Housing super & reg. mealies

[brookec]

We got our first super mealworms this week. I have no problem handling the crickets and the mealworms and in general I am the one feeding our guys each night. I refused to buy the super mealies b/c they are SO ugly!! Now that Chance and Scooby are getting bigger my hubby bought the supers and put them in WITH the regular mealworms. Of course now I WON'T handle them and told him I'm only doing crickets now!! Is it ok to house the super mealies and regular mealies together?

 

[Gecko Ranch]

You cannot house supers (Zoophobas) and regular mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) together. They are completely different species and need different set-ups. Zoophobas are tropical worms and need at least egg cartons to roam around and chew on. They also thrive on leafy green mix. Regular mealies will eat just about anything and don't need the moisture content in their food the supers do. All will eat a good quality gutload like Allen Repashy's Insect Gutload.

 

[david13]

do you mean super worms or giant/king mealworms?

 

[Gecko Ranch]

Me? Supers (Zoophobas).

 

[david13]

no i meant brookec

 

[brookec]

I have no clue, what's the difference? They just come in a little cup at the pet store and I'm not sure what they are. I thought they were super worms. They are very big and very ugly!!! They look like a giant mealworm except their colors are a little different.

 

[98XJSport]

From what Ive read care is virtually the same for just a handful of feeders, so why couldn't you? Ive been doing it for almost a week, and everything seems to be working out. But it's only been a week, so if theres a reason not to it's not like Im past the point of no return.

 

[Gecko Ranch]

Care is very different for Supers vs. mealworms/giant mealworms, important to know the difference. If seller cannot identify they are useless, NEXT! If they have mixed two different species together that is really lame also.

Here's some photos of mealworms and giant mealworms on Fluker's page:

http://www.flukerfarms.com/ProductImages/Mealworm.jpg

The Giant looks more "chunky."

Pet shops are to be avoided for a number of reasons, the least which is mealworms that have been refridgerated. These often don't recover from that process, and are not as appealing to geckos as a result. Just buy the minimum order from the cricket farm and you'll be much better off.

 

[98XJSport]

This is the care sheet I go by.

http://progeckos.com/caresheets/superworm.htm

Same as the way I keep my mealies, perhaps a bit more veggies but that would only make sense, larger more tropical creature needs more water. And not keeping them refrigerated, which I don't do with my mealies anyways.

Is this care sheet innacurate?

 

[Gecko Ranch]

This is the care sheet I go by.

http://progeckos.com/caresheets/superworm.htm

Same as the way I keep my mealies, perhaps a bit more veggies but that would only make sense, larger more tropical creature needs more water. And not keeping them refrigerated, which I don't do with my mealies anyways.

Is this care sheet innacurate?

No, it is a good care sheet. I would add that leafy green mix is the optimal veggie source to give them though. Try it yourself and see the difference. They just do not seem to like carrots or iceberg lettuce that much.

Bassett's Cricket Ranch has a good care sheet on the Supers.

 

[98XJSport]

So feeding a leafy green mix on top of the veggies I already give my mealies, why couldn't they be kept together? Ive noticed they like cucumbers quite a bit, so far.

 

[98XJSport]

So, is there an answer to this? I gotta find out before I order in bulk

 

[Gecko Ranch]

So, is there an answer to this? I gotta find out before I order in bulk

It is always better to buy in bulk, I'd keep them separately though. What's the trouble with setting up another plastic container?

 

[98XJSport]

Living in a tiny apartment with too many pets and only 1 dark shelf to keep feeders on My goal is to not keep mealies anymore, just as Im phasing them out I wanted to keep them in the same container.

 

[Gecko Ranch]

Living in a tiny apartment with too many pets and only 1 dark shelf to keep feeders on My goal is to not keep mealies anymore, just as Im phasing them out I wanted to keep them in the same container.

What will you feed your geckos as an alternative, assuming they are leos?

 

[98XJSport]

Alternating with mainly supers with mealies when/if they get sick of them.

 

[Gecko Ranch]

When my leos are big enough they eat mainly supers, however, they do need something different every once in a while like mealworms. Every month they all get a feeding of waxworms which is always hilarious to watch! Give baby some sugar!!!:freak: