# How to take care of live mealworms?



## for the <3 of quills (Aug 21, 2011)

I bought some live mealworms and I know I'm supposed to keep them in the fridge but other than that I'm not sure what to do. They look like they are in sand but I read something about needing to store or feed them oatmeal or something but it wasn't very clear. And are you supposed to warm them up before you feed them to your hedgehog?
Thanks!


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

If you just want to keep them at the size they're at, and don't want to have them turning into aliens/beetles or anything, then yep, fridge is the way to go. I'm guessing they're probably in wheat or oat bran, that's typically what they're kept in. If you want to change it to make sure it's the right thing, you can get some from a grocery store. If you're keeping them in the fridge, then you just have to take the container out at least once a week and let them warm up so they can eat a bit, so they don't die. They just eat the bedding they're in. I'm not actually sure if you have to warm them up before feeding them to your hedgie, but I don't think it matters much.


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## Nebular (Dec 28, 2010)

Lilysmommy pretty much covered it all. I don't really think of it as "taking care of live meal worms" so much as "keeping them alive until they get munched".  I just have a plastic cricket cage I keep 50 or so in at a time. Fill it up with some oat bran, toss 'em in there, and into the fridge they go. I usually give them to my little guy every night (occasionally skipping a night) and let them warm up for an hour or so before giving him any. He'll eat the cold ones, but he seems to prefer them when they're room temperature and wriggling.


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## for the <3 of quills (Aug 21, 2011)

Ok, thanks!


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## GoldenEyes (Nov 4, 2011)

I heard it was a good idea to feed them "good food" so that when you feed them to your hedgie they'll be better for him, is this true? if so, what would you feed them>???


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I think most people use wheat bran for the main food/bedding, which is really healthy, and then give carrots, potatoes, or apples for moisture. I use carrots because they don't mold very fast.


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## Heavenly Hedgehogs (Mar 19, 2010)

I have used wheat bran, but I have also used oats and tossed in apple and carrots. That seems to work well too.


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## Arquan (Nov 9, 2011)

I've read somewhere that you can mash up some of the kibble your hedgehogs eat and add it in too


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