# keeping mealworms alive?



## opakg (Oct 14, 2011)

Hi, not a lizard keeper myself and don't understand live food!

I have a very thin clawed frog and got some advice to handfeed mealworms. for weight building. But how do you keep them alive, he will be on 2 a day, and tubs come with tonnes? Gutloading stuff you get for crickets? I have no idea.

Thanks.


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## St185 (Jun 28, 2011)

Stick them in the fridge.. They slow down alot, so they last longer.
Just warm them up and gutload them, then you can give them to your frog


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## opakg (Oct 14, 2011)

how long would they last in the fridge?


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

weeks and weeks and weeks

stick some muesli in the tub, and put them in the salad drawer.

then just get a few out and gutload them for a few days before you use them, then dust them and feed


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## Junior13reptilez (Oct 17, 2010)

Someone I know apparently left theirs in the fridge for about 6months and the majority were still alive.


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## St185 (Jun 28, 2011)

Yeahas above, they last or ages.
What I do with mine is ever weekend I take them out, wait until they warm up and feed them all. Get rid of any dead then stick them back.
I personally dont stick and bran or anything in with them in the fridge cause the condensation makes it wet and you might get mites.


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## opakg (Oct 14, 2011)

Cool i'll pick some up later in the week, in regards to gut loading, should I use some of the stuff they sell for lizards? Or use fruit? It is for a very underweight under nourished african clawed frog that has had its growth stumped. Dusting wouldn't work as they are being fed underwater


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

they`ll only get condensation on them if they`re in a sealed tub.

in muesli in a vented cricket or braplast tub they dont get mouldy or wet, if anything the cereal helps them stay dry.

the advantage of muesli is its full of vitamins already, so it can only help make them more nutritious along with the carrot/apple/cabbage etc


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

if its for one of those small aquatic frogs wont you need mini mealworms?


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## St185 (Jun 28, 2011)

Must just be mine then.. I've tried everything to stop condensation but it doesn't work for me!! Lol


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## opakg (Oct 14, 2011)

pigglywiggly said:


> if its for one of those small aquatic frogs wont you need mini mealworms?


Full size they could take an adult, but my little guy could probably only manage the minis!


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

hope it works and you get him feeding again.


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## opakg (Oct 14, 2011)

pigglywiggly said:


> hope it works and you get him feeding again.


Thanks :2thumb: and thank you all for the help


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## Blaptica (Jun 26, 2008)

Forget the mealworms. Earthworms would be much better for your frog. They are naturally higher in nutrients , especially calcium.


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## opakg (Oct 14, 2011)

Blaptica said:


> Forget the mealworms. Earthworms would be much better for your frog. They are naturally higher in nutrients , especially calcium.


Finding it hard to get hold of earthworms, and we have a concreted garden! No luck there! any ideas where i can get them from?


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## Blaptica (Jun 26, 2008)

Specialist reptile shops can order them in for you. Also fishing tackle shops sell them. They are best kept in the fridge after buying them. Also if you push crickets under water with tweezers, or with your fingers the frogs should eat them. If its a very small frog as you suggest you should also try bloodworms which are available from aquarium shops. The frozen ones work out better value for money.


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## opakg (Oct 14, 2011)

Blaptica said:


> Specialist reptile shops can order them in for you. Also fishing tackle shops sell them. They are best kept in the fridge after buying them. Also if you push crickets under water with tweezers, or with your fingers the frogs should eat them. If its a very small frog as you suggest you should also try bloodworms which are available from aquarium shops. The frozen ones work out better value for money.


Bloodworms are great I have them for my fish and frogs get them regularly. I got them about febuary time, 1 has grown very fast, sexed as a female, the other sadly hasn't, at all. I think it might be the fat girly is stealing all the food, and I have no space to separate them. This is why I want to try hand feeding, with something fatty and nutritional to see if I can get some weight on tiny!
These pictures were taken on the same day
















see the size difference?


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## Blaptica (Jun 26, 2008)

I can see a size difference, but tiny looks healthy to me. I would try the 'earthworms'. Get a small one and maybe try freezing it, then chop it into smaller lengths. Mealworms are not that nutritious, but would be ok for a bit of variety. Certainly I would feed earthworms in preference. They should happy eat a dead piece of worm. You can also try a food tetra do called I think 'Reptomin'. Its designed for terrapins, clawed frogs etc. Any decent aquarium shop should stock it or be able to get it for you. 

You have Xenopus laevis (albino) by the look of things. Thye can grow to 10cm !


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## opakg (Oct 14, 2011)

Blaptica said:


> I can see a size difference, but tiny looks healthy to me. I would try the 'earthworms'. Get a small one and maybe try freezing it, then chop it into smaller lengths. Mealworms are not that nutritious, but would be ok for a bit of variety. Certainly I would feed earthworms in preference. They should happy eat a dead piece of worm. You can also try a food tetra do called I think 'Reptomin'. Its designed for terrapins, clawed frogs etc. Any decent aquarium shop should stock it or be able to get it for you.
> 
> You have Xenopus laevis (albino) by the look of things. Thye can grow to 10cm !



Yeah they are xenopus laevis, lovely creatures to keep  i'm mighty worried about tinys weight, being so small in comparison I think the fat lady has been munching all the food! I have them on a mix of reptomin, brine shrimp pellets and zoomed frog and tadpole food.
I did forget to mention though tiny does only have 1 eye. I know they don't 'see' the food when its underwater, but could it effect him in anyway?


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## Blaptica (Jun 26, 2008)

Certainly they rely alot on their sense of smell to detect some food, but also they are attracted to moving items also. Its possible the lack of an eye could be affecting him. You need to provide enough food to give 'him' a chance to find food after the larger one has a full belly. But at the same time not putting so much food in that you pollute the water. It's a difficult balancing act, but you seem to know what you are doing !


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## SilverSky (Oct 2, 2010)

opakg said:


> Finding it hard to get hold of earthworms, and we have a concreted garden! No luck there! any ideas where i can get them from?


sounds mad, but try ebay! i get them for my newts


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## opakg (Oct 14, 2011)

I couldn't find any earthworms on ebay!


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## SilverSky (Oct 2, 2010)

opakg said:


> I couldn't find any earthworms on ebay!


i use these people

100 Dendrobaena Fishing Worms, Live Bait, Wormeries, Compost Worms | eBay


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## opakg (Oct 14, 2011)

SilverSky said:


> i use these people
> 
> 100 Dendrobaena Fishing Worms, Live Bait, Wormeries, Compost Worms | eBay


Perfect! I wish I could pick them myself but hey, that's not a bad price


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