# Live vs Dried Mealworms



## pelcheck (Apr 15, 2015)

Is it okay to feed hedgies dried mealies or do they need live ones? I haven't given Meatball any kind yet, so I am just wondering which ones would be best to get for him. Thanks!


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## MyaPerez1018 (Mar 3, 2015)

Live mealworms are the best for hedgehogs. Dried or freeze dried mealworms should be avoided because they can cause impaction, meaning the hedgehog won't be able to use the bathroom, also meaning they can't digest it. This could be life threatening, so it's better safe than sorry to just feed him live mealies


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## writergirlmel (May 16, 2015)

A more than acceptable alternative to live mealies is canned. They do go bad rather quickly, but many people have had success freezing them and thawing as needed. Because they still have their "juice," they're as safe as live. 

But really, live mealies aren't difficult to manage. I pick them up at the pet supply store in little tubs of 100, transfer them to a different tupperware container (without their dust), put in a little bit of carrot or whatnot to gut load them for a day or two each week, and simply store them in the fridge until Fitzgerald eats them. They'll keep up to a couple of months that way.


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## MomLady (Aug 14, 2010)

Yeah, you can feed them all kinds of food scraps, the ends of cucumbers, apple peel, carrot ends are all good. By the way, live crickets like the same things.

I used to keep them in the meal but once a week, take them out, feed them (they have to be "warmed up") then remove the food before placing them back in the fridge.


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## pelcheck (Apr 15, 2015)

Oh so I can get canned "cooked" ones? What about rehydrating the dry ones? My husband won't let me get live ones hahaha!


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## writergirlmel (May 16, 2015)

pelcheck said:


> Oh so I can get canned "cooked" ones? What about rehydrating the dry ones? My husband won't let me get live ones hahaha!


I've never tried it. I feel like I've read about other people trying it, though, and if I remember correctly, it was just easier to go with the canned.

If you already have freeze-dried worms on hand, I suppose you can add a little liquid to them or crush them up and sprinkle them into some soft food or something. I know I've seen mention of injecting them to rehydrate them, but that seems like a lot of trouble, in my opinion. I should note that some people feel that freeze-dried worms are okay in moderation. There's even at least one fairly well-known breeder that includes them in a treat mix they sell. But the general consensus here is that they're to be avoided simply because the risk outweighs the benefits, particularly when a non-live option without those risks exists.

I guess I'm lucky. My husband barely blinked when I tossed a container of worms into the fridge. We only use our own unmarked tupperware container to prevent the "ick factor" for any guests we might have. There will not, however, _ever_ be live crickets in this house. Those suckers give me the heebie-jeebies (and I used to own frogs!)


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## shinydistraction (Jul 6, 2014)

Lol, it's weird having bugs in the house on purpose, isn't it? What I've done with live crickets is toss them in the freezer to kill them. They are way less creepy that way. And you can just dole them out as frozen treats over a few days. Not sure how long you can keep them in there before freezer burn sets in.


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## writergirlmel (May 16, 2015)

shinydistraction said:


> Lol, it's weird having bugs in the house on purpose, isn't it? What I've done with live crickets is toss them in the freezer to kill them. They are way less creepy that way. And you can just dole them out as frozen treats over a few days. Not sure how long you can keep them in there before freezer burn sets in.


You can do that?

Well, okay then. Time to send Husband to the store for a few crickets, have him gut load them in the garage downstairs for a couple of days, and have him put them in the deep freezer down there.

I think I can handle that.

Maybe.

Yes. I can. Because crickets are a healthy treat.

(I really hate crickets.)


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## pelcheck (Apr 15, 2015)

I've been seeing the term "gut load" floating around. What in the heck does that mean?


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## writergirlmel (May 16, 2015)

pelcheck said:


> I've been seeing the term "gut load" floating around. What in the heck does that mean?


Basically, it means to feed the bugs for a couple of a days before you give them to your hedgie to ensure there isn't any unhealthy junk in their intestines. You can buy gut load to do this at the pet supply store, or with mealies, you can just feed them a bit of carrot or something.


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