mealworm question

[iguana20s]

iv been thinking about makeing a mealworm colony and was woundering if i can feed them the dead beatles amd the pupa?

 

[wakeskate420]

the geckos should not be given any dead mealworms or beetles or pupa from the colony. if youre asking about the mealworms eating the dead beetles and pupa, then they will not either and it is not recommended for either.

 

[iguana20s]

then can they eat the liveing beatles and pupa?

 

[Dog Shrink]

I have given my leo a couple of the pupa aliens with out harm but never fully developed one to a beetle so IDK abut that one.

 

[BadKelpie]

Is there harm in giving them the beetles? The aliens are soft, the beetles aren't. Would that make the beetles inedible to leos? Or is there another reason?

I fed my fish (jack dempsey cichlid, think mini-oscar) the beetles, he loved food that crunched. Snails were his favorite. It never harmed him, but he chewed everything a whole lot more than lizards do.

 

[5HiddenLizards]

With my leos, they don't touch the beetles. I guess too prickly for them. I have a mix of worms & beetles in a bin & they do chew on the beetles once they have passed, but that's in addition to the chow I give them. I don't think it'll hurt the worms. My geckos eat the pupa without a problem too.

 

[Insubordinate]

I was curious about leo's eating the beetles as well. Anyone?

 

[Khrysty]

Geckos mostly don't like beetles because of the way they smell/taste. They have a scent defense mechanism that makes them less-than-ideal prey. There's no harm in feeding them, actually, but most geckos wont eat them.

 

[ZooKeeperKarin]

If you want a colony, you don't want to feed off any pupae or beetles. You'll want those to breed. I pull out dead beetles periodically and toss them in the garbage.

 

[Insubordinate]

Geckos mostly don't like beetles because of the way they smell/taste. They have a scent defense mechanism that makes them less-than-ideal prey. There's no harm in feeding them, actually, but most geckos wont eat them.

Thanks! Is that only with mealworm beetles? What about for supers, wax, silk?

If you want a colony, you don't want to feed off any pupae or beetles. You'll want those to breed. I pull out dead beetles periodically and toss them in the garbage.

It depends on your ideal colony size.. As long as it is self sustaining with your reptile's diet, you're fine.

 

[Khrysty]

Thanks! Is that only with mealworm beetles? What about for supers, wax, silk?

Waxworm moths are delicious treats for most reptiles, superworm beetles have the same sort of issues as mealies, and idk about silworms.