{"id":179319,"date":"2022-07-16T08:07:24","date_gmt":"2022-07-16T08:07:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/"},"modified":"2022-07-16T08:07:24","modified_gmt":"2022-07-16T08:07:24","slug":"what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/","title":{"rendered":"What do you do with baby mealworms?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_17 counter-hierarchy counter-decimal ez-toc-grey\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"display: none;\"><i class=\"ez-toc-glyphicon ez-toc-icon-toggle\"><\/i><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1\"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#What_do_you_do_with_baby_mealworms\" title=\"What do you do with baby mealworms?\">What do you do with baby mealworms?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#How_do_you_keep_baby_mealworms_alive\" title=\"How do you keep baby mealworms alive?\">How do you keep baby mealworms alive?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#How_do_you_take_care_of_a_newborn_mealworm\" title=\"How do you take care of a newborn mealworm?\">How do you take care of a newborn mealworm?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#How_do_you_take_care_of_a_baby_mealworm\" title=\"How do you take care of a baby mealworm?\">How do you take care of a baby mealworm?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#What_do_you_feed_newly_hatched_mealworms\" title=\"What do you feed newly hatched mealworms?\">What do you feed newly hatched mealworms?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#What_do_you_do_with_live_mealworms\" title=\"What do you do with live mealworms?\">What do you do with live mealworms?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#How_long_does_it_take_mealworms_to_turn_into_beetles\" title=\"How long does it take mealworms to turn into beetles?\">How long does it take mealworms to turn into beetles?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#How_do_you_keep_small_mealworms_alive\" title=\"How do you keep small mealworms alive?\">How do you keep small mealworms alive?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#What_to_feed_mealworms_to_keep_them_alive\" title=\"What to feed mealworms to keep them alive?\">What to feed mealworms to keep them alive?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#What_do_you_feed_baby_mealworms\" title=\"What do you feed baby mealworms?\">What do you feed baby mealworms?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#How_do_you_take_care_of_newly_hatched_mealworms\" title=\"How do you take care of newly hatched mealworms?\">How do you take care of newly hatched mealworms?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#How_do_you_keep_a_mealworm_alive\" title=\"How do you keep a mealworm alive?\">How do you keep a mealworm alive?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#How_fast_do_baby_mealworms_grow\" title=\"How fast do baby mealworms grow?\">How fast do baby mealworms grow?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#What_do_mealworm_larvae_eat\" title=\"What do mealworm larvae eat?\">What do mealworm larvae eat?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#What_do_you_do_with_live_meal_worms\" title=\"What do you do with live meal worms?\">What do you do with live meal worms?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#Can_you_eat_mealworms_alive\" title=\"Can you eat mealworms alive?\">Can you eat mealworms alive?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#How_long_do_mealworms_live_for\" title=\"How long do mealworms live for?\">How long do mealworms live for?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#What_happens_if_you_dont_refrigerate_live_mealworms\" title=\"What happens if you don&#8217;t refrigerate live mealworms?\">What happens if you don&#8217;t refrigerate live mealworms?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#How_long_is_a_mealworms_life_cycle\" title=\"How long is a mealworms life cycle?\">How long is a mealworms life cycle?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#How_long_does_it_take_for_mealworms_to_turn_into_larvae\" title=\"How long does it take for mealworms to turn into larvae?\">How long does it take for mealworms to turn into larvae?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#How_long_does_it_take_for_mealworms_to_turn_into_pupa\" title=\"How long does it take for mealworms to turn into pupa?\">How long does it take for mealworms to turn into pupa?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#How_long_does_it_take_mealworm_beetles_to_lay_eggs\" title=\"How long does it take mealworm beetles to lay eggs?\">How long does it take mealworm beetles to lay eggs?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#How_do_you_store_mini_mealworms\" title=\"How do you store mini mealworms?\">How do you store mini mealworms?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#How_do_you_take_care_of_live_mealworms\" title=\"How do you take care of live mealworms?\">How do you take care of live mealworms?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/what-do-you-do-with-baby-mealworms\/#What_should_I_keep_my_mealworms_in\" title=\"What should I keep my mealworms in?\">What should I keep my mealworms in?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_do_you_do_with_baby_mealworms\"><\/span>What do you do with baby mealworms?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Keep them refrigerated<\/b> But, if you can refrigerate them, then that will cause them and their hormones to go dormant, ceasing their metamorphosis. It is the equivalent of cryogenic freezing, without the nitrogen. Basically, keeping mealworms in the refrigerator can increase their larva stage by a couple of months.