# Questions about a mealworm issue..



## jillgonz (Jan 19, 2016)

I bought mealworms from Petco in a plastic container. Inside are the worms and the substrate they live on, which kind of looks like fish food. Do I need to feed them? How? Do I take the container out of the fridge, put a piece of fruit inside, and close it? Or would I have to take all of the mealworms out individually? Will they not last if I don't feed them? It's about a 3 month supply and says it expires 10/16. Thanks for the help in advance!


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## FinnickHog (Dec 1, 2014)

It could be oats or something. They'll eat just about anything, I've even seen them eat cardboard, but it's wise to give them some food with a bit of nutrition in it.

Take the plastic container out of the fridge, drop a piece of carrot and a piece of apple in, close the lid, give them an hour or so to munch, open it back up and take the leftover food out, then pop em back into the fridge.

They'll eat pretty much anything, but I like carrots and apples because they don't leave much mess, and they're pretty nutritionally sound. Banana, for example, ends up everywhere.

I don't know how exactly a mealworm "expires"... I guess it dies? If you feed them, they'll last a very long time. If you feed them and leave them in warm place, they'll reproduce and you'll have an infinite supply.

Just remember, whatever they eat goes into your hedgehog. Better to feed them fruits and veggies than "maybe fish food" :lol:


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## Schlyne (Jan 21, 2016)

What you're seeing is Wheat bran. (It's a type of cereal.) :grin:

You can usually find some in Feed stores, or try the organic food section of the grocery store.

Otherwise you can give them plain oats. You want to give them something like a carrot or an apple for moisture. Also, make sure you've got a hole or something in the plastic lid for ventilation...the last little cup I bought from Petsmart didn't have any airholes. 

Whatever you give them for moisture, just makes sure it's not too wet, since you don't want mold in there, or a huge outbreak of grain mites (which is annoying, more than anything else). (If they don't have anything for moisture, they will die and/or eat each other....ewww.)

You can leave them in a room temperature place, (direct sunlight will kill them) but you'll have to change out the container periodically to get rid of the poop...and you might be throwing out some mealworm eggs with the poop, but your colony shouldn't suffer if the mealies have eaten that much food :lol:

I used to breed reptiles and other insects (including feeder bugs), so if you have any other questions, just ask.


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## hedgielily (Dec 31, 2015)

The mealworms we bought are in a plastic container and it looks like saw dust....is that the bran as well? They came from Petco too. Lily LOVES her ,eal worms.


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## FinnickHog (Dec 1, 2014)

My waxworms come in on sawdust, and then I have to switch them. So it could actually be sawdust. Or it could be ground oats or wheat. It seems like the pet store chains get their insects from different distributors depending on region, so what one store uses another may not. Sadly, it's not always wheat bran. You can try smelling it. Or tasting it if you're really brave. But I would just assume the worst and give them something to eat.


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## jillgonz (Jan 19, 2016)

FinnickHog said:


> It could be oats or something. They'll eat just about anything, I've even seen them eat cardboard, but it's wise to give them some food with a bit of nutrition in it.
> 
> Take the plastic container out of the fridge, drop a piece of carrot and a piece of apple in, close the lid, give them an hour or so to munch, open it back up and take the leftover food out, then pop em back into the fridge.
> 
> ...


How often would I have to feed the mealworms?


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Finnickhog... I'm brave, not that brave. The worms pee pee on it no matter what it is. I've even tested my garden soil the old way, yes I know what is in soil. But I don't think I could lick a mealie toilet. I will assume it's sawdust and needs changed to something more appropriate.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Most, if not all places I have seen use either tiny pieces of wood, or sawdust for waxworms. I don't think I've ever gotten waxworms on a grain based bedding. I've always assumed they didn't bother since its not what waxworms eat.

Most mealworm bedding I've seen is wheat bran. I think I have had one or two companies that used some other grain. It will turn into a fine dust as the mealworms eat it and as it fills with frass. Mealworms produce a pretty large amount of frass quickly.


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## jillgonz (Jan 19, 2016)

I asked the people at the pet store and they said no need to feed them. Just leave them in the refrigerator in the container. Thoughts??


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

You don't have to feed them, however if you don't they will eventually starve to death. Allowing them to come out of dormancy and to feed allows them to refill their fat stores, which they feed on while they are dormant. Plus if you feed them healthy veggies or fruits you are gut loading them and your hedgehog gets a little extra too.


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## jillgonz (Jan 19, 2016)

Kalandra said:


> You don't have to feed them, however if you don't they will eventually starve to death. Allowing them to come out of dormancy and to feed allows them to refill their fat stores, which they feed on while they are dormant. Plus if you feed them healthy veggies or fruits you are gut loading them and your hedgehog gets a little extra too.


Ohhhh now I understand. How often are you supposed to feed them?


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

I think the general answer is weekly. You aren't just feeding them if you are housing them in the fridge, it's pulling them out of dormancy.


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## jillgonz (Jan 19, 2016)

How long do I leave them out with the food? I'm afraid they will grow out of mealworm stage into beetle stage if I am taking them out 4 times a month for an extended period of time..


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## FinnickHog (Dec 1, 2014)

I go weekly, and leave them out an hour at a time


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Also even if they do grow enough to change into the next stage, the next stage is the pupae form before they hit beetle. It's pretty easy to notice pupae, and if any do change, you can just feed them first before they get to beetles.  But given the small ones I've always gotten from pet stores, I don't think they're likely to grow enough if you follow what FinnickHog does.


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## jillgonz (Jan 19, 2016)

Lilysmommy said:


> Also even if they do grow enough to change into the next stage, the next stage is the pupae form before they hit beetle. It's pretty easy to notice pupae, and if any do change, you can just feed them first before they get to beetles.  But given the small ones I've always gotten from pet stores, I don't think they're likely to grow enough if you follow what FinnickHog does.


Ok, I will do that today. Thanks!


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