Super worms – like chocolate dipped in sprinkles

[Dexter_Dragon]

So I finally broke down and purchased some smaller sized super worms for Dex as a treat. He apparently thinks they are very fine and yummy and has turned up his nose to his crickets, bsfl, and dubia a few times lately holding out for more worms. Hahahahahaha Should see him gobble them down like they were chocolate covered and dipped in sprinkles. Once he realizes that’s all for the day he reluctantly does go back to eating his bugs, though crickets are still low on his favorite list after the forced diet due to the shortage of his dubia for those two weeks.

After feeding him a couple of super worms the other day I added some bsfl on his afternoon salad. He looked at his salad, looked at me, looked back to his salad. I was giggling by this point as his look was priceless and said it all, “Seriously! You expect me to eat those small, little thangs? Where are those big, chocolatey ones? Come on . . . Gimmie, gimmie!” hahahahaha

 

[Beardomania]

If you can get some big superworms, you can pupate them and make them into adults. ($1 at the Dollar tree gets you a craft box with 12 chambers; I use 14 boxes, one per day on a 2 week cycle, to constantly produce.) It generally takes 14 days in the pupal chambers for the worms to become pupae and then you dump them out into a communal container (vacating the box for another worm) where they take another 14 days as pupae before they emerge as adults. Within the first few hours, they will be white, but get darker into a tan and reddish-brown and eventually black color. When they are black, they are hard, can produce a defensive odor, and are only good for breeding. It takes a few days for them to become jet black. When they are still white or tan (first 24 hours post emergence), they are a very soft nice morsel for beardies with far more protein and less fat than superworms. I usually feed them while they are still white and that is the only food that my beardie will run across his enclosure for. At first, I only fed off my extra males but since he loves them so much, I got my 14 container setup to produce fresh beetles just for his consumption every day.

 

[Dexter_Dragon]

If you can get some big superworms, you can pupate them and make them into adults. ($1 at the Dollar tree gets you a craft box with 12 chambers; I use 14 boxes, one per day on a 2 week cycle, to constantly produce.) It generally takes 14 days in the pupal chambers for the worms to become pupae and then you dump them out into a communal container (vacating the box for another worm) where they take another 14 days as pupae before they emerge as adults. Within the first few hours, they will be white, but get darker into a tan and reddish-brown and eventually black color. When they are black, they are hard, can produce a defensive odor, and are only good for breeding. It takes a few days for them to become jet black. When they are still white or tan (first 24 hours post emergence), they are a very soft nice morsel for beardies with far more protein and less fat than superworms. I usually feed them while they are still white and that is the only food that my beardie will run across his enclosure for. At first, I only fed off my extra males but since he loves them so much, I got my 14 container setup to produce fresh beetles just for his consumption every day.

Oooo great idea. Thank you! I still have yet to get my dubia colony started. I have the bins, but hubby hasn't had time to cut my holes yet so I can get my screen on. Once he does I should be all set to go on that task. I've given up on purchasing crickets for now. Dex has developed a dislike for them and only eats them under duress. I confess I don't miss them. lol I think I'll try your recommend on maturing the superworms. Dex luvs them so I'm hoping he'll like the beetles as much. I'm thinking I may have one of those craft boxes upstairs in the closet to give it a try. If he goes for them I'll pick up more.

 

[Beardomania]

Oooo great idea. Thank you! I still have yet to get my dubia colony started. I have the bins, but hubby hasn't had time to cut my holes yet so I can get my screen on. Once he does I should be all set to go on that task. I've given up on purchasing crickets for now. Dex has developed a dislike for them and only eats them under duress. I confess I don't miss them. lol I think I'll try your recommend on maturing the superworms. Dex luvs them so I'm hoping he'll like the beetles as much. I'm thinking I may have one of those craft boxes upstairs in the closet to give it a try. If he goes for them I'll pick up more.

You need to start with large superworms and pick the ones that wander on top of the substrate as those are ready to pupate. Attempting to mature small/med superworms can take a very long time. I believe it takes an average of 5 months before a hatchling reaches large size.