MealWorm Breeding Question

[AndyRC]

I have recently taken up breeding mealworms as a source of food for my leopard geckos. I've only just started about a week ago. And Today I've found my first mealworm Pupae. I've heard that I should put the pupae in a different container, because the mealworms will eat it for its moisture content. I was just wondering if this is true, and if it is, Will I be okay leaving the pupae in the same container as long as I leave something for the mealworms to eat? And is it okay if I keep mealworms, pupae, and the beetles in the same container?

 

[BlackDiamondGeckos]

As long as you provide them with other sources of moisture they will leave the pupae alone. I like to sort them out though, especially if it's my feeding colony. You will find that it's a hassle to sort them once you have all three forms of the mealworm in the bins.

 

[charlie476]

You can keep them all in one container. However Ive kept a good supply of moisture in there and they still munched on the pupae. Id sort them out.

 

[Shadraak]

As long as you provide them with other sources of moisture they will leave the pupae alone. I like to sort them out though, especially if it's my feeding colony. You will find that it's a hassle to sort them once you have all three forms of the mealworm in the bins.

LMFAO he isn't lyin, that's my problem right now 3 bins with all 3 sifting and sorting is soooo tedious and seems like every day i find more in the bin that i just went thru

 

[mainelygeckos]

Shad and myself have those small three drawer sterilite containers and they work fantastic. I keep all mine seperated..worms in one pupae in antoher a beetles in another. I sort everyday and anything I might miss my kids are happy to remove for me so they are always seperated. Seeing as I am wanting them to breed and grow I want them seperate and not lose any to canibalism. Good luck with your mealies

 

[snakegirl]

i breed meal worms and when it comes time for beetles in Pupa, Near the end of everything i just GIVE UP. you will see on a count of how many you have..Just make sure there is Lots of food so they will not start eating one another. then a month or so later i will take out the bedding so i only have little meal worms, and let the pupa/beetles back in another bin so they can keep doing there thing.

Btw: if you never bred meal worms before its going to take a LONG time before you see babies. and when you do there only going to be like - that big.

 

[mainelygeckos]

Been breeding for 2 months and see nothing yet My house is cool tho and breezy so maybe that's why. Have seperated the beetles from their substrate and placed them in another so wait to see I guess.

 

[snakegirl]

2 months kinda seems a bit to long there geckos4me, I only will remove and replace the beetles after i see half a inch meal worms and a ton of little ones.then i take beetles out and put them in another bin and keep the meal worms in that bedding.

 

[Friedbread]

It took me about two and a half months to find baby mealies. And they really do start out about as a big as a hyphen or two -- But there will be more babies than you'll know what to do with eventually.

I keep my pupae in a separate container. Just a cup with a lid. They don't need room. lol

 

[hoppslover]

I separate mine as well. I keep them in a small critter keeper until I get beetles then I put them in the top drawer in my sterilite. After about a month or so I move all the beetles into another drawer. It works pretty well.

 

[leoman777]

i have the sterilite drawers and thye work great but i hate sifting through and getting everything out its like torture!!!

 

[kickinit]

time?

Hey guys I started with about 200 mw's and now i have about 20 pupae. How long does it take for the pupae to morph into beetles? some of them have gone from white to almost black are these ones dying or is that the process of changing into a beetle?

THanks