Mealworms?
Mealworms are the larval stage of the darkling beetle (Tenebrio molitor), and they’re one of the best protein-packed treats you can give your pets. Whether you’re feeding reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish, or even hermit crabs, mealworms are a versatile and nutritious option. They’re loaded with protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals, all of which are essential for your pets’ health and energy.
In the wild, animals find mealworms in decaying plant matter or soil, but when raised at home, they become a clean and sustainable food source. Live mealworms are especially great for encouraging natural hunting and foraging behaviors in your pets, which keeps them mentally stimulated and healthy.
Bearded dragons should not eat mealworms for more than a treat.
Why Mealworms?
Their high protein content makes them excellent for growth and energy. Because of their fat content, you’ll want to use them as part of a balanced diet instead of the main course.
Plus, raising mealworms is good for the planet. They’re low-maintenance, need very little space, and thrive on simple grains or food scraps. Compared to traditional livestock, they’re an eco-friendly way to provide for your pets while keeping your environmental impact low.
How to Raise and Breed Mealworms
Breeding mealworms at home is easy, cost-effective, and keeps you in control of your pets’ food quality. Here’s how to set up a mealworm colony that’s clean and pest-free:
1. Setting Up Their Home
• Container: Pick a shallow bin with smooth sides to keep them from escaping. Plastic trays, bins, or drawers work great. Mealworms prefer spreading out, so go for a wide container instead of a deep one.
• Ventilation: Add some ventilation holes, covered with fine mesh to keep pests out.
2. Substrate and Food
• Substrate: Use dry, powdered grains like blended up oatmeal, wheat bran, or other ground grains. This doubles as bedding and food, keeping things simple and tidy.
• Moisture Source: Carrots are the way to go for hydration. They don’t mold quickly and keep the setup clean. Avoid wet foods like apples or cucumbers, as they can create a mess and attract pests.
HERMIT CRAB PEOPLE: It’s not a requirement, but you can choose to only feed your mealworms hermit crab safe foods, ensuring they are 100% safe for your crabbies 😉 that’s what we do with all of our mealworms
3. Cleaning and Maintenance
• Use a fine-mesh sifter to separate the mealworms from their waste and old substrate. Replenish the bedding as needed with fresh ground up grains.
4. Understanding Their Lifecycle
Mealworms go through four life stages:
• Eggs: Tiny and almost invisible, laid by adult beetles in the substrate.
• Larvae (Mealworms): This is the stage your pets will eat. Mealworms grow by shedding their skins multiple times.
• Pupae: These don’t move or eat, but they’re transforming into adult beetles.
• Adults (Darkling Beetles): These guys lay the eggs that keep your colony going. Move them to a separate bin if you want to control the population.
You do not need to separate mealworms during life stages like you do with super worms. Their whole life cycle happens within one habitat.
Keep the temperature around 70-80°F to speed up their lifecycle. At this temperature, you’ll have a steady supply of mealworms to harvest.
5. Pests
Grain mites will be the main problem you’ll have to look out for. In a bad infestation, the substrate will look like it’s moving. Otherwise you will see super tiny, almost sand like mites crawling along the walls of your habitat. Just keep it clean and dry. Use vinegar and water to clean the glass.
Dry substrates and minimal moisture are your best defense against grain mites and other pests. Stick to carrots for moisture, clean regularly, and don’t overcrowd your bins. If your colony grows too big, spread them out into more shallow containers to keep everything manageable.
6. Culling
If you’re raising mealworms, culling is just part of the process. Whether you’re managing your colony size or harvesting them as food, it’s important to do it humanely and responsibly.
The best way to cull mealworms is by freezing them. This method is simple and mimics their natural reaction to cold, where they go dormant before passing. Here’s how I do it:
1. Put the mealworms into a small container.
2. Pop the container in the freezer for about 24-48 hours.
3. Once they’re frozen, you can feed them to your pets or store them for later.
Freezing is stress-free for the mealworms and easy for you. It keeps things clean, humane, and efficient, while also giving your pets a high-quality treat.
7. Preserving (for hermit crabs, birds, rodents etc)
Dehydrating mealworms involves using heat and airflow to remove moisture, leaving them lighter and more shelf-stable. This method is simple, especially with a dehydrator, and keeps most of the nutrients intact. However, it can alter the texture of the mealworms, making them a bit crunchier and smaller. But they’re still packed with protein and can be stored for months.
Freeze-drying, on the other hand, is a more advanced process that freezes the mealworms first, then removes the moisture in a vacuum. This method helps preserve their original size and texture while keeping all the nutrients locked in. Freeze-dried mealworms are great because they retain a lot of their natural flavor and can be easily rehydrated with water, making them feel a bit fresher when served.
Mealworms are a simple, sustainable, and affordable way to make sure your pets get a healthy, high-quality treat. Raising them at home means you always have a clean, nutritious option on hand, and it’s super satisfying to watch your colony thrive!