Options for Worm substrate

[Shijadi]

I'm looking to get a different kind of gutloading substrate for my mealworms and superworms. I've been keeping them in rolled oats, but I've been having trouble keeping dry and clean and usually goes bad within a day. I was originally recommended to get chicken feed, especially for egg layers as they tend to have higher amounts of protein and calcium. However, chicken feed is a little bit of a hassle for me to get.

I'm wondering if there are other types of feed that are both nutritious and harmless for my leos in the long run. For example, what about wild bird seed or seed for pet birds? Kibbles for cats and dogs? Food for small rodent pets? What are the nutrient content for some of these pre-formulated foods, and are they safe?

Or am I better off getting cornmeal, bran, etc. and making a mix substrate? (to me, adding up all the ingredients would end up being more expensive in the long run.)

If you know of a good brand of chicken feed I can try and order, let me know as well.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hi Shijadi ~

This is also good for worms: Zoo Med's Natural Adult Bearded Dragon Food.

I use Albers' All Purpose Poultry Food. hmarie186 uses Purina Layena Sunfresh Crumbles.

For some details please click: http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...-feeding-issues/68574-cricket-guidelines.html

 

[acpart]

I get gut load from progeckos.com. I have made my own in the past but probably used too many oily substances (like nuts and seeds) so the substrate was too oily and the worms died. Are you putting the rolled oats in the blender to powder them? If they're going bad I would wonder if there is too much humidity, which could occur if the worms are in a covered container with heat, so there's condensation.

Aliza

 

[hmarie186]

If you powder it too fine, the worms can suffocate, that's why I love doing the crumbles. What do your containers look like? Are they covered? What are you using for moisture? Purina is a pretty huge brand and widely available. Oats and wheat have pretty crappy calcium : phosphorus levels. If you get the Layena crumbles get the ones without added omega 3s. I'm not convinced the mealworms in particular need more fat even if it is a better fat..

 

[LEOPARD1]

In know it sounds rediculous. I buy RainbowMealworms "cricket feed and use it as bedding for my Giant Mealworms. It has been very economical and useful.

Purina is notorious for using garbage and animal by products. To each their own.

 

[LEOPARD1]

Test

 

[LEOPARD1]

I
Love
LG's

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

In know it sounds rediculous. I buy RainbowMealworms "cricket feed and use it as bedding for my Giant Mealworms. It has been very economical and useful.

Purina is notorious for using garbage and animal by products. To each their own.

Cricket food can be used as a mealworm bedding.

Can you find a Guaranteed Analysis of ingredients for Rainbow Mealworms Cricket Food?

 

[LEOPARD1]

Cricket food can be used as a mealworm bedding.

Can you find a Guaranteed Analysis of ingredients for Rainbow Mealworms Cricket Food?

\

Cricket Food
Net weight 16 oz

Rainbow Mealworm's special blend of mixed grain nutrients.

We have our cricket meal formulated by a mill that supplies human bakeries because we only use human grade products. This is the same grain we use to feed our crickets on our farm.

The meal is from the part of the grain that still contains the bran and germ and is much higher in protein, vitamins and minerals than more refined grains like those found in breakfast cereals. This means crickets fed our grains are larger, higher in protein naturally, and can pass those vitamins on to your reptile. We have never fed our crickets vitamin enhanced food or chemicals and never will. We believe in chemical free farming and strive to be as organic as possible.

EXTREMELY VAGUE but I am cool with them so they should let me know the main ingredients.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Cricket Food
Net weight 16 oz

Rainbow Mealworm's special blend of mixed grain nutrients.

We have our cricket meal formulated by a mill that supplies human bakeries because we only use human grade products. This is the same grain we use to feed our crickets on our farm.

The meal is from the part of the grain that still contains the bran and germ and is much higher in protein, vitamins and minerals than more refined grains like those found in breakfast cereals. This means crickets fed our grains are larger, higher in protein naturally, and can pass those vitamins on to your reptile. We have never fed our crickets vitamin enhanced food or chemicals and never will. We believe in chemical free farming and strive to be as organic as possible.

EXTREMELY VAGUE but I am cool with them so they should let me know the main ingredients.

That's all I found as well, L@1. You're correct, extremely vague.

PS: Wonder whether Rainbow Mealworms has a % listing of ingredients too.

 

[hmarie186]

Purina is notorious for using garbage and animal by products. To each their own.

In a lot of their foods, yes. The Sunfresh Layena is grain based, vegetarian (no animal fats, proteins, dairy) with no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives like BHA, BHT or ethoxyquin. I've spent many hours researching all sorts of chicken feeds and "gut loading diets" available and this is actually one of the top ones I've found. It's a surprisingly good product from a less than stellar company.

Do you know what the protein, fat and calcium levels are in the diet you feed? I'd like to compare just for my own information.

 

[Shijadi]

Thank you all for the input! I have been keeping all my worms in well ventilated containers, so I'm not really sure where all the moisture was coming from, perhaps it was from the veggies and such I use for a water source. I ended up giving my superworms to a friend; they stunk to high heaven despite my constant upkeep. My friend has larger reptiles like beardies to feed them to, so they are not going to waste.

Also, I did manage to find somewhere within a reasonable distance that sells chicken feed, so I will see about getting some crumbles for my mealies!

 

[hmarie186]

Just read ingredients carefully! Stay away from preservatives, as most of them can be passed on thru the feeders and I'm not sure long term effects of those things on reptiles. I went to tractor supply and advise you to stay away from the DuMor brand. It had a weird ingredient in it that I researched that was sketchy even to put in animal feed.