Bad smell ???

R

RepBex

Guest
i have started breeding mealworms

and i have almost 60 beetles BUT i am haveing a problem with smell there where put on fresh substrate but they smell really bad and it has gotton to the point of which i am thinking of destorying them. i have removed alll fresh food to see if that helps to no avail. i dont want to change the substrate of the beetles as i have seen them mateing

the smell is un-liver-ble can anybody help?
what can stop the smell

they are in my bedroom i have no other place to put them
 

Halley

Senior Member
Messages
4,670
Location
Missouri
I’ve never had my mealworms smell bad.

What are you using as a substance, and what are you using for moister?
 
R

RepBex

Guest
they are all on ground up cat food that has never smelt before .....

moister was carrots (but i took them out)
 

Halley

Senior Member
Messages
4,670
Location
Missouri
I use chicken mash that is grinded up, with a potato for moister, and I house the mealworms in a 15-qt Sterilite tub. I’ve never had a problem with this method.

Are you sure it is the mealworms? Do you have heat on them? How big is your tub? How many mealworms are in said container?
 
R

RepBex

Guest
i have the mealworms in the tub they came in but have change the sub
the beetles are in to tubs of the same size 20-30 each same sub as mealworms with egg box to hide in with carrots for moister (cannot get potatos mum alergic)
 

nats

New Member
Messages
1,553
Location
Maryland
If you dont have proper ventillation, the moisture will cause rot, maybe thats what you smell!?

You may need to take the mealies out, dump the beading, and clean out the bin.

Clean feeders = healthy leos :main_yes:
 
R

RepBex

Guest
okay would makeing more holes help ?

there are no baby mealworms yet so i will lose all the eggs :s
 
R

RepBex

Guest
i have to use a lid for the beetles

i will keep the lid off the meal worms in future after i change there sub :D

thanks for your help again guys
 
R

RepBex

Guest
my mum would freak out lol she hates them

and i would forever worry about them getting knocked over
 

gothra

Happy Gecko Family
Messages
3,790
Location
HK
I think its better to use plain cereal for bedding instead of cat food. I wouldn't put a lid on it too, if there is not enough ventilation, its very easy to have grain mites. If you have a smell problem, I guess its either the substrate you're using is starting to mold or rot, or you have many dead beetles. That's the 2 things that'll cause bad smell.
 

nats

New Member
Messages
1,553
Location
Maryland
I keep all my feeders in my basement so I do have lids on everything.
My basement is pretty lively with spiders, centerpeds, and sometimes, mice.
So I have to keep everything covered.

What I do is drill 1/4'' holes in the tupperwear lids for lots of ventillation, and I keep a small fan going to provide circulation.

I also have a "bug zapper" light in there to zap the fruit flies.

You can cover your feeder bins with cloth to help keep the fruit flies out.
 

Alusdra

New Member
Messages
475
Location
Washington, DC
Are your mealies dying and getting dark-brown/black and mushy? I had that problem with some recent mealworm purchases. My old colony turns the normal black and hard if they die (which is usually pretty rare) but the new colony- ak! It seemed they died if you looked at them funny, they were gross and mushy and smelled to high heavens. I threw out that colony and said good riddance.

Your set-up doesn't sound like it would be very smelly, though I've never heard of using cat food for mealies. If it's not the above problem increasing ventilation and switching over to old-fashioned oatmeal or similar might help. Do NOT get instant hot cereals- they absorb moisture and mold very easily.
 
R

RepBex

Guest
i was told that the meal worms get more nutrinal value from cat food

i am unable to change at the momnent but will be getting rid of my beetles and changeing the mral worms to fresh sub again
 

SleepyDee

New Member
Messages
199
Location
SouthWest England
RepBex said:
did they get every where ?

well lets put it this way........ one of my daughters didn't exactly appreciate finding two in her bed in the middle of the night and my husbands verbal reaction at finding one climbing up the shower curtain isn't repeatable :main_laugh:
 
R

RepBex

Guest
lol i just went in my room and one was out i dont have a clue how ....

the holes i made are not big enough for them
 

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