# Do mealworms actually eat porridge oat?



## Tristan (Oct 5, 2008)

Obviously they're grain eaters but the times I've used porridge oats they've never seemed to eat it and died off. It isn't a case of dehydration as potato slices are always supplied fresh.


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## REDDEV1L (Nov 27, 2008)

I was wondering the same thing, I had a 50/50 mix of porridge oats and wheat bran and there seems to be alot more porridge left compared to bran.....Tell ya what...I'll test it...move a beetle from my colony and put it with porridge only then see if it eats it...lol


Edit: Thanks to comment below I can free my little test subject from solitary confinement...although s/he didnt seem interested in the oats...just wanted to hide lol


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## puyopop (Oct 21, 2008)

Yes they do eat it, I only use oats and it works fine.. the thing is oats are big so you cant really tell that its been eaten. But yeah they do eat it, i've even seen it with my own eyes.


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

Are you using cooking oats or instant?


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## Tristan (Oct 5, 2008)

I've used both.


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

Well they tend to eat the instant kind more often. Keep in mind aswell their stomachs are tiny so they dont eat much anyway and oats are extremely filling.


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## Myo (Feb 14, 2008)

It's probably the potatoes. I was told that any kind of moisture kills them off pretty fast, and to keep them as dry as possible.


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

Myo said:


> It's probably the potatoes. I was told that any kind of moisture kills them off pretty fast, and to keep them as dry as possible.


Nope, "keep as dry as possible" means little to no humidity, they need somewhere to drink from though : victory:


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## REDDEV1L (Nov 27, 2008)

Yup, humidity killed quite a few of mine when they were in the fridge (Stupidly left some apple & carrot in with em) and yet if you read the RSPB website they recommend 70% humidity :hmm:


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

mine are living in sainsburys value muesli with cabbage, celery and carrot for moisture.

the oats are dissapearing fast, they dont seem to like the bran flake things in there tho.

mine are in a faunarium so the humidty is low, have you got a lid on them? or maybe they dont like potato!

i dont like using bran, its very low in calcium


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

REDDEV1L said:


> Yup, humidity killed quite a few of mine when they were in the fridge (Stupidly left some apple & carrot in with em) and yet if you read the RSPB website they recommend 70% humidity :hmm:


Yeah I saw that aswell, and they then say "some forum of humidity is essential (50-80% R.H.) :S 

I find the best thing when you put them in the fridge is to get a pack of shops own brand tissue (toilet paper or kitchen paper) and get a tupper ware container and line the bottom with the tissue, cover with meal worms, put another layer of tissue, cover with meal worms and so on. I hardly ever put them in the fridge though, I just put them on the kitchen floor under the cupboard, if one escaped and turns into a beetle I can just say it came from outside so the 'rents done kill me :whistling2::lol2:


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## amyloveys (Jan 12, 2008)

mine are in a fanaurium with tesco value oats and corn flakes, the corn flakes always go first. every sunday i cover the top in calcium feed and the have no potatoes etc for water and are kept by my front door so its not to warm. they are breeding like mad!


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## filardimarg2 (Nov 6, 2008)

Well mine love cabbage & carrot, i was also told to give them wheatabix, they do seem to like that too, but i don't give them anything to for moisture.
Marg.


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## Lizard Loft (Mar 1, 2008)

Mine are in a 42 litre rub its only 5inches high but about 2.5ft long lol, i have millions of them they have oats as a substrate, 

i give them, left over beardie veg everyday, aswell as a handful of salads from a salad bag, cabbage leaves and left over stuff from making tea, and they polish it all off in a day, ive had them for around 6months and i am just goin to start using them this week :2thumb:


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