Mealworm substrates

reptilesunleashed

reptilesunleashed

New member
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

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
reptilesunleashed said:
Is there anything else that you can use in the house?
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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."
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/\ /\ 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.
 
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Herpin Man

Herpin Man

Member
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

reptilesunleashed

New member
Elizabeth Freer said:
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.
Click to expand...

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?
 
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Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
reptilesunleashed said:
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?
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You're quite welcome! :biggrin:

Email: [B]cody@professionalreptiles.com[/B] 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.
 
reptilesunleashed

reptilesunleashed

New member
Herpin Man said:
It depends on where I happen to buy it, but lately I have been using Nature Wise non-medicated.
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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.
 
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Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
reptilesunleashed said:
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.
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Here's what Cody said in his email:

"Shipping is a flat rate of $6.50 for USPS priority mail. I can actually send 2 lbs of gutload for the same shipping cost."

For 1 leo I recommend 1 pound. Keep it in an airtight container to prolong it's freshness.
 
Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
reptilesunleashed said:
Thanks for the info. Is this a good substrate? https://www.amazon.com/Kaytee-Chick...0&sr=8-5&keywords=non+medicated+chick+starter
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Don't order 5 pounds of any feed. It takes a while for your crickets and mealworms to eat it. Way before you finish it, 5 pounds will probably be expired.

"Cody's Pro Gutload is suitable for all ages of crickets, mealworms, superworms and all species of roaches. Every ingredient is blended to a powder and mixed in my facility ensuring the cleanest and freshest food possible. Our veterinarian has looked over Pro Gutload to ensure proper nutrition."

Make sure what you get:
  • contains vitamin A acetate (retinol)
  • is non-medicated
  • contains no diatomaceous earth
  • has a good balance of ingredients like what is contained in Cody's ProGutload
    • "Ingredients in Cody's ProGutload:

      • Sun-grown grains, wheat middlings, dehulled soybean meal, safflower, dehydrated alfalfa meal, ground wheat, ground rice hulls, molasses, canola meal, rice bran, marigold extract, various seeds and greens, calcium supplement, vitamin/mineral supplement and more.
    • Analysis:

      • Crude Protein 20.90%
        Crude Fat 5.16%
        Fiber 14.20%
        Ash 9.53%
        Calcium 1.70%"
You're doing an AWESOME job researching what your mealworms and other bugs need to eat! :banana:

Let your parents help make this decision. Show them these messages. I hope that is possible.
 
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reptilesunleashed

reptilesunleashed

New member
Thank you! How often am I supposed to replace the substrate and how long will the Pro Gutload last? The beetles can be on steel cut oats right?
 
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