The Basics of Raising Your Own Mealworm Colony
Raising your own mealworms may be gross, but it drastically cuts costs for feeding reptiles — and other uses
Mealworms are well known in the reptile-keeping world for being a convenient feeder insect to offer pet lizards, and though it’s very convenient to purchase mealworms at local pet stores or order them online, some reptile keepers, especially breeders who maintain many animals, like to try raising their own. This article will outline the basics of raising mealworms yourself, including how to load them with nutritional value, keep their environment clean, and breed your mealworms fast enough to keep up with the demand of your herps.
Starting a Mealworm Colony
While mealworms don’t necessarily require an intensely monitored enclosure the way some animals do, they do have basic requirements that need to be met.
A large colony can be set up in a plastic tub with smooth sides to prevent escapees, such as the common 66-quart plastic storage bins made by Sterilite that are widely available. Place a 4-inch layer of bran, wheat flour and/or cornmeal into the bottom of the container to serve as both bedding and a food source, but not the sole food source. Feed them nutritious vegetables as well. I recommend a Zilla screen…
