# Giant meal worm hormone?



## Halfpint (Sep 11, 2009)

I give my geckos and pygmy hog live mealies as part of their diet. I have always had the normal sized ones. My OH picked some up from the pet shop yesterday, and they are much bigger than the ones we always get. They are deffinatly not morio worms. I have read on a hog forum, on other web sites and even wikipedia that some meal worms are given a growth hormone to make they bigger, and to stop then changing into beetles. When using these mealies long term, it is said they can make your pet infertile, as the hormone makes the mealie itself infertile. 

The pet shop we got them from has said this is a load of rubbish and not true! Has anyone on here heard of this? Please help, very confused now.


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## GlasgowGecko (Feb 23, 2008)

I assume the hormone in question is Ecdysone a hydroxlyated steroid involved in molting? If not it could be juvenile hormone sesquiterpene. Regulation of these hormones is well documented to affect metamorphosis in insects. IF you prevent metamorphosis the larval stage will continue to grow, and because it is still juvenile will not reproduce. This isn't really the same as making it infertile, although I haven't heard of any cases where animals grown to such extent, then allowed to change into their adult form being infertile.

Ecdysone has no affects on mammals, and as such is used for experiments where cell transformation is required.

Perhaps this doesn't answer your question, but its difficult without knowing what hormone we are referring too. I doubt the claims of infertility in the species which is eating the worms however.

Andy


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## Halfpint (Sep 11, 2009)

Giant Mealworms: New York Worms Giant Mealworms

Giant mealworm - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

These are two of the sites where hormones are mentioned.


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## GlasgowGecko (Feb 23, 2008)

Neither of these sites are either specific, or really reliable sources of information.

If you can find the name of the hormone then you should be able to find the affects on animals that eat it.
Personally my opinion is:
1) We have no idea what volume of hormone is used, and so what value of the hormone is still present in the worm at time of eating. This means its difficult to tell what level of exposure to expect.
2) Neither of the chemicals typically associated with moulting in insects play vital roles in the body of either reptiles or mammals. Which suggest that they should not have an effect on them.
3) I would avoid using these worms with invertebrates that DO require moulting hormones.

All of this however can only be conjecture as we don't know what the hormone IS.

One thing that is certain however, increasing the size of the larval stage of this species WILL increase the fat content. I would take this into consideration when making my choice.

Andy


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## Blaptica (Jun 26, 2008)

Would it not just be safer to use other livefoods ? There are alot of alternative out there. Morios being the obvious choice. 

Personally I would touch these hormone fed worms.


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## Paulusworm (Jan 26, 2009)

I completely agree with GlasgowGecko's posts and am also glad that he posted the names of the hormones related to moulting, etc as I couldn't remember them off the top of my head. Regarding the issue of homone treated mealworms being infertile, they are just as fertile as untreated mealworms once they reach adulthood. I had a successful colony which was started from hormonally treated stock. All the hormone does is add an extra instar into the juvenile stage of the insect's development.


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## Halfpint (Sep 11, 2009)

Id rather not use morios as they can bite. I'll stick with normal mealies i think. Thanks for the help GlasgowGeckos. I wanted to check if these rumors were true before i started feeding my animals on them. Better safe than sorry!


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## Paulusworm (Jan 26, 2009)

Halfpint said:


> Id rather not use morios as they can bite.


Just take their heads off just before you offer them. Did that with my Bosc when he was little.


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