Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here's a tough question that I can't figure out. Can the adult beetles of the mealworms be fed to larger frogs and toads? I don't think they're toxic, but might they chew through the innards of the frog/toad?

It is my understanding that they are toxic, I don't consider it worthwhile to experiment and find out. Besides, the exoskeleton on the adults are extremely thick. There would be a huge risk of impaction, especially since the larvae have been known to cause impaction.
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*Humans aren't the only species on earth... we just act like it.

".the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without
spoiling it."
Aldo Leopold (1938)

I've read that you can feed them to frogs. But they wont eat it. You have to put them in flower or something so they look like larvae. I haven't heard about the toxicity of them, but don't try, just in case, unless it's a last resortor something.

I seen animals go for them, then spit em out. I don't think they are toxic just nasty taste/smell to them. You can smell it when you pick em up too.
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Jeremy Carroll
Center for Reptile and Amphibian Propagation and Conservation
http://www.onet.net/~eagle/Reptile/index.htm

Thanks, everyone. I was doing some in-depth research for a few hours after I got some opinions, and it turns out that they're not poisonous, but most animals won't eat them. I found out that the family of beetles that the Darkling Beetle(mealworm) belongs to can release a foul-smelling odour from it's back side to deter predators. It won't poison the predator, but smells really, really bad. Thanks again, guys and gals.