# Mealworm substrate



## Jen (Jan 17, 2010)

Hi all, does anyone keep their mealworms in chicken crumbles? If so, which brand? I am finding it difficult to find anyone who can tell me the unmedicated brands, even the men at the stockfeeds have no idea. 

Cheers, Boo

(Yes, I know bran and oats are easy to find and buy)


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## ReptilianGuy (Jan 17, 2010)

it's a bran, can get it from the super market. home brand range you'll find it. looks exactly like the stuff in the mealworms tubs. well is the same stuff


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## Jen (Jan 17, 2010)

ReptilianGuy said:


> it's a bran, can get it from the super market. home brand range you'll find it. looks exactly like the stuff in the mealworms tubs. well is the same stuff



Um, did you actually read my post?


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## GeckoJosh (Jan 17, 2010)

I dont know about this chicken stuff, but if you want an alternative to bran then use pollard


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## Jen (Jan 17, 2010)

Geckoman123 said:


> I dont know about this chicken stuff, but if you want an alternative to bran then use pollard



Cheers Geckoman, I wasn't actually looking for an alternative. And isn't Pollard just another wheat by product anyway?


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## cris (Jan 17, 2010)

I think the laying pellets are unmedicated(not 100% sure) also you can get unmedicated feed intended for feeding poultry that is to be eaten, for some annoying reason its hard to find(not much help i know). I have mine in a mix of bran, blended seed and laying pellets(was using it without bran for a while without problems). The blended seed seems to generate heat as they move around in it, but this hasnt been a problem so far.


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## KaaTom (Jan 17, 2010)

What do you keep them in?


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## GeckoJosh (Jan 17, 2010)

Jen said:


> Cheers Geckoman, I wasn't actually looking for an alternative. And isn't Pollard just another wheat by product anyway?


Not sure exactly i just know that mealworms raised on pollard does not inhibit calcium absorption like when raised on bran. 
This link will tell you a bit more http://www.geckodan.com/The Pro.htm
I have tried raising them on things like insect food and they went ok for a month or two but eventually all died


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## Jen (Jan 17, 2010)

Cheers Geckoman, I don't think calcium will be an issue, as the mealies are for quail which will have supplements. However, speaking of calcium, has anyone used powdered cuttlebone in the substrate as a calcium boost?


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## Jen (Jan 22, 2010)

bump


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## Dragon_Lover_85 (Jan 22, 2010)

I am really interested in this thread myself as I have been breeding mealworms for a few months and now have that many I gotta sell some. I am struggling however to get them to the size you see at the pet shops before they turn into aliens. Any ideas on how to help them grow would be wonderful.


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## Jen (Jan 22, 2010)

Dragon_Lover_85 said:


> I am really interested in this thread myself as I have been breeding mealworms for a few months and now have that many I gotta sell some. I am struggling however to get them to the size you see at the pet shops before they turn into aliens. Any ideas on how to help them grow would be wonderful.



Many of the ones in shops are 'Super worms', or 'King worms'. Superworms refer to regular mealworms (Tenebrio molitor), that have been grown to a larger size using growth hormones or steroids. Kingworms(zophobas morio) are a seperate species with a darker color and larger size than mealworms. The 'aliens' you are seeing are the pupal form and will eventually change to beetles. Artifiicially 'overgrown' mealworms either take longer or do not at all reach the pupal stage (can't remeber which), so you can't breed your own from them.


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