# Mealworm aliens!



## wushu1987 (Dec 26, 2015)

Just have to share my first mealworm aliens  farming mealworms has been super easy so far... Hopefully I get some beetles soon


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## Tongue_Flicker (Jun 11, 2013)

Haha ain't the pupas cute?


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## wushu1987 (Dec 26, 2015)

They are! I was so excited when I saw the first one... Wasn't exactly sure what I was looking for lol


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## tony21 (Apr 8, 2014)

Yay, their very easy to are for and your hog will probably eat the Beatles. It's what I do when I need to thin the heard.


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## wushu1987 (Dec 26, 2015)

She tried one of the pupas and she liked it .. I think she will eat anything lol I think the beetles are less in fat?


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## tony21 (Apr 8, 2014)

Hahah same here, mine it's anything (except wet catfood)!

Yeah, but they are high in chitin ( can cause impaction if you feed them to many to often). Still a fun treat! I feed my hog, about half a dozen darling beetle a week.


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## wushu1987 (Dec 26, 2015)

That makes sense with the chitin... I'm looking forward to getting some beetles.. It's like a science experiment lol I always wanted an ant farm as a kid so I'm having fun with it lolp


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## wushu1987 (Dec 26, 2015)

I have a question regarding the pupa. How do you know if they are still alive? I have some that are starting to get darker in color and they are not moving as much as the new ones... Is this normal? Also, when I switch them over to their new container by themselves do they have to be completely covered?


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## tony21 (Apr 8, 2014)

They are tons of fun, but I love bugs. 

If you pinch them a bit at the head most times they still move, if they're going black they are dead. If the legs are going kinda reddish brown their going to hatch soon.

Honestly I have so many I don't bother moving, so unless your moving to a larger container I wouldn't bother. As for a lid you don't need one, I don't have one on either of my 2 colonies. Also I suggest using wheat bran instead of oats (if you aren't already), as it will keep you from getting grain mites. It's caused me to get rid of my colonies twice, and I ate to hear it happening to others. Especially when so much work is put in.


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## wushu1987 (Dec 26, 2015)

Right now I'm using whole wheat flour because that is what I could find. I will switch it over to wheat bran eventually. I did freeze the flour first so hopefully I don't get any mites


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## Leeloosmommy (Oct 14, 2015)

I already have wheat germ home, do you think it is ok to use?


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## tony21 (Apr 8, 2014)

Leeloosmommy said:


> I already have wheat germ home, do you think it is ok to use?


Ok, so I wasn't quite sure, so I did some digging. Wheat germ should be fine seems alot of people use it. I just use wheat germ, because I also have wax worms and it's cheap. I have no experience using it, but it should be fine. Meal worms eat anything.



wushu1987 said:


> Right now I'm using whole wheat flour because that is what I could find. I will switch it over to wheat bran eventually. I did freeze the flour first so hopefully I don't get any mites


 you should be okay!


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## Leeloosmommy (Oct 14, 2015)

Thank you Tony for your answer!  Do you know what is the difference between the wheat germ and wheat bran? (I don't know what bran mean... sorry I am french and could not found a translation that looks ok to me...)


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bran
That explains it technically.

A more tangible way of understanding it is think about a peanut. Although I don't believe it's technically the same.
The chaff is the shell.
The bran is that reddish papery layer. 
The endosperm is most of the meaty part of the nut.
The germ is that little hook looking part you see if you break it along it's natural break.

Hopefully that gives you a better idea.


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## Leeloosmommy (Oct 14, 2015)

Ok, I understand now! Thank you Twobytwopets for the explanation!


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## tony21 (Apr 8, 2014)

No problem!!:grin:
twobytwopets bet me to it, but you can use either one. So if you have wheat germ just use that!


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## Leeloosmommy (Oct 14, 2015)

Ok, I will Thank's a lot for your help!!!


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## wushu1987 (Dec 26, 2015)

I got my first beetles! Have about 5 now...I am wondering if they are going to make it because they keep getting stuck on their backs lol... Is this normal for them. ? Will they eat the carrots like the worms do?


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## tony21 (Apr 8, 2014)

Oh yeah, they'll find a way up. Mine eat just about everything I give then, they all eat The same. Mine are eating lettuce and cabbage this week. I was cleaning the fridge and found some lettuce and cabbage that is too wilted for me to eat, so it goes to the bugs. They don't need anything fancy, honestly I only give mine scraps, what every veggies I'm cooking with. 

Just make sure their hog safe ( and of you have other pets that eat them, make sure theyre safe for them as well ).


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## wushu1987 (Dec 26, 2015)

Thanks for all your help tony! I think I'm going to get some wheat bran for the beetles because they seem to have trouble moving around in the flour lol


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## tony21 (Apr 8, 2014)

No problem, always glad to help when I can:grin:

Hahaha, that might help!


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