beetles now to start a new batch? or like how long do I leave babies in there? I don't want the beetles snacking on them lol


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

Yeah I'd move them to there own thing and then let your beetles make more babies xP


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

Done did...GROSS picking beetles out  lol! That was pretty quick babes because reading my records I only grew my first 3 beetles that went in the bin starting Aug 28 and the rest came in the week after. 

Good stuff...better then the 70km trip it takes me to buy mealies


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

That's great news  As much as they gross me out it's still exciting when the farming does well. I do really like the drawer idea, I think it would like nicer than my random containers


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

Well I went and bought the drawers.  It was only $9 at joannes not $20 like the site says xD Yay
Anyway I thought I'd post pics. :3
I might split the middle drawer in half to put baby ones in because there is sooo much room. 
Oh and if you want an idea of the amount of room I have about 1000 mealies in there.


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

Nice! You might be getting mold from putting veggies right on the bedding. Try putting some plastic lids in there to set stuff on. The worms will climb in and eat no problem. 

I have veggies and wet sponges on plastic lids and have not had an issue at all with mold. (YET!)


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

Well, I saw a youtube video and the guy was using lettuce and he says how it doesn't mold it just shrivels up and stuff and he had a piece of it in there. But at the first sign of anything funky I'm defiantly doing that. :3


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

I just wanted to mention - I also put a bit of paper towel in with the aliens. When they turn into beetles, they latch on to the towel. It makes it much easier to transfer them to the beetle area. Just move the paper towel & gently shake. Better than picking them out one by one.


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

Thanks I will. I forgot to add some last night someone else mentioned they use it to flip over. Does it have to be big or can I move them close and just lay a small piece over them?


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

I put about 1/2 sheet of paper towel in there. For some reason, they like to go under it & hang upside down. :roll:


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

Freaky little creatures. o.e lol


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## newfie_nurse (Apr 28, 2011)

I have the same little container you have for mealies. I have oatmeal and I put some newspaper or paper towel shreds on top then I place some baby carrot or Mini potato as I had the same issues with mold.. I live in a very dry place so I bought some cricket water replacement gel stuff to keep it moist. I put a little chunk in every few days and it doesnt mold.. They seem to like it.. http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=2753961


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

I'm loving the lettuce it doesn't mold and they love it xD My mealies are completely ignoring the cricket things. Oh well. 

You should post pics of yours. :3 I feel like we all over look meal worm care but it's important to get it right so we're feeding our little hedgies healthy yucky mealies.


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

Excess meal worms....what to do with them? :lol: 

My first batch of babies are now microscopic to 1/4 inch big and it looks like a zillion of them. I changed my beetles over to a new bin today too cause there were a bunch of new babes in with them so I would assume about the same amount, now x 2. So within a mth or so will have a TON of adult mealies. My beetles are now 100+ egg layers  

Do you share with others? Put in the fridge? What? 

I only have one hedgie that eats 4-6 a day!


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

You can put them out in a bird feeder for the birds. Or advertise them on kijiji for anyone else with a hedgehog or reptile. 

Of course, you could always get more hedgies.  :lol:


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

They don't seem to grow very quickly ...when they get big tho there will be a ton. I'm not a fan of birds cause I'm a night owl so they wake me too early :lol: they already like my covered dog run too and crap in there lol. 

I realized they mail well tho so will send some down Island to Ille from this board for her Atilla the Huff and Sir Huffalump...and send some to the small animal rescue to distribute among their hedgie foster homes  Should be perfectly plump treats just before Xmas


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