HELP! My mealworms are turning into beatles!

[Moe]

a couple of my mealworms are transforming into a cocoon

after i set them out to gutload with fruits and vegetables:main_huh:

should i feed it to my gecko in that state? :main_huh:

or should i throw it out?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwpUnNr_ADA

 

[cryptid_hunter]

Sounds like you're leaving them in there too long. I replace food dishes daily. So after 24 hours you should take the dish out and put the mealies back into the container that should, ideally, be kept refrigerated. That is if you don't want the mealies pupating.

 

[Moe]

Sounds like you're leaving them in there too long. I replace food dishes daily. So after 24 hours you should take the dish out and put the mealies back into the container that should, ideally, be kept refrigerated. That is if you don't want the mealies pupating.

i just left them out for a day

the question is, how long did the store i bought them from leave them out

eh i might just start breeding my own meal worms

 

[cryptid_hunter]

Well if they're pupating then they're pretty mature. I think the heat in the gecko enclosure also accelerates the pupation cycle, but that's just a theory based on observations.

I used to have a huge mealie colony and sold mealworms but got into breeding and selling mice and found it much more profitable, and since all my geckos turn their noses up at mealies there just wasn't any point anymore.

 

[ZooKeeperKarin]

Try to breed them... it's easy. Just throw the beetles into a plastic bin with cornmeal, wheat bran, cardboard egg carton and some carrots and you're good to go. In a couple weeks, to a month, depending on how many beetles you have, remove the beetles and place in a new bin. Within a few weeks you should start to see baby mealies in the old bin. Keep carrots in at all times.
Easy!