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_keep_baby_mealworms_alive\"><\/span>How do you keep baby mealworms alive?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To care for mealworms, <b>keep them in a glass, metal, or plastic container that&#8217;s lined with food like grain cereal, oatmeal, or cornmeal. Try to keep your mealworms somewhere that&#8217;s at least room temperature, but aim for around 80 degrees if you can.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_take_care_of_a_newborn_mealworm\"><\/span>How do you take care of a newborn mealworm?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>What do Baby Mealworms eat? Newly hatched mealworms are still small and need lots of moisture. The best foods to offer them are softer moist foods like <b>potatoes, banana peels, carrot slices, apple slices, and other fruits and veggies. You can also supplement them with a fine meal that is easy to consume.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_take_care_of_a_baby_mealworm\"><\/span>How do you take care of a baby mealworm?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To care for mealworms, <b>keep them in a glass, metal, or plastic container that&#8217;s lined with food like grain cereal, oatmeal, or cornmeal. Try to keep your mealworms somewhere that&#8217;s at least room temperature, but aim for around 80 degrees if you can.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_do_you_feed_newly_hatched_mealworms\"><\/span>What do you feed newly hatched mealworms?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Any store-bought bran or oats are good for the substrate and <b>a raw potato cut in half will provide food and water for your mealworms.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_do_you_do_with_live_mealworms\"><\/span>What do you do with live mealworms?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Mealworms can be <b>kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks with very little maintenance. After two weeks, the mealworms should be removed from the refrigerator, and a small amount of Easy Water should be added to the top of the bedding. Allow the mealworms to stay at room temperature for about 24 hours.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_long_does_it_take_mealworms_to_turn_into_beetles\"><\/span>How long does it take mealworms to turn into beetles?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Two or three weeks after the mealworm has pupated, a mealworm beetle will emerge. This is known as a darkling beetle. The egg stage typically lasts 7-14 days but low temperatures and humidity can lengthen double this incubation time.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_keep_small_mealworms_alive\"><\/span>How do you keep small mealworms alive?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Mealworms can be kept <b>in the refrigerator for up to two weeks with very little maintenance. After two weeks, the mealworms should be removed from the refrigerator, and a small amount of Easy Water should be added to the top of the bedding. Allow the mealworms to stay at room temperature for about 24 hours.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_feed_mealworms_to_keep_them_alive\"><\/span>What to feed mealworms to keep them alive?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Fresh vegetables are the best source to offer them. A fresh cut potato or some fresh carrots will give the worms their needed water and nutrients. Because the mealworms can last up to a full year before transitioning into the pupa stage, this will give them plenty of time to eat and grow.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_do_you_feed_baby_mealworms\"><\/span>What do you feed baby mealworms?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>What do Baby Mealworms eat? Newly hatched mealworms are still small and need lots of moisture. The best foods to offer them are softer moist foods like <b>potatoes, banana peels, carrot slices, apple slices, and other fruits and veggies. You can also supplement them with a fine meal that is easy to consume.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_take_care_of_newly_hatched_mealworms\"><\/span>How do you take care of newly hatched mealworms?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Provide at least one or two inches of substrate so that your mealworms can burrow so you will need to add more bran or oats as necessary to maintain this level. You may also need to completely change out the substrate on occasion to keep it clean and fresh as well as wipe down the container.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_keep_a_mealworm_alive\"><\/span>How do you keep a mealworm alive?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Keep them refrigerated<\/b> The simplest solution is keep them in a refrigerator. The mealworms prefer temperatures around 70 degrees, but you don&#8217;t. At 70 degrees, this encourages the mealworms to consume rapidly, which then causes them to transition into the darkling beetle.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_fast_do_baby_mealworms_grow\"><\/span>How fast do baby mealworms grow?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>On average it takes approximately <b>10-12 weeks (3-4 months) for a mealworm to go from egg to adult size. The beetle stage will go for another 8-12 weeks (2-3 months).<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_do_mealworm_larvae_eat\"><\/span>What do mealworm larvae eat?