# Meal worms suddenly all dead?



## DanB92 (Oct 3, 2017)

Hi all,

Yesterday I cleaned out the container I keep the mealworms in, after finishing I dried it off, put a few chunks of carrot in and then put the mealworms back in, they were eating away, happy days.

When I woke up today however, I had a look to see how they were doing and pretty much all of them have died!? I'm still very very new to keeping reptiles and livefood so I have clearly done something wrong and even though it's only mealworms I feel terrible  

Can anyone give me some pointers on the most effective way of sustaining them as I have to get new ones now and don't really feel like killing off another bunch of them, any tips when it comes to temperature to keep them at, best gut loading food for them, do I have to keep them on a substrate? if so which ones are recommended, anything will help. Thanks.


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## Diplo (Mar 15, 2017)

DanB92 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Yesterday I cleaned out the container I keep the mealworms in, after finishing I dried it off, put a few chunks of carrot in and then put the mealworms back in, they were eating away, happy days.
> 
> ...


When you say cleaned out the container what did you use to do this?. 

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## DanB92 (Oct 3, 2017)

Just used warm water and then let it dry as I thought this was all I would need to do, still very new to this like I said but already feel like I'm making major mistakes


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## Diplo (Mar 15, 2017)

DanB92 said:


> Just used warm water and then let it dry as I thought this was all I would need to do, still very new to this like I said but already feel like I'm making major mistakes


Ok. Obviously never use chemicals to clean the tub out. What are you keeping them in?. Does it have a secure lid? And is there any chance you have used aerosols near them and it has got into the container?. Something has obviously happened quickly to kill them off so it's a case of thinking of anything that could be the cause. Lastly are they just being kept at room temperature? And do they have anything to burrow into in the container, bran etc. I wouldn't get too hung up on this and any lesson learnt is a good thing. 

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## DanB92 (Oct 3, 2017)

I am keeping them in the container that they normally come in from the store, and I used water only when it came to cleaning it out. 

From the time that I cleaned it out and waking up today and them being dead no aerosol was used anywhere near them.

The vivarium is kept on top of a shelving unit ( not very tall ) and the livefood container with the mealworms and the cricket keeper is kept underneath that on a lower shelf, so as far as I know it's at room temp.

As for burrowing, I just put them into the container as is with the carrot chunks, maybe this is 1 of the main issues?


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## Diplo (Mar 15, 2017)

DanB92 said:


> I am keeping them in the container that they normally come in from the store, and I used water only when it came to cleaning it out.
> 
> From the time that I cleaned it out and waking up today and them being dead no aerosol was used anywhere near them.
> 
> ...


Possible, if there was a lot of moisture in the box from the carrot that may be an issue. Otherwise can't think of anything else off the top of my head. Maybe someone else might have some other ideas. 

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