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Safe to eat Mealies???

Alanna Sep 16, 2007 03:20 PM

I buy a box of mealworms every week as i am unsure as to when it is not safe to give them to my Leo. What i mean is that by the end of the week the mealies have gone from a normal worm like state (brown) to a white sort of woodworm shapped worm. I never give him these when ther change shape to this white type of worm....is this the correct method of feeding him and should i continue to not use the white worms?

Replies (9)

herphaven1 Sep 16, 2007 03:27 PM

>>I buy a box of mealworms every week as i am unsure as to when it is not safe to give them to my Leo. What i mean is that by the end of the week the mealies have gone from a normal worm like state (brown) to a white sort of woodworm shapped worm. I never give him these when ther change shape to this white type of worm....is this the correct method of feeding him and should i continue to not use the white worms?

The white "worms" are actually the mealworms pupate shape or form. They mutate into beetles you can flush those or start REFRIGERATING your mealworms

lecoiskin Sep 16, 2007 03:54 PM

2 options:
Start breeding those mealworms... or keep them in a cooler area and prevent them to turn in to puppae.
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4.7.0 Leopard Geckos
0.2. Homonota Darwinii (Talus & Gracilis)
2.3.3 Tarentola Mauritanica (Pickles)
0.1.0 Cham Caliptratus (Clotilde)
0.0.1 Corn Snake
1.0.0 Golden Retriever (Cafu)
1.0.0 Black cat (Felipe)
0.0.x Tenebrio Molitor
0.0.x Zoophoba Mario
0.0.x Lobster Roaches
0.0.6 A. Campestratus
0.0.1 E. Musculosa

Alanna Sep 16, 2007 04:11 PM

So if i keep them in the fridge will they last longer or die from the cold?

olstyn Sep 16, 2007 04:15 PM

>>So if i keep them in the fridge will they last longer or die from the cold?

They will last longer in the fridge. Might also be good to introduce some variety into your gecko's diet. Crickets vs mealworms as a staple is a frequent argument here (personally, I prefer crickets, but lots of people get annoyed with the noise and/or the smell), but just about anyone you ask will tell you that variety is good either way.
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0.1 Albino Leopard Gecko - Tigger
0.1 Crested Gecko - Pooh-Bear

Alanna Sep 16, 2007 05:05 PM

I was mixing her diet up until recently when she refused to eat the crickets and i was afraid that she would go the way of my last one which died from a parasite attack and not eating. She refuses to eat crickets the last few weeks so i have no other option but to give her mealies and the occassional wax worm

geckogrl6 Sep 16, 2007 07:02 PM

Supers are a good way to add variety as well. So are silkworms and other more "exotic" (read: more expensive and harder to come by) insects. Mealies make a fine staple, as long as they are gut loaded and dusted appropriately. Save the waxworms to once a month or less. A pinkie every few months is OK too, if your leo is big enough.
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1.0 Hypo stripe, Het RW from JL (BJ)
1.0 HypoTang from Crested (Apricot)
1.0 Tremper Albino from Petsmart (Cloud)
0.1 Hi-Yellow Leopard gecko from Petco (Beatrice)
0.1 Stripe female (rehabilitated rescue)(Pepper)
0.1 Jungle het RW hatched by me! (Jungle Bunny)
0.1 SHCT Leopard Gecko from Petco (Brite)
0.1 Tangy Mutt Leopard Gecko from Petco (Rainbow)
0.1 RW Stripe hatched by me! (unnamed yet)
0.1 Leucistic rescue (unnamed yet)
2.1 Ball Pythons
RIP Peaches, Ghost, Bill
Adopted out: Goldie, Leucy, "Q"
Hatched: ~50

Alanna Sep 17, 2007 04:21 AM

What is the best food to gut load them with. Im from Ireland so nothing to exotic please

geckogrl6 Sep 17, 2007 09:13 AM

.
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1.0 Hypo stripe, Het RW from JL (BJ)
1.0 HypoTang from Crested (Apricot)
1.0 Tremper Albino from Petsmart (Cloud)
0.1 Hi-Yellow Leopard gecko from Petco (Beatrice)
0.1 Stripe female (rehabilitated rescue)(Pepper)
0.1 Jungle het RW hatched by me! (Jungle Bunny)
0.1 SHCT Leopard Gecko from Petco (Brite)
0.1 Tangy Mutt Leopard Gecko from Petco (Rainbow)
0.1 RW Stripe hatched by me! (unnamed yet)
0.1 Leucistic rescue (unnamed yet)
2.1 Ball Pythons
RIP Peaches, Ghost, Bill
Adopted out: Goldie, Leucy, "Q"
Hatched: ~50

ALGeckos Sep 17, 2007 05:40 PM

Mealworms are an excellent staple diet for leos. You can either breed your own or buy more to last you longer than a week's worth of food. However, make sure you gutload them before you feed them to your leo! If they stay in the fridge, leave them out to gutload for 24 hours, this way, you know your leo is getting a nutritious meal. I suggest using a slice of carrot or potato as the water source for your mealies.

White mealies = Recently shed. BUT, if they look like non-moving white aliens (haha), then you have the stage right before it turns into a beetle. If you wish to breed mealies, place these in a separate bin for mating when they turn into beetles.
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ALGeckos
Aimee Salazar & Leon Holland

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