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To care for mealworms, <b>keep them in a glass, metal, or plastic container that&#8217;s lined with food like grain cereal, oatmeal, or cornmeal. Try to keep your mealworms somewhere that&#8217;s at least room temperature, but aim for around 80 degrees if you can.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_do_you_do_with_live_meal_worms\"><\/span>What do you do with live meal worms?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Mealworms can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks with very little maintenance. After two weeks, the mealworms should be removed from the refrigerator, and a small amount of Easy Water should be added to the top of the bedding. Allow the mealworms to stay at room temperature for about 24 hours.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_you_eat_mealworms_alive\"><\/span>Can you eat mealworms alive?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>FUN FACT: <b>Mealworms can be eaten raw and alive, they can also be pan-fried, but dry-roasting is often the tastiest and least recognizable way to eat them.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_long_do_mealworms_live_for\"><\/span>How long do mealworms live for?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>between 3 and 12 months<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_happens_if_you_dont_refrigerate_live_mealworms\"><\/span>What happens if you don&#8217;t refrigerate live mealworms?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you do not refrigerate the mealworms, and they remain at room temperature, <b>they will only be usable for feeding for about 3 weeks, because after that point they will metamorphosis into pupa (white, pre-beetle form). Or they will just completely die if they are not in the correct conditions to metamorphosis.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_long_is_a_mealworms_life_cycle\"><\/span>How long is a mealworms life cycle?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Generally, the life cycle of a mealworm can take anywhere <b>between four months and a year.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_long_does_it_take_for_mealworms_to_turn_into_larvae\"><\/span>How long does it take for mealworms to turn into larvae?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It will take around <b>one to four weeks for an egg to hatch and the larva to emerge. The second stage of life lasts about eight to ten weeks and is spent as a brown larva. This is the stage where the insect is a mealworm.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_long_does_it_take_for_mealworms_to_turn_into_pupa\"><\/span>How long does it take for mealworms to turn into pupa?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>2-3 weeks<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_long_does_it_take_mealworm_beetles_to_lay_eggs\"><\/span>How long does it take mealworm beetles to lay eggs?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Beetles lay their eggs <b>9 &#8211; 20 days after emergence. They lay for two or three months, and then die.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_store_mini_mealworms\"><\/span>How do you store mini mealworms?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Keep them refrigerated<\/b> The simplest solution is keep them in a refrigerator. The mealworms prefer temperatures around 70 degrees, but you don&#8217;t. At 70 degrees, this encourages the mealworms to consume rapidly, which then causes them to transition into the darkling beetle.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_take_care_of_live_mealworms\"><\/span>How do you take care of live mealworms?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Feed &#8211; <b>add about  cup of fresh vegetables to the container. Cut raw potatoes and raw carrots into 1 x 3 pieces and spread throughout the container for the mealworms. The mealworms may pull the food under the bedding to eat it, which is completely normal.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_should_I_keep_my_mealworms_in\"><\/span>What should I keep my mealworms in?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You should <b>cover the mealworms with a thick layer of wheat middling, oat meal, or Fluker&#8217;s mealworm bedding to provide bedding and a food source. Mealworms are relatively easy to keep and provide excellent nutrition for your pets. Upon arrival, place them in a refrigerator set at 45xb0F until ready for use.<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Table of Contents What do you do with baby mealworms?How do you keep baby mealworms alive?How do you take care of a newborn mealworm?How do you take care of a baby mealworm?What do you feed newly hatched mealworms?What do you do with live mealworms?How long does it take mealworms to turn into beetles?How do you&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"spay_email":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[622],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-179319","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pet-care"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179319"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=179319"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179319\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=179319"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=179319"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalshelterz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=179319"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}