Meal Worms

[Tis TM 8]

I've been threatening to have a go at keeping my own, as the birds really dont seem to go for the dried ones, and buying them live from a reptile shop is sooo expensive.

I've looked up a few ways off the internet, but I'd like to hear some peoples accounts first hand ..... Thanks

[kevegg 0]

I used to keep them years ago to feed to my lizards. I bought some meal worms from the pet shop and a packet of digestive biscuits, crushed the biscuits up and put them in a biscuit tin with some holes in the lid and put the meal worms in. They eventually turn into beetles and it's just a matter of waiting until the beetles produce more meal worms. I'm sure there's an optimum temperature to keep them at but this was when I was a teenager and still living with my parents so, much to my mums disgust, they lived in their tin under the lizards tank. 'What about the smell?' you may ask, but I think the mealworms got used to my mother. I used to add a wheatabix from time to time and transfer the beetles and any mealworms to a new tin and leave the old one for a while for any eggs still in there to hatch and develop. Remove any dead mealworms or beetles straight away as they soon start to pong a bit.

Edited August 11, 2009 by kevegg

[J Darcy 5,871]

Tis, look for a company called Priors pet products. they will sell you a kilo of mealworms, mini-mealworms or mixed mealworms cheaper than anywhere else. just keep them dry and cool and they last a month or so......

 

or theres the "livefood company" they sell smaller quantities. birds love 'em, and springtime, i would say, is the best time to feed them......good luck.

[Simoman 110]

I use Peregrine livefoods, comes in bulk if required..............

[ghillies 209]

theyre worse than wasp grubs for fishing...one super glue and half a bite theyre sucked clean..

[Tis TM 8]

Thanks guys... I do want to have a regular supply so am gonna have a go, and yep, the spring time feeding was my main aim, but thought I'd start early to get the hang of the process, then hopefully by spring, with the larsen in full tilt, and some decent grub on tap, my little birds will be up in numbers and have healthy young.