# Just started my mealworm breeding tubs



## xxstaggyxx (Oct 22, 2008)

So i have just set up my mealworm breeding tub i have used porrige oats for the substrate i am using 2 x 50L rubs i have 10 pre packed tubs in each 50L now it just time to sit back and wait might see some results in a few months 

Once i have a good supply going i will be selling them on my online store for the cheapest price around i had a nice order come in today all sold out already

well i will update on how things are going in due course ill also get some pics so i can show you how i have set them up 

cheers 

Andy


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## fraggs (Mar 16, 2009)

sounds pretty cool : victory:


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## xxstaggyxx (Oct 22, 2008)

Yea it's not to bad im hoping in a week to 2 weeks to have five 50L RUBS going but i would like to get to about ten 50L RUBS in the next month to 2 months to have a good supply of mealies when they start coming


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## xxstaggyxx (Oct 22, 2008)

well just a little update i have taken out about 15 aliens out of each tub each time i go up there seems to be more im only taking the ones off the top as i don't want to dig all the medium up and disturb the mealies i have got another 5 50L RUBS just waiting on my 5 x 1kg of mealies to arrive then i can get them all set up and on the go and have 7 lots of tubs going at once ill soon be building a rack for this setup


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## fraggs (Mar 16, 2009)

any tips or advice on how to keep and breed mealworms :?:


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## xxstaggyxx (Oct 22, 2008)

well i read the sticky here and then did lots of good searching on breeding and care also on my search i noticed people have lots of diffrent ways of breeding mealworms what i did is collect that information together and then sat down and picked all the best bits out 

this is how i have my 2 50L RUBS set up 


1 x 50L RUB
1kg of standard mealworms
ASDA value porige oats 

1.First i made sure the tub was clean and dry 
2.Then i added about 1 and half to 2 inches of porrige oats 
3.then i added the mealworms to the mix and just mixed it all up and then made sure it was all level 
4.I then got 1 large spud sliced it into 9 slices the reason i done 9 is so i can have 3 rows of the for food and water source 
5.After about 2 days remove then remains of the food and replace with fresh 
6.After a few days you should see aliens take these out and then put them into another tub i use no medium for this as they done eat or drink 
7.then after around 14 days those aliens should then turn into mealworm beetles 

Now at this stage some people add the beetles to another tub with the same medium the mealworms use i don't i add the beetles back to the main tub with the mealworms some people say that they will eat the mealworms but if there is plenty of food they will do fine 
then the beetles mate then lay eggs then these eggs will then turn into a mealworms 

i hope that is clear if not just ask and i will try better better answer questions 

i think i mite write a nice guide on this i know there is one here but i will give it a shot


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## .D.o.m.i.n.o. (Aug 19, 2007)

Sounds like a good plan going on.I actually hatched my first baby crickets today,im soo proud i wole up and saw nothing came home from work and was jumping around like a kid,my first time hatching them.Its just quick food if me and my sister runs out,because we got afew young slings and scorps.: victory:


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## xxstaggyxx (Oct 22, 2008)

Only reason i am breeding is because i don't want to use suppliers so i can sell on my on-line store i would rather breed my own so i know what i am feeding them and then i would be able to tell my customer what food i use and what gut loading i use for the mealworms plus as live food prices are going up i want to be able to bring a rock bottom price for my customers with peace in mind that i am selling a product that i am proud of and that i can put my name on 

i have been working costs out per tub and so far they are cheap and they will be set out as 


40g £1.50
60g £1.60

All with free p&p


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## LFBP-NEIL (Apr 23, 2005)

xxstaggyxx said:


> i have been working costs out per tub and so far they are cheap and they will be set out as
> 
> 
> 40g £1.50
> ...


First class post for a packet of mealworms is currently £1.28, a tub costs about 10p, the box to post it in will cost 20p, your on an 8p loss so far and thats without actually calculating for breeding the mealworms, I admire your intention but i think you need to revise your pricing,


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## xxstaggyxx (Oct 22, 2008)

all my boxes are free that i have same as all the packing i use i dont pay a penny for it the tubs fair point but i must have have 200 so i would be ok for the moment but i know i will have to increase cost at a later date 

Thank you for the advice as i like to somtimes talk to other companies to gain new skills and information without i could't better my own skills 

cheers 

Andy


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## jonnyboy86 (Jul 7, 2009)

had my own online business on ebay selling all kinds of livefoods i bred myself. one very big problem you are gonna have with the set up you have is to seperate the mealworms into different sizes. how you gonna sell 60g of the same size mealworms? pick them out of all the babies mealies and beetles? just something to think about. good luck though!


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## Jill Glover (Jun 17, 2010)

Hi - I separate at all stages then when the beetles have been together for about a week sift out all the substrate and put the beetles in new substrate. I then leave the sifted substrate to hopefull get eggs and babies. Don't yet have any babies it there something else I should be doing ? thanks


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

I found that my mealworms kept dying with porridge oats due to them taking all the humidity out. 
Is the smell putting you off yet?


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