# Small hairy worms in roach container?



## glenitalia (Feb 11, 2014)

I went to fetch a few roaches for my beardie today and saw at least 2 of these small worms in my roach container.
Pic here: http://i.imgur.com/F1xq1Pv.jpg (It's the small thing above the roach)
They were active, moving around as I was looking in

Can anyone tell me what they are? Are my roaches safe to feed still?


----------



## popitgoes (Oct 24, 2010)

they are found in most boxes of live feed they aint going hurt your roaches they apparently eat alot of the crap in there


----------



## glebopalma28 (Mar 26, 2010)

They are the larvae of a Dermestid beetle, lots of commercial live food breeders keep them in with their breeding stock as they will consume the bodies of dead insects and other rubbish that can build up in a tank. They are also used by museums to clean the flesh off of skeletons before mounting.

Kindest regards,
Alex


----------



## herper147 (Feb 7, 2009)

They make great feeders if you keep inverts, I use them for my slings

Not sure about feeding to lizards though, dont think It would be a problem


----------



## SwampyK (Jan 28, 2012)

All my geckos love them, they're perfectly fine to feed.


----------



## thoir (May 12, 2014)

Aha ye first time I found them in my colony I freaked out.. I'd welcome them now though for eating up the dead roaches which will prevent mites and such.


----------



## Emma30 (Apr 18, 2008)

The last time I replied to a thread like this and said they were cleaner bugs, another rfuk member replied and said they are not cleaner bugs but pests that live food breeders dont like them in with the live food, anyone else think the same as us..... 

cleaner bugs or pests?


----------



## benjo (Oct 31, 2007)

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/feeder/613679-dermestidae-hairy-worms-feeder-tubs.html


Explains everything


----------



## Emma30 (Apr 18, 2008)

Defo should be a sticky :2thumb:


----------



## thoir (May 12, 2014)

They are famous.. http://youtu.be/L-37FDFcw74?t=23s


----------

