disappointment :( mostly dead mealies

[metal-otaku]

so i sent my boyfriend up to the local reptile show to go get some mealies for our pets. i couldn't because i was baby sitting, and taking the toddler wasn't gonna happen.

well he brings me a cup of mealies and they are like 90% dead. i picked out what little bit was alive, but it was really disappointing.

we get more live ones out of the local drive thru bait shop. which is where he normally gets them. and the old woman there always checks them for him since she thinks they are a gift equal to flowers for me, for him being in the dog house or gift giving holidays. no joke.

i was hoping be breed by others for animals the reptile show would be better. but this is such a disappointment, i doubt we'll do it again.

i don't know who the dealer was since i wasn't there either. really sucks.

 

[acpart]

Many mealworm vendors at reptile shows have the mealies all out in a big container and they scoop up the amount you want. I prefer that so you can tell they are OK. I'm sorry that didn't work out for you. Next time if they're sold by container, ask to dump them out to make sure they're OK. I actually do this with superworms at Petco/smart whenever I have to buy them there. There have been times when there are only a few live ones in there.

Aliza

 

[metal-otaku]

i usually check the containers popping them open at least for a peek. if enough dead ones are visible i get another cup and do it again. the bait shop woman sifts through the cups a bit for him, even pulling out deads she finds and replaces them for other cups for him.

he didn't know he really needed to check them. which sucks. but he knows now if it happens again. like the old woman isn't at the bait shop. cause she's gotta be in her 90's. in the winter we are almost her only customer for bugs. they also sell food there >.> as a carry out place.

 

[Russellm0704]

Many mealworm vendors at reptile shows have the mealies all out in a big container and they scoop up the amount you want. I prefer that so you can tell they are OK. I'm sorry that didn't work out for you. Next time if they're sold by container, ask to dump them out to make sure they're OK. I actually do this with superworms at Petco/smart whenever I have to buy them there. There have been times when there are only a few live ones in there.

Aliza

you are so right! The crap they try to sell at petco is ridiculous. They try to sell containers that have like 1 or 2 alive superworms in them. I only buy worms their when I am inbetween shipments of bulk worms. This may sound rude, but i take all the containers where most of the worms are dead and i leave the lid open and place them all in a row. I had a manager once try to yell at me and i asked why he would try to rip people off like that. To this day the problem hasnt been fixed so i still do it. Makes me feel like a bit of a rebel.

 

[specialtyreptile]

Some Show vendors get stuff shipped in for the shows and since the temps have been in the 90s in most places the mealies have been cooking in the back of the trucks...

 

[alisonk]

This happened to me too this week....I went to a Pet Supermarket (for the first time), and both containers I bought had mostly dead ones. I took them back for a refund.
My local petco has been alot better, all the mealworms I have got from there have been alive. (Thats where we got our gecko from).
I guess some stores are better than others....
anyway, I won't be going back to that Pet supermarket again....

 

[ReptileWorld]

I NEVER purchase worms from local pet shops because their always half dead. from my local reptile show is aslways a great stock. they keep them in large bins and scoop out the desired amount and they wiggle all the way home till i drop them in my storage bin. I recently decided to start breeding my own meal worms since i get the wheat bran VERY cheap. it worked out great for me. first batch 10k meal worms easy. its super easy just takes patience. if you have a shelf to dedicate to beatles and worms and patience you can do this very easily and cheaply. I used bins I already had at home. Wheat bran ran me $10 bucks for 50 pound bag! i feed them potatos and carrots which i get from a local farmers market for $1 for a huge bag of potatos and $1 for a med bag of carrots. oh and dont forget to toss in a few egg flats into the worm and beetle bin :main_thumbsup: