# Molding Worm Bedding and other Bug concerns



## tananana (Jan 27, 2019)

It’s been almost a year of having Penny and I still feel clueless when it comes to bugs. I’m always wondering if they’re still good enough to feed her and whether or not I should freeze the rest and throw them out. For instance, I had a bunch of Dubias over the summer and they kept dying for what I could only think was due to the heat. I kept feeding the survivors all summer, but was too concerned that Penny would get sick and avoided feeding them to her. I finally fed her the last four and she was fine after. 

My latest concern is that I just bought her some waxworms as a first birthday treat. I left them some spinach in the woody bedding they came with. Every now and then I remove one that’s gone black but so far they’ve been fine. I just opened the container again and found some of the bedding molding and one worm covered in it. I removed as much of the bedding that looked compromised as I could and am thinking about removing the little that’s left altogether. Now I’m wondering, should I get rid of these worms? Are they still okay to feed her or should I be worried that they’re now all compromised? 

I’d also like to know, what is your preferred bug bedding? I don’t use any for the dubias, but is there something better for mealies and waxworms than the bedding they give them at the store? I feel like since I don’t let Penny use wood shavings, I feel kind of weird that the waxworms are hanging out in it. 

Thanks for any answers. She’s really starting to get the hang of eating bugs which are the only treats I’ve been able to get her to eat and I want to make sure they’re always in tip-top shape. I’ve read the main bug thread a dozen times but if there are other feeder bug resources you found helpful please share.


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## Ria (Aug 30, 2018)

By molding I assume you mean there was mold growing in there. Personally I would freeze the lot and get some new ones. Just incase any of them ate that mold - you never know.

When you put food in with insects it should be changed every 24 hours to prevent mold.

I cant help you on the insect bedding

This a good lot of information - picture - on insects, its missing about isopds though - they come under staple insects, they have a great Ca ratio is really good, and their fat and protein is great too I cant tell you exactly as they depend on the exact one


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## Emc (Nov 18, 2018)

Waxworms (in my experience, i know others say they eat anything) only tend to eat grain & honey - so youre likely leaving the spinach in for far too long, and it's starting to mould as a result. Like already mentioned, uneaten food should be removed daily if not at least every second day. If the worms are covered in mould I wouldnt feed them. But if its just the bedding, rehousing them makes them perfectly safe.

I use bran with mealworms & superworms, and woodshavings with crickets and dubias. I house my hog on fleece, and i dont see anything wrong with it. It doesnt matter if the bugs occasionally snack on the wood (they would do so too in the wild) but if theyre kept properly fed, it's not an issue of concern at all. It also helps with the smell - and keeps them overall cleaner, which could also be whats prematurely killing your bugs. They need to be kept clean and sanitary, or they'll just all die off. 

Make sure the housing for the feeders is also appropriate and has adequate airflow, especially if you live in a warmer climate. Remember; they are not supposed to be housed in the containers they come in - they are solely for shipping in, and are temporary. Some feeders are fine being housed in those boxes (like waxworms, fruit beetle grubs, and calciworms - maybe mealworms) but superworms, dubias, and crickets must be rehoused or they will die off quickly in those tiny boxes. Critter keepers are great housing options; they have plentiful ventilation, and are also fairly inexpensive to buy.

Also just a note; insects should be part of her daily diet, and not just fed as treats. I'm wondering if perhaps youre just keeping them for too long, not cleaning them out, and theyre just dying as a result of either a) unsanitary living conditions or b) they're simply being kept for just far too long.


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