Breeding Mealworms

[Superior]

I might start breeding my own mealworms, and I have a few questions.
One, I have a container I might keep the colony in, and I want to know if its big enough. It has 5 trays, each tray is 1 1/2 in tall, 7in long, and 6in wide.
The whole thing is 10 in tall, 7in long, and 6in wide. I think it would be big enough, because im only feeding one leo. What do you think?

Next, which stages in life should go where? (How many trays do the beetles get, how many for the worms, etc.)

And im confused about the beetles laying eggs on the substrate, then changing the substrate every 2 weeks...?

Thanks for any help :main_thumbsup:

 

[acpart]

The container sizes sound OK except I'd worry about the beetles climbing out if they're only 1 1/2" tall (or did I misunderstand). There are a lot of posts on this forum and on the internet about how to breed mealies and rather than repeat it all, I recommend you do some (more) searching and googling after which we can help with more specific questions.

ALiza

 

[cwazy]

you dont change your bedding, you simply put the beetles in new bedding... if you change your bedding then your tossing all of your babies... wich in turn makes it all pointless

 

[moosassah]

If all you are feeding (at this time) is 1 leo, you'll be fine with a single tray & a container to move the beetles into. I keep my colony in a foil pan & the beetles in a butter bucket. I feed 5 leos.

 

[Superior]

Yea, its 1 1/2in tall, and I did think about the beetles getting out, because I found like 10 of them that escaped from the other container that was 3in tall. Thats why I was confused, I thought I heard somewhere that you change the beetles' bedding, but then you would just lose the eggs...

 

[acpart]

Yea, its 1 1/2in tall, and I did think about the beetles getting out, because I found like 10 of them that escaped from the other container that was 3in tall. Thats why I was confused, I thought I heard somewhere that you change the beetles' bedding, but then you would just lose the eggs...

It all depends how you interpret "change the beetles bedding". You do "change" it, in that you put the beetles in new bedding (that's changing it, right, like when you change your sheets), but you don't throw out the old bedding, you put it in a container and wait till you can see the little worms.

Aliza