Hatched mealies

[SirKevin]

I hatched my first mealies recently (I only noticed them yesterday)...and to date, I have only really kept a few big pieces of celery in with them; I'm thinking a bunch may have died due to insufficient moisture.

So I need some help getting the other ones going.

Firstly...if I can only see a few mealies, is that to say there aren't tons? I had probably about 20-25 beetles and I have heard they can have extraordinarily large numbers of babies.

What should I feed the babies? I fed them a bunch of celery yesterday that was cut up into a dozen or so very small pieces. Should I bury some of the celery too, or just the mealies will be able to get to it?

Lastly, do I need to separate the beetles from the mealies in order to ensure the largest number of mealies possible survives?

Thanks!

 

[PaulSage]

I let the beetles lay eggs in a 1/4" of Cody's gutload for about 10 days, then I sift the adults out, leaving the eggs behind. (I just move the adults to a new "laying" tub)

I put the gutload full of eggs into a cage that I use as an incubator to keep the eggs around 85* (if they're too cool, it takes them forever to start hatching)

Once I notice that the babies have started hatching, I start giving them moisture with chunks of carrot set on top of the gutload every 2" or so. I replace the carrots as they dry up, and basically just keep the larvae in the same gutload that their eggs were laid in. Once they're large enough to sift out of the gutload, I move them to fresh gutload.


If you can see any tiny babies in the bedding/gutload, chances are there is indeed a ton of them.


I hope that helps

 

[SirKevin]

I did sort out the beetles, so now the mealies are just in about four inches of gutload (in a container that is about six inches X six inches, give or take). I've left chunks of celery on the top, should I try buying some too?

I was just trying to see if I could hatch them this time; if I try it again (and given how effortless it was I probably will) I'll definitely set it up so that I have the eggs in their own container well before hatching.

Just a question with your beetles, how many do you keep in one place for the ten days? It took me about a month or so to build up the 25 or so beetles I had; f i do it again I guess I'd just take the beetles out after that month? (and put them in a new container to continue laying?)

Oh...and, how long does it take to hatch mealies at 85*?

Thanks a lot!

 

[LeosForLess]

I just stick all my beetkles(1-2k of them) i na tub and i sift them out every month. Theyre kept at 70 degrees, but when i sift out the beetles i p' them in a cooler with a heat pad.

 

[PaulSage]

Just a question with your beetles, how many do you keep in one place for the ten days? It took me about a month or so to build up the 25 or so beetles I had; f i do it again I guess I'd just take the beetles out after that month? (and put them in a new container to continue laying?)

The number of beetles that I've been keeping in a given laying tub mostly depends on how many beetles I have at the time. Usually though, it's between 25 and 100 or so. But yeah, I basically just move them to a new container to continue laying after about ten days.

Oh...and, how long does it take to hatch mealies at 85*?

Thanks a lot!

I had to go check, lol. It's hard to tell since there's about 10 days worth of eggs in a tub, but I've found tiny larvae after about a week. When I first started trying to raise them, the beetles, eggs and everything were at only 65* and I swear it took three months before I saw larvae.

 

[ms_ramie22]

mites in chicken mash

I use chicken mash for my gutload and it works great, but now that it is warm out, I have noticed little, tiny, barely visable white mites in the chicken mash. I am positive they are in the grain, just like bugs in flour, my question is, they shouldn't hurt my reptiles, right? Before anyone askes, they are NOT reptile mites, they are grain mites.....has anybody else had them?

 

[eyelids]

Eeewwww I'd stay away from the chicken feed. I also use Cody's gutload for all of my feeders. It's cheap and very effective. I recently started a mealworm colony again and didn't pay much attention to it except to add sweet potato as needed. Well after a month I sifted around and there had to easily be 5000 mealworms in there! Took out the beetles added new gutload and they're getting big. On a side note, I found my first superworm pupae today! They're huge!

 

[ms_ramie22]

Aww, ok..... where do you get Cody's gutload? Does he have a website? thanks

 

[eyelids]

Here ya go http://www.progeckos.com/ and do the flat rate shipping. It's much cheaper and arrives in 4-5 days.

 

[sbord_tom]

How Long Do Your beetles Live Mine Keep dieing on me?

 

[eyelids]

I have beetles now that are at least three months old. I keep them in well ventilated 6 quart Sterilite shoe boxes, use about an Cody's pro gutload as a bedding, and place a piece of sweet potato in there as needed.

 

[scottmckillips]

How long does it take after the eggs hatch into larvae for the larvae to grow into feeding size mealies?

Thanks
Scott