Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have been slowly adding new items to the menu for my reptiles. I am interested in feeding the Giant Mealworms (I don't mean King/Superworms) the ones that some people say have been fed steriods, while others say they are treated with hormones. I need to know what they are treated with before I will buy any as I only want the best for my Reps, especially my breeder pairs. If anyone could shine a little light I would greatly appriciate it as I tried to buy some rescently from two vendors and one flat out refused to tell me what they were treated with and recommeded crickets while the other vendor kept changing the subject. I understand this is some sort of trade secret but what are they using them for if herps don't trust them?

Though I am not sure about what you mean by giant mealworms but superworms are not mealworms on steroids, they are infact a different insect larva altogether. They have the scientific name of Zophobas Morio. Regular mealworms are called Tenebrio
Molitor

I grow king mealworms myself and they are not hormone treated it just takes a while for them to grow to 3 inches. The stores wont tell you because they dont know its the growers who know the truth, some take the easy way out and feed them yeast which makes them retain water and hence you get your super mealworm but you can buy untreated king mealworms from legitimate sources and breed them yourself. but like i said it takes a while and the conditions have to be good or else they eat each other and your out of worms.
Link

Actually.. Giant Mealworms ARE fed a growth regulating hormone that keeps them from pupating. They cannot be bred because they can't pupate so they keep molting and growing larger until they eventually die. This horome is known as IGR or IGH I believe it was...its found in all insects however, they feed the giant mealworms increased doses of it. King or Super worms are an entirely different species... as Lady said. They are Zoophobas... Giant Mealworms are the same species as normal mealies only treated with the Insect growth hormone to reach larger sizes. I won't feed them because no one knows what the increased dose of hormone might cause in the predator species that are eating them. Plant hormones and animal hormones can all affect humans....other hormones from other animals can affect other types of animals and other species.. even other Families entirely...So it stands to reason that an increased dose of this hormone could potentially affect and be harmful to whatever you're feeding them to. I'd stick with regular mealies.. Superworms, Silkworms and butterworms (though butterworms are all irradiated so they don't escape and breed...so I'm cautious of those as well)
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Lucien

1.1 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
3.5.3 Leopard geckos (2.0 Blizzards (Caine and Goliath), 0.1 Tangerine Albino (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short), 1.0 Rainwater Albino (Mycah), 0.4 Poss. Het. Albino (Annika, Lace, Rain and Aris) and 2.1 dbl. het blizzard x tang albino (Malice, Malfeas, and Mystic))
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros)
13 rats
2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
3 cats (Ashe, Sahara and Hercules)
6 Fish (4 Red Danios, 1 Cardinal Fish, and 1 Tiger Barb)
8 Ramshorn snails
"And a Partridge in a Pear Tree!"