Reptile & Amphibian Forums

while i was at the reptile store buying crickets i asked the guy if they carry mealworms,he said they dont becuase they are deadly to leopard geckos?is that true?i hear many people feed there leo's with mealworms, so id like to know how to care for the mealworms,where to keep them, and all of that good stuff.thanks

-adam

no, its not true. There is a myth that mealworms eat their way out of the leos' stomach but that is false. I keep my mealies in a small ziplock container with oatmeal as the substrate and food. I also add slices of carrots in there.
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1.1.1 High Yellow Leos_ 0.1 Albono Leo_ 2.4 Hamsters_ 1.1 Budgies

alrighty,thanks for the help.i can get them for so cheep on www.herpfood.com. i heard you need to refrigerate them or they become beetles or something like that?is it true?thanks again/..

-adam

and also,how old are they before they turn into beetles?i heard if you refrigerate them that they wont turn into beetles, is that correct>

A lot of breeders use mealworms as the staple diet for their leos, so what the guy at the petstore told you was just a crock of ****. Crickets are more nutritious with a lower fat content than mealworms, but mealworms are a lot easier to care for, and they don't stink.

Refrigerating them slows down their metabolism so they don't pupate. What you might find easier to do is not refrigerate them, so you can let them breed. That way you don't have to constantly buy them, and you'll have a continous supply of mealworms.

They live in their food. I mix powdered milk, baby cereal, fish flake food together. Carrots are a good source of moisture, but if you can throw in more veggies like collared greens or alfalfa, you'll provide a better gutload.
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Lovin' would be easy if your colors were like my dreams...

I have never had any luck with refrigeration of mealies. They just die faster on me.

Steven
Royal Gold Reptiles