Can't breed mealworms :(

Petchy · Mar 7, 2010

Hi,
I bought some mealworms from the pet store for my Axolotl and there also good for feeding to tarantulas i've found out.
Anyways I tried to breed them I but them in a container full of rolled oats they got quite large and them they went into cocoons. I put the cocoons into a seperate container and when they hatched out they where retarded and deformed. there shell was half off and there wings where exposed some there back was completely missing and all they had was there wings for protection. Four days later they where all dead. What did I do wrong?

olmrudyk · Mar 8, 2010

Petchy said:
Hi,
I bought some mealworms from the pet store for my Axolotl and there also good for feeding to tarantulas i've found out.
Anyways I tried to breed them I but them in a container full of rolled oats they got quite large and them they went into cocoons. I put the cocoons into a seperate container and when they hatched out they where retarded and deformed. there shell was half off and there wings where exposed some there back was completely missing and all they had was there wings for protection. Four days later they where all dead. What did I do wrong?

Hello Petchy,
I think you have bougth mealworms treated with hormones ( for faster grow and larger size).Very often in pet stors here, in US, too
Hormonated mealworms are 2-3 times bigger, but not able to finish their life cycle.

Petchy · Mar 8, 2010

it says on the container that there hormone free though

findi · Mar 8, 2010

Hi Petchy,

Mealworms need to be dry, but ultra-dry wintertime houshold air may cause what you describe. Super worms, the much larger species, need a moist environment if they are to pupate.

Mealworms are not the best choice for axolotls...however, if you feed them well tey will molt often, and the newly molted (white) grubs are fine in small numbers. You can also feed the beetles to axolotls as an occassional treat. Be sure to feed the mealworms well, in order to improve their nutritional value - please see my article on Raising Mealworms for more details.

Good luck!

Petchy · Mar 9, 2010

Thanks mate
I'm currently about to get a scorpion and will be feeding mealworms to him aswell.
I know that mealworms arn't the best choice for axies but I can't get a hold of any earthworms right now

codyj · Apr 27, 2015

I would suggest brine shrimp for your axolotl's as they seem to love them. But as far as mealworms go, a few years back I purchased 500 mealworms. After a few months I had thousands of them. I kept them in oats in a plastic shoebox (with holes on top) and would feed them vegetables such as lettuce, potato, and carrots. I would put your beetles into a new colony and after a few weeks change their oats as they will eat their babies.

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Can't breed mealworms :(

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