question about mealworms

[Pringlesmom]

How long are they good for if they are in the fridge? I bought a cup of live ones and he hasn't even eaten half of the cup yet, but I dont want to keep them too long.

[PrettyHate]

If theyre alive (and being kept in a fridge) they will last quite a long time :) Being at a cool temp like that slows them down quite a bit, and they wont morph as quickly as they would at room temp. Even after they have turned into the pupa, and then the beatles, they are still alright to feed to your hedgie (if your hedgie will eat them).

[Pringlesmom]

wow...i didnt even know they would "morph" or turn into beatles!!! OMG...I won't tell my mom that!!!

[HedgieMomma]

Hi Denise,
You could always buy "Fluker's Freeze Dried Mealworms" and they won't go bad.
That is what we use here because I dislike finding them suckers crawling around in my hedgehogs bedding, they are always fresh, and I don't have to gutload them to make them nutritious.
Michelle

[hedgehog69]

I just raise my own mealies so they are already gutloaded and full of vitamins, If they are put into the fridge it will slow their body down so they will last a long time but they still do need to eat, just use a carrot, or potato, or a piece of lettuce.

[Pringlesmom]

Call me crazy, but what does "gutloaded" mean? My sister got me this container of mealies from a petsmart when I got Scoops in August. I just feed them to him like that. Am I doing something wrong?

[Toto]

Gutloaded means that the mealworms are filled-up, that they have been fed. It makes them more nutricious

[ejw829]

Hi Denise,
You could always buy "Fluker's Freeze Dried Mealworms" and they won't go bad.
That is what we use here because I dislike finding them suckers crawling around in my hedgehogs bedding, they are always fresh, and I don't have to gutload them to make them nutritious.
Michelle

I used to get the canned mealies and canned crickets (Pringlesmom: Bill's Wonderland on Rt. 30 -- really nice folk there) for the gang... with up to 5 hedgies the canned variety went quickly :winkgrin: Plus the live ones give me the heebie-jeebies.

-e-

[Pringlesmom]

Thanks!!