Mealworm Beetles

[sketchy4]

ive never heard of anyone using the beetles as a feeder for their leos so i was wondering if it would be ok to occasionally give them one or two. i was also wondering if it could cause impaction a bit more easily if overfed seeing as they have a stronger shell than thier larvae. any insight?

[drewlowe]

You can feed beetles their just not as nutritious as the mealies or the aliens.

Jamie

[672]

Mine won't take beetles, but you can try it I suppose.

[thunder]

if your leo will eat them, i say its fine. when i get too many beetles in my culture, i walk a round my collection and play "who will eat . . . "

[Samba]

I keep beetles inside my geckos' enclosure because they remain unharmed and produce mealies for my girls to eat. When Candy, my youngest leo, first spotted a beetle, she pounced on it and downed it. Afterwards I could just see a "Yuck!" expression... she's never eaten one since. I don't think they taste very good to them but I really don't think there's any harm if they do grab one by mistake. =)

[sketchy4]

ok. well i gave my female one and she downed it with no problem at all. so, ill give them one or two each occasionally. thanks!

[Samba]

Try giving them the mealworm pupae (the stage between 'worm' and 'beetle'). Mine adore those and will snap them up quick! =)

[drewlowe]

Originally posted by Samba
Try giving them the mealworm pupae (the stage between 'worm' and 'beetle'). Mine adore those and will snap them up quick! =)

I agree, and they are more nutritious for your geckos...

Jamie

[sketchy4]

ok i will do that too.

[672]

How do you get them to eat pupae? Mine like stuff that moves, and those don't.

[sketchy4]

well, i found that if you squeeze their tails just a tad, they will wiggle in a circular motion. so i just did that and held it out in front of my leos and they took it from my fingers.

[herpslave]

My old albino eats em when i drop them in front or right by her face where she can see them. Then she pounces them. And about the beetles I too do the who will eat when i have toomany. They eat all lof them.

[herpslave]

Sometimes I wish sites sold mealworm pupae. So i wouldnt have to use my own culture.

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

I dont seen how the pupae(or "aliens") would be as nutritious as the worms or bettles because this is the only stage that does not eat anything, and there for it is not gutloaded. A mealworm will not really eat before it pupates and will probably poop out what it does it(some wont eat at all for a day or more before they pupate). So I wouldnt see how a pupae is so much healthier? I know that they have less of an exoskeleton to them, but what would that matter if they had less nutrition inside of them? Just my 2 cents.

C.

[herpslave]

How does our body store things? Especially carrot or potatoes... They store nutients. May not be as health but they still are...