Is this a good mealworm feed?

[PetertheGecko]

Alright so I got my leopard gecko around three weeks ago. I've decided to breed leopard geckos since It will probably be cheaper that way. None of my mealworms have gotten to the pupae stage yet but I was wondering if this was a healthy feed?

1 cup corn meal
1 cup cheerios
3 cups of rice
1 cup of dog food
1/2 cup of fish food for coloring
And carrots for coloring.

Is this a healthy blend? Also, Should I leave anything in the beetles tank? How do I find the eggs?

 

[Art Geckos]

Corn meal is a good base food for feeder insects, also the carrots are a staple for feeding mealworms. I would suggest using organic carrots.

As for the other ingredients, I've never heard of using dogfood or rice or fishfood..... or cheerios - I would be apprehensive to use them personally, but I dont see any problems expirementing a little to see what works.

I would suggest more fresh veggies, or even MS2 insect feed ( a custom blend that works great) - I use that and organic carrots.

 

[Olympus]

Here is a list that you may find useful:

Suggested Ingredients
Best - These gutloading ingredients are best because they are highest in calcium, low in phosphorus, oxalates and goitrogens. They should be the primary components of your gutload:
mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion leaves, collard greens, escarole lettuce, papaya, watercress and alfalfa.

Good - These gutloading ingredients are good because they are moderately high in calcium and other vitamins/minerals. They should be used in addition to those from the previous category:
sweet potato, carrots, oranges, mango, butternut squash, kale, apples, beet greens, blackberries, bok choy and green beans.

These fresh fruits and vegetables can be combined with dry gutload mixes or home made mixes for optimal well-rounded nutrition. Dry ingredients can include:
bee pollen, organic non-salted sunflower seeds, spirulina, dried seaweed, flax seed and organic non-salted almonds.

Avoid These Ingredients
Avoid these gutloading ingredients because they are low in calcium, high in phosphorus, goitrogens or oxalates: potatoes, cabbage, iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, corn, grains, beans, oats, bread, cereal, meat, eggs, dog food, cat food, fish food, canned or dead insects, vertebrates.
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Avoid anything like dog food or fish flakes because they contain a lot of animal protein, which is bad if these mealworms are going to be eaten by your geckos. Insectivores don't do well with high amounts of vertebrate animal protein in their diet and could end up with gout, so it's recommended to stick to a more vegetarian diet and to let the insects themselves provide the protein the geckos need. Veggies high in beta carotene (like in carrots) would be a better and safer way to get pigment enhancements into their diet than the fish flakes.

 

[indyana]

I have tried cereal before, but none of the insects seemed to like it much. Mealworms don't require much protein and do just fine on a diet of grain (wheat bran and rolled oats are two popular food/bedding choices) and fresh vegetables and fruit.

Also, Should I leave anything in the beetles tank? How do I find the eggs?

Yes, the beetles require the same bedding/food as the larvae. I also give mine a few pieces of egg crate to hide under, but that isn't necessary if you keep them in a dark place.

The eggs are far too small to find. The most common way to deal with egg collection is to sift the bedding from the worms/beetles into a new, separate container. Continue placing veggies/fruit into the container and wait for mealworms to hatch and grow large enough to see. You'll need to give the beetles 2-4 weeks once they appear to breed and lay a good number of eggs before sifting out the bedding.

Some people use a double setup where the beetle bin has a screen bottom and sits above a second bin that collects the eggs that fall through the screen. If you search online, you can find examples of these sort of breeding setups.

 

[PetertheGecko]

Thank you

 

[Byost86]

I have used "layer" its a chicken feed. I ground it up into a powder form and then give it to my feeders. I also used carrots, potato's, apples. Also remember hydration is key. I have some water crystals in a dish for the beetles to use and I also mist the enclosure every three days with a water bottle. By doing this though you make sure your enclosure is well ventilated to lessen the risk of mold growth.

 

[DrCarrotTail]

I try to stay away from anything processed like dog/cat food, cereal, flavored oatmeal, etc. They all usually contain quite a big of preservatives and artificial ingredients that I don't want going into my geckos. The other posts provide awesome lists of good things to use! Mine seem to do well on oats, wheat bran, kale, apples, sweet potatoes and kale. I mix in a bit of the MS2 chow I buy for my roaches as well.

 

[charlie476]

i use fine grind human grade wheat bran. along with carrots for moisture and the love it