# HELP! meal worm collony is dying.



## kirsten (Jan 13, 2008)

i don't know what's happening, all of a sudden they've started dying off, worms, beetles, i am still getting a few aliens changing, but not many. the onyl thing i can think of that i did different was give the tuba quick squirt of water for moisture for the beetles (which the loved) as i didn't have any apples in.

anyone got any ideas?


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

If you have been giving the tub a "squirt of water" then my guess is its mould that is killing them. What is the substrate? what are they fed? what temps are they kept at? what are they kept in? what do you do for water for the meal worms? how long have you had them? (sorry for all the questions but the answers will help : victory: )


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## kirsten (Jan 13, 2008)

LoveForLizards said:


> If you have been giving the tub a "squirt of water" then my guess is its mould that is killing them. What is the substrate ?*oats and bug grub*
> what are they fed? *oats, bug grub & apples*
> what temps are they kept at? *room temp*
> what are they kept in? *kricket keeper*
> ...


 thats everything i can think of


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

Strange, but from what you have said it sounds like something they are eating, could it be pesticides on the apples? or oats?


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## grumpyoldtrout (May 19, 2008)

I once lost a shedload of locusts and crix overnight, and could only put it down to pesticide residue in the greens from a salad mix I had fed them.

Now I only use greens from the garden and ORGANIC greens and apples.

Better fed than I am! :lol2:


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## kirsten (Jan 13, 2008)

well the oats are the best quaker oats i could get my hands on, so will try better quality apples, and put it down to experience. cheers for the answers


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## SnakeBreeder (Mar 11, 2007)

I'd set up a new cage with fresh substrate etc and move the health looking ones in to that.
Dump the old one as there seems to be something very wrong there.


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## RoyalPython89 (Jul 15, 2008)

ive had same problem i have loads of bettles but no mealworms i use oats and oats for food but no substrate.


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## kirsten (Jan 13, 2008)

SnakeBreeder said:


> I'd set up a new cage with fresh substrate etc and move the health looking ones in to that.
> Dump the old one as there seems to be something very wrong there.


 
i dont really want to get rid of the substrate though, as they've been in there about a month now and the substrate will be full of eggs and i'll be going back to square one.


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## Soulwax (Jan 6, 2009)

How long do you leave the fruit in there?


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## kirsten (Jan 13, 2008)

only over night, change it again the next day.


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## Slurm (Jun 6, 2008)

I think you should move them on, but that doesnt mean you have to throw the old substrate away just start some more, in a month you'll prolly see baby worms.

I ve just thrown all mine away due to flour mite infestation, another month and ill start again. I hope u dont have flour mites....:bash:


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## kirsten (Jan 13, 2008)

Slurm said:


> I think you should move them on, but that doesnt mean you have to throw the old substrate away just start some more, in a month you'll prolly see baby worms.
> 
> *well if the prolem is in the old substrate then surely the baby worms will die off? i don't know if i mentioned before, but i've got adult worms and bettles all in one with the beetles hopefully producing eggs (i've seen them doing the dity)*
> 
> ...


i was planning on sifting everything through and getting rid of the dead ones and poping them back in the same tub, as there seems to have been a slow down in deaths and i've had a few more aliens.


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## Slurm (Jun 6, 2008)

wont the worms eat the eggs??


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## SnakeBreeder (Mar 11, 2007)

kirsten said:


> i dont really want to get rid of the substrate though, as they've been in there about a month now and the substrate will be full of eggs and i'll be going back to square one.


 Ok then why not set up a new one and move the "good" worms and beetles there and save the old one so the egg can hatch.
If the old one does rot you wil have saved some of the colony.


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## Slurm (Jun 6, 2008)

i used to have oat/bran substrate and leave the beetles in for 3 weeks and then move on to new tub, i had loads of babies at different sizes in about 15 tubs, seemed to work well moving them on. beetles dont last long and need to be replaced/topped up.


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## Slurm (Jun 6, 2008)

oh and dont spray them, my GF thought shed help and spray the aliens once and they just rotted into a smelly mess...:bash:


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## kirsten (Jan 13, 2008)

i dont just have beetles, so it's not just a case of moving them on, i've got everything (except aliens) in the one tub, as i've been told this is fine to just leave them at it to breed, as i've got adult mealies in there to feed my leo's while i'm waiting for the beetles to breed and micro mealies to apear for the baby leo's when they get here, lol. 

i'll get my hands on a few more tubs and put the adult worms and bettles seperate from eachother.


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## Slurm (Jun 6, 2008)

who told you to put them all together?

Ive never heard that before, how long you been doing the colony?


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## kirsten (Jan 13, 2008)

someone on here in a thread, i've only had it going about a months if that. and i've been buying tubs of mealies to top it up as i've been feeding the leo's with it. i'll get it all sorted on monday, get a luch lunchbox tubs to put the beetles in ad one for adult mealies.


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## Slurm (Jun 6, 2008)

keep worms in one tub, aliens in another and beetles in another on substrate. 

As the worms turn to aliens move them on, as the aliens turn to beetles move them on and it depends how many beetles you have before you move them on to a new tub with the substrate. i found with the number of beetles i had 3 weeks to be the best time for enough eggs. 

I found it best to feed the beetles very well. I would throw in scraps of meat and peelings, but be careful not to make it too wet.

The worms will eat anything, that includes aliens and eggs, which is prolly why your colony is dying. 

Oh and i used cricket tubs at the start and then moved onto 1litre icecream tubs...

I hope that will help.


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## Gexter (Nov 11, 2008)

I saw a vid on youtube where the guy had a colony in 1 box for 12 years giving him a steady supply.


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