Keeping Supers and regular Mealies together

[Dog Shrink]

Ok so I searched threads and couldn't find one that answered my question which is this. I want to order a large quantity of supers for Eros, my leo. I currently have about a dozen regular mealies left over from his first week here. Can the mealies and the supers be kept in the same holding tank together (a cricket keeper)? For that matter can I keep wax worms with them as well? Or will they eat eachother? Do they all use the same living media (rolled oats, cereal, gutload, etc)? Since I'm ordering a large amount, how should I keep them so they stay worms and don't pupate as I have no desire to breed at the moment.

A little unrelated but how many supers would you expect a 7-8 month old leo to go thru in a month? Adam said he was eating 2-3 a feeding 3x a week but shouldn't that change as he grows to eating more a sitting?

Anywho... thanks

 

[Mel&Keith]

I would suspect that the supers would eat the mealworms. You don't have to keep them in a kritter keeper though. Any smooth plastic container will work. We keep them in extra iris tubs.

2-3 supers 3 times a week sounds about right for a young adult Leo. All geckos are different but for some more than a few supers at a time can be a lot to digest.

 

[Tony C]

I would suspect that the supers would eat the mealworms.

That was my first thought as well. You don't have to worry about supers pupating under normal conditions, as long as they have food they will stay in the larval form.

 

[Dog Shrink]

So I suppose keeping wax worms together with them would also be bad. Chubby lil boogers wouldn't stand a chance...

 

[monkeytechahoo]

I have my supers in a 18qt rubbermaid box (going to use the tub the cat litter comes in next) with screen cut in the lid and use organic dirt/soil for a substrate. I give them veggie peelings & pieces daily. I got the idea from a lady on another forum. I don't have the mess of changing out substrate anymore and the worms get the veggies rather than the garbage disposal. I also have my beetles in there with them as well. There's barely a smell, unless you stand over it and open it, and most people don't realize I have bugs right there.

My mealies I keep in the fridge. That is an conversation starter when company comes over. *lol*

 

[T-ReXx]

Super worms will eat pretty much any other larval insect form, this includes mealies and waxworms. Mixing feeder species generally does not work out.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Supers will last many months in the warm room with your lizards in a plastic tub type thing. You won't want them to be too crowded or they will fight each other. They won't pupate unless they are isolated and unable to touch anything alive. Occasionally one will escape a food dish, crawl under the paper and pupate. No big deal. Meals, on the other hand, pupate easily once they mature. That's why refrigeration is recommended. They last many months when chilled and pop right back to life once they reach room temp. I keep an extra thousand in the fridge in case the worm supply runs low. Those are in a sour cream cup right next to my horned lizard's harvester ants If we had a few geckos I would still breed mealies since they're so simple but would buy supers a thou at a time. We have a lot of mouths to feed so it's worth it to breed both.

PS- Don't look in my freezer

 

[Dog Shrink]

PS- Don't look in my freezer

Can only imagine what's in the freezer :main_lipsrsealed:

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Lol we have over a hundred snakes that like to eat too

 

[Dog Shrink]

Hahaha sweet. My son breeds a colony of mice to feed his ball. So my leo and dogs share their room with a tank full of mice. Lil boogers can get quite loud. it works out well 'cause what ever Loki doesn't eat we sell back to the pet shop for a good line of credit or he sells them to his friends. He's bred some reallty odd colors too. Ever seen a brindle mouse? He's got 'em.

 

[ZooKeeperKarin]

Lol we have over a hundred snakes that like to eat too

ROFL!!! I had a hard time explaining rats in the freezer, too! :main_laugh:

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Before I moved into the "man cave" there were black eyes staring at you upon opening the freezer. I made him put the packages in store bags so it didn't look so bad. My mother would have a stroke if she ever saw that! I just hope she doesn't snoop like she used to......

 

[Dog Shrink]

Before I moved into the "man cave" there were black eyes staring at you upon opening the freezer. I made him put the packages in store bags so it didn't look so bad. My mother would have a stroke if she ever saw that! I just hope she doesn't snoop like she used to......

Well if she does snoop then she deserves everything she gets :main_yes: my mother learned years ago there are certain rooms in our house you just don't go into if you're squeemish.