Listless mealies???

[Melody]

I just noticed today that the mealies in both of my containers have gone "listless." I buy them small and keep them in mealworm bedding at room temperature and have had great success this way (rather than in the refrig). I throw in a slice or two of oranges, apples, etc from time to time for moisture for them. By the time they get big, I have used all 1000 up with few if any mealie deaths.

But yesterday they were all on top of the surface and not moving. They aren't black or brown like dead ones, they are just totally listless. Are they still safe to feed the leos? Although I remove the old oranges etc could there be mold accumulating in the bedding? I don't see any but it does smell a little off.

I don't want to make my leos sick, but there are still a ton of mealies left and I hate to throw them out if they are viable!

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

they could be on the verge of death for some reason, too much humidity etc.

My thought is, if they don't smell right, don't use them.

 

[Melody]

LOL - the mealies themselves smell fine, it's the bran mash mealie bedding that smells a little funny, a little moldy - maybe due to the fruit in it before it got thrown out. I also have parrots and therefore seed moths, and I've noticed the seed moths love to get into the bedding as well and it gets a little webby.

The mealies themselves LOOK (and smell) fine, they're just not very active (room temp is 75). But it's been two days and they aren't dying or anything. I haven't fed any of them to my leos since.

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

if the mealies smell Ok and look OK they should be fine, they may be getting ready to morph or they may not be getting enough nutrients from the bran mash.

 

[OSUgecko]

Do a complete change-out on the bedding. If the mealies perk up and start looking active again, I'd say they were probably being affected by fumes from the mold. Once they start acting normal, you might wait a few days before feeding them to your leos to make sure that whatever was in the bedding got worked out of their systems.

 

[Melody]

OSU, great idea, why didn't I think of that? Thank you too, Dragon. Guess that's why we have a forum! Simple answer -- I'll let you know how it does. I'll do a change out and refeed fresh veggies/fruit for a few days to see what happens.