# of mealies should I get to start a colony to feed~20 adults+their babies?bin size?

[neubauer geckos]

I am going to start a mealworm colony soon,and wasn't sure how many I should get to support about 20 adult breeders and their offspring.What do you guys think?I was thinking either 5k or 10k.Does that sound about right?And how big of container should this many mealworms and eventually beetles have to minimize the mortality rate?Thanks!Any additional info is appreciated.I have bred mealworms in the past,but never on this scale.I tried a few months ago but lost a good number prematurely...

 

[ZooKeeperKarin]

Probably 5000 should be sufficient. You'd want to end up with about 1000 beetles, give or take. That's what I started with and I donate my extras. I have 4 adults and 5 babies that I feed, plus the program I donate to feeds sugar gliders, a scorpion, a monkey and misc large toads (not their main staple, but a good chunk of their diet).
I house my mealworm colony in a plastic drawer system ($15-20 depending on size) that I got at Wal*mart. Even though it sounds like a lot of worms and beetles, the drawers hold them fine. The drawers are probably 2 feet across.
Be prepared to allow a few months to build a good colony before feeding off.
HTH!

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Since they store so well in the fridge, I would get enough to last several months while the colony gets well established.