Mealworms transformed into beetle ?

Question

Hi i i usually feed my reptiles mealworms but some of the mealworms turn into beetles and they are slightly plae or red in colour sometimes even black! Just wondering if theses beetles can still be used as feeders as i fed it to my chameleon and he seems to like them. but just wondering if they are unhealthly etc. thanks

Answer 1

Mealworms turn into mealworm beetles if they're not kept refrigerated. My dad used to breed them as odd as that sounds. He kept the meal worms in a container of potatoe skins. You can also breed them for mealworms. They also fly. So I would suggest keeping the mealworms in the refrigerator but in a container of course. You can feed them to your lizards but again, they do fly.

You can find more info here if you would like to find out about breeding them:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mealworm

The female can lay from 70 - 100 eggs so if you're looking to keep mealworms as a main food source, this can save you money.

Here's another good source for info about breeding them

http://www.triciaswaterdragon.com/mealwo...

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

The pale and red ones don't have fully hardened shells yet. I wouldn't do it as a staple diet or on routine, but one or two every week to every other week shouldn't harm the lizard.

Answer 3

No is the simple answer.

A few aren't going to do any harm, but you only want to feed them as a rare occasional treat like you would waxworms.

They just don't have any nutritional value at all and contain a mild toxin that could cause issues if eaten in large amounts.

Answer 4

Make sure you refridgerate your mealworms; they should last longer (without transforming I mean). But no, you shouldn't give him the adult mealworm beetle. They are poor in nutritional value and should only be given as *RARE* treats, if at all.