# Freeze Dried Mealworms :/



## CourtneyFaye (Jul 31, 2011)

Hey guys!

So I bought freexe dried mealworms before knowing they could cause blockage. On the back of the container of them it says that the mealworms could be rehydrated. Would this be fine to feed to my little girl? I am getting her on Labor Day and I want everything to be perfect!


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## cylaura (Jan 13, 2011)

Hmmmmm, I don't really know if it would be safe, but just bear in mind that some hedgies won't eat mealies that aren't alive. I would just hate for you to go through the trouble of rehydrating and then have your new hedgie still turn up her nose at them. I had some freeze-dried ones too (before I knew about the blockage issues) and tried to feed them to Liam, but he wouldn't even give them a second glance. :lol: The good thing is, mealies are really cheap - I think a container of 100 at my pet store is less than $5.00.


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## CourtneyFaye (Jul 31, 2011)

I'm not too worried about having to buy more. I just wanted to get used to the dead ones before touching the live ones! :lol:


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## Guest (Aug 29, 2011)

CourtneyFaye said:


> I'm not too worried about having to buy more. I just wanted to get used to the dead ones before touching the live ones! :lol:


Its not that bad some people use chop sticks and stuff to handle them if you get them out of the fridge you usually have a few minutes before they start to wiggle


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## cylaura (Jan 13, 2011)

CourtneyFaye said:


> Hey guys!
> 
> So I bought freexe dried mealworms before knowing they could cause blockage. On the back of the container of them it says that the mealworms could be rehydrated. Would this be fine to feed to my little girl? I am getting her on Labor Day and I want everything to be perfect!


I TOTALLY understand, haha. :lol: I'm one of those who feeds with chopsticks, like TWCOGAR mentioned - makes it really easy, and not too scary. Other people use tweezers, or a fork. Some people (who are crazy) pick them up with bare fingers. :shock:

I once thought I would never keep live bugs in my house either... I wonder what happened to that person... :lol:


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## CourtneyFaye (Jul 31, 2011)

I will get live mealworms as soon as I can. But I hate wasting all the freeze dried ones! 

I have read to not feed them at all and I have read that it is ok in moderation. Which one is right?

Also, any more thoughts on rehydration?


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

They are ok to feed in moderation. The freeze drying process takes away the natural enzymes making the chitin particularly hard to digest. At least that's what I've read. When you read about intestinal blockages, it tends to be because the hedgie was allowed to gorge on the freeze-dried with little limitation. I wouldn't advise feeding lots daily, but I don't see the harm as an occasional treat. 

I wouldn't know how well rehydration would help with that as the chitin(the outer exoskeleton) will still lack the enzymes and perhaps still remain hard, I'm not sure. But you can always give it a try with one and see what happens. See how squishy it becomes and poke at it with tweezers or something just to see how well you can damage the exo. I know it sounds gross, but better to try it and know how it may break down in their tummies to avoid complications.


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## CourtneyFaye (Jul 31, 2011)

Immortalia said:


> They are ok to feed in moderation. The freeze drying process takes away the natural enzymes making the chitin particularly hard to digest. At least that's what I've read. When you read about intestinal blockages, it tends to be because the hedgie was allowed to gorge on the freeze-dried with little limitation. I wouldn't advise feeding lots daily, but I don't see the harm as an occasional treat.
> 
> I wouldn't know how well rehydration would help with that as the chitin(the outer exoskeleton) will still lack the enzymes and perhaps still remain hard, I'm not sure. But you can always give it a try with one and see what happens. See how squishy it becomes and poke at it with tweezers or something just to see how well you can damage the exo. I know it sounds gross, but better to try it and know how it may break down in their tummies to avoid complications.


Thanks, that helped a lot! I was only planning on using them for rewards


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