Gut loading Meal Worms ?

[MichaelJ]

I used to use crickets as a staple for my geckos but after extensive reading and getting annoyed at the cleaning and housing of those nasty suckers I've made the switch. I realize I need to gut load the mealies but can the same gut load I used for my crickets be used with my Mealies? I have a ton of the Fluker drink, cubes, and dry food.


I've been to at least ten stores in the past few month and none have anything for gut loading meal worms.

Also is there a difference in Giant Meal Worms and Regular Meal worms? I would assume they are bigger but again I haven't been able to get anything smaller. They are about 1 inch to 2 inches long. Smaller than superworms though. If there is a difference I would think I would need to adjust my my feeding amounts if these are indeed larger worms.



Thanks,
Mike

 

[Val]

I'm not sure since I obviously can't see the packaging, but sometimes mealworms listed as "giant" are treated with hormones and aren't good feeders at all. I'd stick with the safe bet and just get regular mealworms.

There are a few things you can do for gutloading your worms. Cody at Pro Geckos makes his own gutload that many people love.http://progeckos.com/osCommerce/catalog/ You can also make your own using things like wheat bran, oats, etc. For a source of water, we use apples and they seem to go crazy for them. I'm not sure how the drinks and cubes you have now will work, but again, I don't know much about them at all. Hope that helps a little!

 

[MichaelJ]

They are giants from Armstrong's Cricket Farm - AKA Cricket!

((Tenebrio molitor)

Giant Mealworms are several times larger than regular mealworms and are handled the same way as mealworms. Giants are approximately 1 1/2" long and 3/16" in diameter. Store at 43 - 50 degrees )

Giant Mealworms are several times larger than regular mealworms and are handled the same way as mealworms. Giants are approximately 1 1/2" long and 3/16" in diameter. Store at 43 - 50 degrees.

They don't mention hormones of course and probably wouldn't to be safe from people getting scared off. But were going to buy regular meal worms tonight.

I'll do the oats and apples because we have plenty of those as well. What kind of oats\wheat bran do you use ?

 

[Melody]

I wondered the same thing. I have my mealies in a bran media. I drop in pieces of apple, orange, carrot, lettuce etc for moisture. Is this all there is to gutloading or am I missing something?

 

[MichaelJ]

from my knowledge yes because both give them the proper nutrition they may not of received at the farms when they are grown, but from a marketing stand point there a ton of products that say differently...

I'd like to know the best and cheapest way.. I want to give my little guys the best but I don't want to break the bank at the same time..

 

[Scott&Nikki]

The mealworms I gave the Flukers Orange Cubes to went crazy for them. They ate it so fast. I now use Quick Oats with a little bran and they are constantly eating it. I still throw in very little pieces of the orange cubes for a water source, though.

 

[MichaelJ]

cubes, oats, and apples it is.. Thanks !!

 

[moosassah]

Again, thanks for clearing that up. It's nice to be able to find the info without even having to ask.

 

[Stitch]

I too have heard that Giant meal worms are fed growth hormones so I stay away from it. One store I went to had Giants mealies listed are regular. I got home opened up the container *cursed* got back in the car and returned them. I can tell the difference between the two just by sight, the pet shop had no idea what I was talking about. I now raise meal worms so I don't have that problem any more.

 

[trizzypballr]

word of advice, dont buy them from pet stores, there are so many places online that u can get them very cheap, for example the local pet store here sells in 50 or 100, and the 100 costs 3.50 which is outragous! You can go to petco and buy 500 for 7.50, but i purchase mine from new york worms, its like $30 for 5000.

 

[trizzypballr]

oh and about the gutloading, i use codys gutload from progecko and love it