Disaster among my mealies!

[Honseng]

So a month ago I bought 2,500 mealworms online to start a colony. All went well, until a few days ago. My beetles just died on me and the mealworms started going as well. I KNOW nothing is wrong with the living conditions.

In panic I replaced all of the substrate and put them into a warmer area. This morning, EVERY worm has died. The temperatures were 72 degrees day, 67 degrees at night. I just don't understand what happened. Could someone maybe clarify what might have happened? Like some kind of mealworm "Plague"?

My real worry is that my geckos will go hungry for a while. I'm not getting payed for another month, and after holiday shopping and what-not, I'm flat out broke. The nearest pet shop that sells them is about 40 minutes away, which I do not have a car or money to drive to.

So I come to you all, is there ANYTHING I can do?

 

[JordanAng420]

Where are you keeping these worms? Did you use anything in your house or on your carpet?

In the meantime, visit Mulberry Farms: http://www.mulberryfarms.com/ They have overnight and two day shipping available...their prices are pretty good, too...your best bet if you're short on money would be two day...maybe just order a few hundred for now, and then when you have some more cash, you can order the 2,000 again... Hope I could help

 

[JordanAng420]

But order fast...they stop 2 day shipping after the 28th...

I'm not sure what else you could do at this point...

 

[ReptarNDukeNukem]

What were the substrate/food they had?Because if you use Quaker oats instant their is additives that would of led to the death of the worms and beetles.

 

[Honseng]

My bedding was some special Mealworm bedding from Nyworms. I can't use my credit card to order worms since I don't have any credit at the moment.

 

[Tony C]

You have to get new ones somehow, can't bring back the dead, and a month is too long to go without feeding.

 

[Magic Merlin]

what more than likely happened is that the potato, apple, carrot, or whatever you are using to supply water had some residual pesticide or fertilizer or anti-ripening spray left on it and it poisoned the whole batch. You got to wash and scrub that stuff good before putting into your cultures. And pay special attention that your hands don't have any residuals from your anti-bacterial soap......that stuff is made to kill everything kindof like bleach.