Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm planning on getting a leo sometime this year. I assumed that I had to buy mealies online and actually breed/raise my own. Until I read one of the threads below, I had no idea you could buy them at the petstore. I knew you could buy nightcrawlers/earthworms at the petstore and I've seen them in little styrofoam containers. When you buy mealies, etc - do they come in these type containers too? How do you care for them: can they just be kept in these containers? How long are they good for? Anything you can tell me would be greatly appreciated. I had been looking into buying in bulk online and learning how to breed at home. Buying at the store sounds like it might be easier.

Thanks in advance!
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They are sold in little plastic containers, and stored in a refridgerator to keep them in hibernation... Stores usually sell them in quantities of 50 or 100.

I prefer to keep mine out and let them pig out/breed though...

You don't need to do anything, you could just put the container in the fridge if you want.

I probably wouldn't keep them over a week in the fridge though

If kept in the fridge - they still need to eat on regular basis? Or does the cool temperature change that?
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You can buy mealies at most petstores, in large and small sizes. They can be refrigerated and kept in the same container they come in, however, I recommend moving them into a different container which is filled with Gutload instead of sawdust.

Jeff

when you say you recommend moving into a new container w/ gutload - are saying to put this new container in the fridge or leave them out to breed,etc?
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You can do either one. If they are in a gutloaded material it will benefit your leos. About 2 hours before you want to feed, take the container out of the fridge, and the mealies will begin to move and eat again. Then take out the amount you want and back to the fridge go the rest. I tried to breed my own mealies and superworms, I just didn't feel it was worth the trouble, but by all means make your own judgement. Give it a try, maybe you'll have more success then I did.

Jeff

your way sounds like way less work/trouble. Any more details you can give on your method would be greatly appreciated.

Another questions, I was under the impression that leos (or at least the younger ones) should only be given freshly molted mealies. Is this correct, and is this still possible when keeping them in the fridge?

Thanks a ton!
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Okay, well you asked my opinion, so now you'll get it, lol. I hate mealies. Again, maybe its just my rotten luck, or picky leos, but mine will not eat them. They don't move around enough for them to be interested.... I'm having the same trouble trying to give my girls pinkies. They don't move, or flail enough to keep my leos interested enough for them to take a bite.... so I have just given up and kept with the crix. As for feeding juvies only freshly molted mealies, that is going to be a job... they don't stay soft like that for very long after they've molted, so unless you've got time to sit and stare at the container then you'll just have to do your best and picking out the ones that don't look like their chitin is so hard you could write a message on their back... LOL

Jeff

you leave your mealworms out. They do pupate and turn into beetles if you keep them for a couple weeks though.

Just look for mealworms that look lighter in color that others. Freshly molted mealworms that've sat around for a little bit look more red/orange than brown. Also, give them alot of potatoes and carrots or any other root vegetable you can get (the more variety the better). These will keep them turgid, full of moisture and active (dehydrated mealworms don't move). I've never given my gecko a dark brown mealworm so I don't know what would happen, also I think my gecko just doesn't eat hard mealworms, because before I picked mealworms I always found nothing but hard ones left in the morning in his dish.

I breed my own and it's not all that hard, I have two bins, one full of mealworms, and the other full of pupae and beetles. I just move the pupae into the beetle bin if I see any in the mealworm bin. Once I start seeing little mealworms on the bottom of the beetle bin, I take out all the beetles put them in a new bin (and by this time all the mealworms in the mealworm bin have pupated).

-Lemur 6

I love mealies, no offense Jeff. I agree with what Jeff said about raising your own, it is a bit of work, although I do it from time to time. You can buy 5,000 mealies for $20 with shipping and they last forever. You can keep them out of the fridge and as long as you keep them on substrate (gutload) and a water source (I use baby carrots cuz they do not mold)they will last for weeks, now you will get some that pupate(aliens) but not many, and some will die. You can put them in the fridge too, this will stop them from growing, and morphing. When I do this I put them on the substrate with a few carrots tossed in. They basically go into hibernation. Now I suggest if you use this method that you let your mealies stay out for at least 24 hours before you feed. This ensures that they have a good supply of the gutload inside them and of course that they have had more than adequate time to warm to room temp. Then put the remainder back in the fridge. I tried crickets and I hated it, and if you look futher down in the forum you can see the possible dangers with crickets, and bacterial infections.

Like I said no offense to Jeff, he was correct in what he told you also. We don't need another subject like the sand vs no sand debate.

Tim
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LEOs: 6.9.0
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1.3Tremper Albinos Mr.Slate,?,?,?
1.0 Tang Tremp Albino - Rocky

what does pupae/pupate look like? What is their life cycle like? How many mealies might I expect a young leo to eat per feeding?
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.
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Check Out My Albums

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he's around 23 grams. Mealworms is kinda hard to size, I just feed mine the biggest I can find since he seems to eat them without a problem, smaller geckos might find some trouble eating a 1.25" long mealworm.

You WILL KNOW when a mealworm pupates, it looks totally different from a mealworm. They don't move much (they wiggle if you bother them). They usually come up to the surface of the substrate to pupate so they're also easy to spot.

-Lemur 6

You don't have to ask for forgiveness for asking questions Tigergenesis, We all do it. Pupate is just the term that describes the process of a mealworm changing into a beetle. Here is a link that will show you what I am talking about:

www.chameleonnews.com/year2003/oct2003/mealworms/mealworms.html

Also, The rule of thumb for feeding is only to feed it something no bigger than half the size of the geckos head

Hope this helps,

Tim
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LEOs: 6.9.0
1.3 High Yellows-Barney,Betty,?,?
2.0 Hypo Tangerines-Bam-bam,Rex
0.3 SHCT's -Journey,Wiggy,Lil'bit
1.0 Rescued Normals -Shleprock
1.3Tremper Albinos Mr.Slate,?,?,?
1.0 Tang Tremp Albino - Rocky

Heehehe, I never take offense. I'm a man at the ripe elderly age of 28, ROFLMAO, and I don't argue with anyone. I state the way I feel and leave it at that. I agree that crix are a pain in the butt sometimes, but my leos just wouldn't eat the mealies. Once I have hatchlings and start them out with them perhaps my luck will change...

Jeff

LOL, Well im a ripe old man at the age of 36 and I don't really get offended too easily either. I think thats the key if the Leos are on crix to long then the mealworms probably just don't look apetizing to them. I also really coat mine with miner all, and the whiteness helps enhance their movements.

Tim
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LEOs: 6.9.0
1.3 High Yellows-Barney,Betty,?,?
2.0 Hypo Tangerines-Bam-bam,Rex
0.3 SHCT's -Journey,Wiggy,Lil'bit
1.0 Rescued Normals -Shleprock
1.3Tremper Albinos Mr.Slate,?,?,?
1.0 Tang Tremp Albino - Rocky