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  |  pocoBaby
Super Glider
 322 Posts
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Mar 21 2012 : 05:19:05 PM   |
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I set up my mealie farm about 1 1/2 wks ago, does anyone know how long till they will turn into beetles and have babies?
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 | sugarglidercutie
Fuzzy Wuzzy
  GA, USA
1028 Posts
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Mar 21 2012 : 06:00:21 PM  |
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how do u set up a mealie farm?
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| valkyriemome
Goofy Gorillatoes
USA
3478 Posts
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Mar 21 2012 : 06:04:03 PM |
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More importantly - to answer your question, I'd need to know how YOU set it up. Did you start with mature worms? How many? Are you using the drawer method? What are you feeding your worms? What's the temperature? And have you seen any "aliens" yet.
The short answer is - it takes a very very very long time. And even then, when they lay eggs, the worms are almost microscopic. So, it takes months before your meal farm will have worms large enough to feed. Further, you really need to set up several "cycles" going. Otherwise, you'll have ALL worms large enough to feed and turning into beetles, or NO worms to feed and all beetles.
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| Willows Tree
Fuzzy Wuzzy
USA
1294 Posts
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Mar 21 2012 : 07:34:01 PM |
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I tried farming worms a few different times..It just never went well.
I buy large ones and add a small carrot, some oatmeal, a little calcium & Vionate..It's not that expensive with two gliders.
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| pocoBaby
Super Glider
322 Posts
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Mar 21 2012 : 08:32:32 PM |
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I watched the two youTube videos someone posted here and it looked really simple. One shoebox size Tupperware with air holes poked in the lid, oatmeal, dump in a container of mealies and add carrots on top. Heck, the first video was done by a kid! I thought, well, if he can do it, it can't be that hard?? They didn't mention anything about temperature or cycles. Both said they have had theirs producing great for years?
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| Amy1706
Super Glider
USA
252 Posts
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Mar 21 2012 : 09:53:53 PM  |
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That is about it of course don't cook or freeze them just keep the temp around 75 to 80 and they should be fine now I am sure someone with more experence will totally tell you different but that is what I know from my experence it is pretty cool good luck.
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| Kelly Thompson
banned by Eric
NC, USA
417 Posts
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Mar 21 2012 : 10:08:51 PM |
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Im just starting out with my mealie farm also, I found the drawer method to sound the best. You buy a 3 stack container with 3 different drawers. One for beetles, one for pupas, and one for the mealworms. Once they are pupas (odd looking white things) it doesn't take to long before they turn into beetles, and like already said the eggs are impossible to see then oct hatched the worms are so so tiny it takes awhile before you will be able to see them, when you do thats when you can move them to the mealworm drawer. Beetles will eat the pupas from what I've read in research so i wouldn't think it would be a good idea to have them in the same container...
this is in the gliderpedia:
http://www.sugarglider.com/gliderpedia/index.asp?WormFarm
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| pocoBaby
Super Glider
322 Posts
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Mar 22 2012 : 06:28:49 PM |
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Kelly,or anyone knowledgeable, in the 3 drawers do you put oatmeal and carrots in every drawer? How long does the cycle take?
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| Candy
Zippy Glidershorts
USA
4531 Posts
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Mar 23 2012 : 12:19:11 PM |
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Be sure the carrots or other foods provided for moisture for the worms and bettles are placed on a plastic butter lid or similar plastic shallow container. If they are placed directly on the oatmeal or other bedding material you may develop mold and ruin the whole farm.
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| sugarglidercutie
Fuzzy Wuzzy
GA, USA
1028 Posts
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Mar 23 2012 : 01:40:12 PM |
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I could try a mealie farm its better than driving to petsmart each time to get a small container with 50 meal worms inside
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| papakee
Joey
28 Posts
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Mar 23 2012 : 02:38:28 PM |
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I started mine back in Oct. I'm not just getting a good crop of meal worms to feed. I'm not sure if it matters or not, but mine did better if stored in a closet where it stays dark.
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