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 #1728761


Reflex
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 OT - am I just crazy or...

.have I just thought of a brilliant plan?! I was thinking.. hmm I hate having to push these non-moving mealworms just to get my gecko interested in it!!! But some are wriggly, even without touching them! Then I whought about breeding my own mealworms and BINGO! What if I ONLY allow the more active ones to breed and the less active ones could be fed off... would I have a WHOLE COLONY of active mealworms?!?!?

I doubt it would work, but it’s a good idea.. lol

~~oh and an ending piece of advice... DON’T feed mealworms to your beardie, The chitin in their exoskeleton can lead to impaction...~~
05/07/08  10:17pm

 #1728780


Deee_42
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   Message To: Reflex   In reference to Message Id: 1728761


 OT - am I just crazy or...

I am breeding my own mealworms too Reflex...for my leos..I have a bunch so far!!! A few of my leos would only eat crix..now none eat crix, & they all eat worms. My worm eaters always seem healthier.

Good idea about the active worms...not sure it will work tho lol.



05/07/08  10:32pm

 #1728785


Reflex
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   Message To: Deee_42   In reference to Message Id: 1728780


 OT - am I just crazy or...

lol awesome. And like I said, just a thought, lol. What do you use as substrate for your mealworms? (i know it needs to be edible, but everyone is saying wheat bran, which I really don’t want to use. My theory is that if you don’t want your gecko eating wheat bran, why feed it to the gecko’s food? just makes no sense to me. And what is Oat Bran? is it the same as oatmeal? lol sorry for the questions.
05/07/08  10:41pm

 #1728789


Deee_42
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   Message To: Reflex   In reference to Message Id: 1728785


 OT - am I just crazy or...

I use wheatbran for my mealworms....I try not to get any in their bowls..Im gonna buy a sifter this weekend to prevent that.
I learned a lot about mealworms from Denise ( Yeroc )..she breeds her own & has like 15,000
05/07/08  10:43pm

 #1728794


Reflex
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   Message To: Deee_42   In reference to Message Id: 1728789


 OT - am I just crazy or...

Okay, thanks
I know exactly where the wheat bran at my nearest bulk food store is (oddly enough, I have never bought ay but know where it is lol) so I guess I’ll use that! How many mealies did you start with?

I might also plan on breeding for my local pet store. it seems easy from what I have read, they basically care for themselves. food and potatoes and regular cleaning for enclosure, tub changing for adults and pupae, put adult substrate in the mealworm tub when there are lots of babies... lol. I think I got it down?
05/07/08  10:48pm

 #1728808


Deee_42
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   Message To: Reflex   In reference to Message Id: 1728794


 OT - am I just crazy or...

I started with 200...and they turned into pupa real fast, then beetles...it was real fast, maybe because its so warm here.
Sounds like you got it right, its easy lol...I pay $3.00 for 100 here...my leos go thru them too fast
05/07/08  10:56pm

 #1728828


Reflex
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   Message To: Deee_42   In reference to Message Id: 1728808


 OT - am I just crazy or...

Awesome. thanks for all of your help!!!


I buy them per hundred and my gecko probably eats 20 medium/large mealworms a DAY... he eats waay too much lol but he has never had a problem with upset stomach, he stops when he is full like all the rest of the geckos do. It just takes him quite some time to actually become full lol.

That is why I think I will also breed for the pet store. because with my luck I’ll have WAY TOO MANY to deal with! lol.
05/07/08  11:11pm

 #1728834


Deee_42
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   Message To: Reflex   In reference to Message Id: 1728828


 OT - am I just crazy or...

My female thats been laying eggs can eat a bunch at one time, she must eat 50 at one time, shes such a pig
05/07/08  11:17pm

 #1728851


Yeroc62
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   Message To: Deee_42   In reference to Message Id: 1728834


 OT - am I just crazy or...

I am almost to the point where I wish I NEVER started breeding mealies. This is turning into a full time job for me! I started with 500, and I am on my 4th generation right now. Within the past two days, I took out over 250 pupae from my worm bin....and out of the pupae, I now have about 100 new beetles (added to my colony of over 400 beetles) Of course, my worms have a population explosion just about the time that all my adult leos have gone on a "hunger strike".....so I have literally 10,000 + mealies that I’m going to have to refrigerate so they don’t keep pupating!!!

My son commented today, when he saw me feeding the worms, that pretty soon I will be spending more to feed the worms, lizards and snake than I will on groceries. Now, if only I could get the crickets to breed!

You should test your theory about breeding the active worms...I am curious to see how that would work. I do know for a fact that our home-grown worms are a LOT more active than the ones we used to buy from the pet store.

Denise
05/07/08  11:30pm

 #1728860


Deee_42
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   Message To: Yeroc62   In reference to Message Id: 1728851


 OT - am I just crazy or...

Quote:

pretty soon I will be spending more to feed the worms


LMAO that funny!!! but TRUE.
I was just feeding some to my leos.

Hey Reflex...Petco makes a vibrating bowl, that may help, not sure
05/07/08  11:34pm

 #1728891


Reflex
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   Message To: Yeroc62   In reference to Message Id: 1728851


 OT - am I just crazy or...

Denise...
WOW! that must be one heck of a job to deal with, but can’t you just throw some out that you don’t need? Yeah it’s a waste, but it saves money in the end from having to care for so many of them...

And I think my initial solution to that problem (giving to pet store) would work, would it not?
I am actually kinda getting excited over this lol. Messing with mealies just seems fun to me, and I have no clue why lol.

By the way, is it okay if they are constantly in a dark place or do they need some light?
05/08/08  12:03am

 #1728901


Deee_42
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   Message To: Reflex   In reference to Message Id: 1728891


 OT - am I just crazy or...

LOL..it is fun Reflex...I just finished going through a bunch of baby mealies in the bin, I just put 2 containers of worms in the fridge lol. I have only lost one beetle so far, & they are still breeding. Tomorrow I have to move the beetles to a fresh bin so they can lay more eggs.
I KNOW my pet store would take the worms if I get too many. I have 2 pet stores here that would take them with no problem. I just got tired of buying them. Petco charges $3.00 for only 35 mealies!!!! Amber can eat more than that at one feeding!!
I think the beetles prefer it a bit dark, not sure. I have mine in a plastic tub with a lid on it on a shelf here.
Denise is overflowing with them lol..I wish I lived closer so she could give me a few thousand lol
05/08/08  12:22am

 #1728939


Smurfzilla
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   Message To: Deee_42   In reference to Message Id: 1728901


 OT - am I just crazy or...

all mine are active.. the only times i see non active ones are if theyre due to shed or dehydrated.
i used oatmeal for my mealie substrate. not a fan of the bran. just dont get the instant oatmeal.. get the other one and youll be fine.
05/08/08  02:10am


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