Mealworm substrates

[reptilesunleashed]

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What can I use as mealworm substrate? I already know the oats, flour, cornmeal and bran. Can I use steel cut oats? Can I mix steel cut oats with the regular oats?

[Elizabeth Freer]

Use already ground Pro Gutload diet (by Professional Reptiles)

• Click: 1 lb Pro Gutload - Professional Reptiles

Don't use oats, wheat bran, or wheat germ for these reasons:

• For 98 click: Common Mealworm & Superworm Dry Diets & Beddings -- Use something else!

[reptilesunleashed]

Is there anything else that you can use in the house?

[Elizabeth Freer]

Is there anything else that you can use in the house?

Here's some good stuff to use from my Cricket Guidelines I.

"If you opt for making your own gutload at home, here is a list of great ingredients to use:
Best: mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion flowers & leaves, collard greens, escarole lettuce, papaya, watercress, and alfalfa.
Good: sweet potato, carrots, oranges, mango, butternut squash, kale, apples, beet greens, blackberries, bok choy, and green beans.
Dry food: bee pollen, organic non-salted sunflower seeds, spirulina, dried seaweed, flax seed, and organic non-salted almonds.
Avoid as much as possible: potatoes, cabbage, iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, corn, grains, beans, oats, bread, cereal, meat, eggs, dog food, cat food, fish food, canned or dead insects, vertebrates."

/\ /\ These are ingredients you can add from time to time. Besides these ingredients, it's important to use a properly mixed dry diet 24/7. I prefer to use some dry mix that covers ALL the bases for our special pets. "A little of this and a little more of that" is a hit and miss way to mix a dry diet unless we are nutritionists.

As link 98 shows wheat germ, wheat bran, and oats (steel cut oats too) are hugely high in phosphorus. A gecko is what he eats. When a gecko eats too much phosphorus he can't absorb calcium. If your leo can't absorb calcium, he'll get MBD (metabolic bone disease). Other people suggest recipes with other ingredients. When one uses those recipes you must remove any mealworms or crickets you plan to feed to your leo 24-48 hours ahead of feeding them off. Then you'll need to feed them the ProGutload diet anyways.

A 1-step process produces crickets, roaches, (and mealworms) I can count on. There is no Step 2 separately gutloading them.

The ProGutload diet covers the bases. It's the least expensive quality diet I've found.

[Herpin Man]

I use chick starter. It's inexpensive, and available at any farm store.
It's nutritious, too; I've had the same mealworm colony going on it since 1997.

[reptilesunleashed]

Here's some good stuff to use from my Cricket Guidelines I.



/\ /\ These are ingredients you can add from time to time. Besides these ingredients, it's important to use a properly mixed dry diet 24/7. I prefer to use some dry mix that covers ALL the bases for our special pets. "A little of this and a little more of that" is a hit and miss way to mix a dry diet unless we are nutritionists.

As link 98 shows wheat germ, wheat bran, and oats (steel cut oats too) are hugely high in phosphorus. A gecko is what he eats. When a gecko eats too much phosphorus he can't absorb calcium. If your leo can't absorb calcium, he'll get MBD (metabolic bone disease). Other people suggest recipes with other ingredients. When one uses those recipes you must remove any mealworms or crickets you plan to feed to your leo 24-48 hours ahead of feeding them off. Then you'll need to feed them the ProGutload diet anyways.

A 1-step process produces crickets, roaches, (and mealworms) I can count on. There is no Step 2 separately gutloading them.

The ProGutload diet covers the bases. It's the least expensive quality diet I've found.

Thanks for the detailed response. How much does the shipping cost? I looked on it and tried to find how much the shipping is but I couldn't find anything. Can I use oats for the beetles since they won't be used as food?

[Elizabeth Freer]

Thanks for the detailed response. How much does the shipping cost? I looked on it and tried to find how much the shipping is but I couldn't find anything. Can I use oats for the beetles since they won't be used as food?

You're quite welcome!

Email: cody@professionalreptiles.com He's at Professional Reptiles and can give you the shipping cost.

Phone: (775) 359-1085

You can use oats for the beetles, if you wish.

[Elizabeth Freer]

I use chick starter. It's inexpensive, and available at any farm store.
It's nutritious, too; I've had the same mealworm colony going on it since 1997.

Just curious: Which brand of chick starter do you use?

[Herpin Man]

It depends on where I happen to buy it, but lately I have been using Nature Wise non-medicated.

[reptilesunleashed]

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It depends on where I happen to buy it, but lately I have been using Nature Wise non-medicated.

Can you use any kind like Manna Pro?
Elizabeth Freer, what is about the average shipping cost from Professional Reptiles? I just want to know the average shipping cost, if you know.