Mealworms

[Socks' Mum]

I bought some mealworms for Socks today and hope to try them on tonight's menu. There were Mori worms as well, but they are so big, I'm not sure if Socks will be able to deal with them. You get quite a few in a box. I put them into a small acryllic tank with a ventilated lid and gave them a lot of rolled oats and a small bowl of damp coco coir. Later I gave them some tinned green beans, and they came back out of the oats and headed for the veg. There are some adult beetles in there as well, so the lid has to stay on, especially at night.

 

[Socks' Mum]

They get moisture from their food and absorb some moisture from the air. They drown rather than drink if given water in a bowl. If Socks isn't interested, I'll put them on the bird table. The magpies and blue jay will eat them in no time. I'm not sure what Socks will do. I hope I don't need to dispatch a half eaten mealworm. Well, we'll see.

 

[Socks' Mum]

I'm sure his wild ancestors would eat mealworms, but I wonder if Socks still has that instinct. They should be very healthy in small amounts. Dried ones don't interest him at all.

 

[Socks' Mum]

Well, Socks doesn't seem greatly interested in live mealworms either. I pulled the mw away from its greenbelt, feeling rather guilty, and dropping it on the carpet, almost picking it up and dropping it again. It was presented in his watermelon bowl with peas, coriander, carrot pieces and a Nibblot. Socks was very punctual for his dinner this evening, came out, went back in and then climbed into his bowl for the moment of reckoning. At one point, he jumped slightly and squinted into his bowl. That's it, I thought, he must have found the mealworm.

 

[Socks' Mum]

He swivelled around, pouching here, nibbling there, and then going back into his MCH with a Nibblot shaped bullet in his cheeks. The worm was still in the bowl, along with a coriander leaf and morsel of carrot, and apart from having having been sat on by a fluffy bum, was no worse for wear. I put it back on its green bean with its colleagues with a bit of relief.

 

[Socks' Mum]

Hmm bullet should be bulge

 

[Socks' Mum]

Socks was too polite to ask why there was a caterpillar in his food

 

[Maz]

Are these live then? With live mealworms, it's suggested to nip the heads off or they can bit the hamster while the hamster is eating them.

 

[RainbowBrite]

That is a shame Socks did not like the mealworms. Looks like you have some new pets now.

 

[Socks' Mum]

Oh, that's interesting, I didn't know that. Yes, live, but I don't think he has a taste for them. I'll put them out for the birds. I was hoping they would be a sort of superfood, but Socks prefers peas.

 

[Socks' Mum]

I got as far as removing the bowl of coco coir and found a comfortable huddle of meal worms under it. All the green beans have entirely gone. A blue jay peered at me from a fruit tree in blossom, a Robin sat on a fence post with his head to one side. Some pigeons strolled around on the paths. The moment of execution drew nigh. So I got more green beans out of the fridge and defrosted another batch. The worms came out of their sprawl and started to head for the beans. The birds outside threw up their wings in disbelief and flew away!

 

[RainbowBrite]

I had no idea mealworms would eat green beans.

 

[Socks' Mum]

I think they like the moisture in them. They are tinned, so well soaked and soggy.

 

[RainbowBrite]

That is interesting. What will you do with them now that Socks is not keen on them?

 

[Socks' Mum]

I will keep them in rolled oats and green beans unless I can find someone who would like them for reptiles

 

[Maz]

Pet meal worms Only thing is, won't they hatch out into beetles?

 

[Socks' Mum]

Pet meal worms Only thing is, won't they hatch out into beetles?

Yes, if the population becomes too many I will need to find a reptile keeper to give them too. The beetles eat green beans too

 

[Maz]

As long as they're not flying beetles and take over your home ha ha. That would worry me

 

[elusive]

Hamsters can be funny with mealworms some love them & others hate them but as Maz said always kill them first if using live ones as they can bite.

Birds usually love them, my robin sings his heart out when he wants more!
If you’ve got beetles in the box they will be laying a lot of eggs & you will get baby worms but the beetles do also eat the eggs & small worms, you can easily see the difference between a mealworm that is still growing & a pupa which will fairly quickly turn into a beetle so you can remove them & either feed them to the birds or keep them separately until they turn into beetles.

They do ok on rolled oats but do better with a more varied diet & some small flaked grains.
Prorep bug grub is good, I also feed mine chick crumb when they get past being teeny tiny babies.
They like most veg, I give mine cucumber & carrot mostly.

 

[Socks' Mum]

Thanks, great advice! I think I might give the birds the pupae as an overpopulation won't be easy to live with. The beetles can't escape the box, so should be OK. I won't give Socks any more. I might try some freeze dried chicken for cats. He gets cheese too, and Little One, Harry Hamster and Bunny Dream along with small amounts of veg and Nibblots as a treat.