Meal worms causing impaction?

[MeTree]

Hello. Mealworms can be hazardous to frog and toad health. If they are fed in too high a quantity, due to their tough exoskeleton, they can cause impaction. It is dangerous to feed too many at once. They also aren't very nutritious for frogs or toads. For Pacman Frogs, many people suggest only 3-4 mealworms a week. I can't imagine it being too much different with toads.

Also, from what I have heard, superworms (not to be confused with "Giant" Mealworms) can bite, but from all I have read on the forum and other sites is that mealworms wont bite.

That is just based on what I have read. It seems to be a grey-ish subject, so if anyone has any information saying differently, please feel free to post (and maybe even tell what site you learned it from, because there are alot of rumors out there).

[John]

I don't believe in them causing impaction. I've yet to see a solid piece of evidence for it or even an anecdote from anyone with a reputation. It makes no sense to me that animals (frogs) that are designed to eat chitin-rich food (mealworms) should have a problem passing it. The one thing I do know about mealworms and the like is that the guts of younger frogs sometimes are not able to break through the exoskeleton before the worm is passed out of the digestive tract. So occasionally they can pass whole mealworms or partially undigested mealworms.

[kueluck]

Thanks for the info guys, I’m a little more relieved on the mealworm for toad issue. I have continued to check their scat, which are always good size, constancy and no signs of undigested bugs. They are both now big enough for wax worms so once the mealworms are gone I’m finished with them. Next I’ll try the earthworm thing. I LOVE THIS SITE!

[SludgeMunkey]

Other than being rather low on the nutritional value lists, the only real risk I have experience with mealworms is the heads. They have very strong sharp jaws the can sometimes cause injury aspecially in smaller frogs and toads. This is solved by crushing the head at feeding time.

Personally, I do not feed mealworms. I raise them up and feed the beetles. My toads love beetles of all types and mealworms are super easy to culture.

[kueluck]

Johnny, so how do I raise the mealworms to beetle stag? I still have 2 containers of worms and I really don't want to just throw them out. I also do crush the heads since the toads eat from tweezers.

[Lacibeth]

Johnny, so how do I raise the mealworms to beetle stag? I still have 2 containers of worms and I really don't want to just throw them out. I also do crush the heads since the toads eat from tweezers.

Spare tank, 1" or so of sand on the bottom, layer of equal parts oatmeal and bran, drop a couple of potatoes in, put a lid on. Add potatoes as needed and bran/oatmeal every 2-3wks. Voila, beetles. Continue to add potatoes and bran/oatmeal, continue to get more beetles. We also use ours as a substitute dermestid beetle colony on small things.

[kueluck]

Thanks.

[SludgeMunkey]

I use a mix of oatmeal, Cheerios breakfast cereal and corn meal in a small 5 gallon glass tank. Any glass container will do as long as it has high sides, neither beetles nor larvae are very good climbers. It is important to use glass, as the larvae can chew through plastic and wood. Once a week, throw in a chunk of raw potato. Remove the eaten dessicated potato after a few days. The potato provides moisture for the larvae and adults without risking a mold issue in your culture.
Keep the culture in a warm dark area. (I keep mine next to the hot water tank in the laundry room!) In a few weeks you will see pupae form with adults shortly after that. Once every month or so, sift the culture through a bit of wire window screen and place all the live worms, pupae and adults in fresh medium.