Wax worm fine dining...

HeatherRose · 09-07-04, 04:41 PM

Hey guys.

I bought a bunch of waxies at the pet store and low and behold, when I got them home I realized they were all pupated already. I decided to see if I could hatch them out into moths, and I did. Loud little buggers.... *flap flap flap* all night...

What can I feed them? Their substrate is a mix of wood shavings (what they came in) and rolled oats. Would I do the same as per my mealies and toss in a carrot once and a while?

Any suggestions would be appreciated

Heather

Samba · 09-08-04, 03:03 PM

Are you asking how to care for these animals until they are consumed? I don't know much about waxies, except that they are low in nutritional content, animals LOVE them, and they are good for getting pets to gain weight...

I care for them by simpley putting them in a Kritter Keeper with some lizard litter, romaine leaves and carrots, or potato slices. Sometimes I offer fruit... but this is just to gut load them and keep them alive until they're ready to be served.

Same with mealies... actually had success breeding mealies without trying. Kritter Keeper, loose substrate, romaine leaves, fruit, veggies, etc. I pretty much feed them scraps or leftovers from salads and such that my box turtle and I share. Never "human" food. Give mealie beetles a piece of bark or something to hide in and around. Mating occurs all the time... I usually harvest 'worms' whenever I need to, and over-harvesting is surprisingly difficult... young mealworms are extremely teeny tiny, and easy to miss.

Hope this helps!

HeatherRose · 09-08-04, 09:16 PM

Thanks! Yes, basically just what to do for them to keep them alive until I feed them off...

thanks

Samba · 09-09-04, 11:08 AM

Your welcome... I would highly recommend breeding mealies, though... it's easy, and think of the money you'll save producing food for your own animals. (Here you pay $4.00 for 50 worms, when one female beetle can provide you with so much more for less)... You'll know exactly how healthy your are, and I believe there's less of a chance of contamination to your geckos if you raise your own...

My mealies initially started reproducing in my leo tank. I soon removed them, and gave them a tank all their own. Occasionally I buy worms, and introduce some into the tank, just to make sure that there will be beetles to produce mealworms. Aside that, feed once a week or so and they're happy campers! =)

P.S. Forgot to warn you... make sure you have at least 3 or 4 animals to feed mealies to before you start breeding them or you'll end up with a million leftover beetles and mealies. I have 8 leopard geckos and 1 african plated lizard that help keep the mealies from piling up! =)

HeatherRose · 09-09-04, 08:38 PM

One step ahead of you Samba

I breed them already...thanks anyway though

All the ones I bought would smell, and if I was a herp I wouldn't want to eat them...if it's not good enough for me...well...uh...then it's not good enough for them

hehehe.

I just wanted to branch out, I love wax worms, they're mostly for my chameleon to vary his diet.

Anyway, I'm sure this post makes me seem weird enough

Heather

aaron · 09-09-04, 09:11 PM

Hi Heather,

I'm pretty sure that wax worms need a special mix of honey and bran or something like that! You actaullly need to "cook" the honey into the bran and lay it out flat then cumble it up after it cools. I can't remember exactly but I think I read about it on reptile rescue. I tried it and it was very messy and sticky so I never tried it again.

Aaron

Vanan · 09-10-04, 09:36 AM

Also, I dont think the moths eat anything. They just breed. But don't quote me on it. I vaguely recall something like that when we were breeding waxies. And yea the mixture which aaron's talking about is enough for feeding them. Don't forget to provide areas for them to lay their eggs in eg., crushed paper towels, egg crate or any thing with small nooks and crannies.

Samba · 09-10-04, 11:34 AM

Hmm... now I'm thinking of breeding waxies... it seems a little more complicated than mealies, though. I have a hard time keeping them alive... they often turn black and die if I don't feed them off within a few days... Maybe because I've been trying to feed them romaine, and banana and apple peels... LOL =)

Heather, sorry, I didn't know you bred them already... I just always tell everyone how much easier, cost effective and satisfying it is to raise your pet's own food... LOL =)

Let us know how it works out!!! =)

Vanan · 09-10-04, 02:24 PM

Want easy breeders, try roaches (and I don't mean just hissers). Just as easy but a whole lot more nutritious.

annieb_mice · 09-10-04, 10:36 PM

If you are going to start breeding roaches.... go for the Lobster roaches! They are REALLY prolific little things! But you DEFINATELY need to put about an inch of vaseline around the top and better make it pretty thick... or they will get out...

LOL!
Take care
Annie B. <:3 )~~

daver676 · 09-10-04, 11:27 PM

What are you going to feed the moths to? I'd love to see some pics. I bet that would be great fun to watch!

HeatherRose · 09-13-04, 07:27 PM

If I do feed off the moths it will be to my more ravenous crested geckos or to the chameleon

I remember the honey bran thing now, and it got sticky and they all died...*sigh*. Maybe it's just not for me