Finding dead superworms every worning...cause?

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BeardieSmaug

Hatchling Member
So I'v been finding dead superworms every morning since last week. I have around 200-250 in a tupperware, and since last week, iv been finding 3-8 dead superworms every morning. I'v never seen this before, they usually last for a very long time without dying. I put in some potato and carrots once a week which they munch on really quick. Could it be because its been extra cold recently in my area in California? Or could it be the CHE iv been using on them to keep them on 75-80F? I keep them in oats too.
My only guess is the change of temperature since its been more cold, but last year around this time it got this cold too, and they were not dying. Odd. My beardie is brumating right now, so its no worries, but still, I would like for them not to die every morning.
Any ideas?

Thank you :)
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Are you sure they are dead.

They become curly and dormnant just prior to shedding and also just prior to pupating.

I'd stick only with carrot chunks and the veg scraps to keep them hydrated.
 

BeardieSmaug

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
kingofnobbys":2hqktb8a said:
Are you sure they are dead.

They become curly and dormnant just prior to shedding and also just prior to pupating.

I'd stick only with carrot chunks and the veg scraps to keep them hydrated.

Im pretty sure. They are immobile, dont react when I pick them up with tweezers, etc. Few of them appear with empty carcasses with the head and/or tail still there, they turned cannibalistic and ate eat other, I read they can turn cannibalistic if its too dry or too humid (cant be humid where im located), i know the CHE tends to dry the air. But then again, I havent had the CHE on for the worms for a few days.
93594-3352599223.jpg
just a few i found this morning, a few more under and around
I looked for whitish, pale worms to see if they shed but none did. Odd
I'll put only carrots and collard greens from now on see if that makes a difference.
Thanks for the reply!
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

This can definitely happen but shouldn't happen at an alarming rate.
Did you purchase them or have you bred your own beetles & they hatched out, etc?
I breed our own superworms, & I use organic chicken laying mash as bedding for our
superworms. It is vitamin & mineral rich with a good protein content also. You might want
to look into that to be sure they are getting adequate nutrition.
Carrots are great & I also use potatoes too, but everything organic so there aren't any chemicals
or pesticides present.

Tracie
 

BeardieSmaug

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Drache613":232qoxwb said:
Hello,

This can definitely happen but shouldn't happen at an alarming rate.
Did you purchase them or have you bred your own beetles & they hatched out, etc?
I breed our own superworms, & I use organic chicken laying mash as bedding for our
superworms. It is vitamin & mineral rich with a good protein content also. You might want
to look into that to be sure they are getting adequate nutrition.
Carrots are great & I also use potatoes too, but everything organic so there aren't any chemicals
or pesticides present.

Tracie
I'm just witnessing two of them eating a dead one, so im guessing this is happening for the last week or so. No breeding or anything, bought them from dubiaroaches.com and kept in oats. I put in carrots and sometimes potatoes. doubt any chemicals or presticide is present in the container. Why are they doing this? Are they just extra hungry? Should I be putting in carrots/potatoes all the time? (i always put once a week, they are usually eaten in 2-3 days)
I just put in some fresh pieces of carrot and collard greens right now though.

Thanks for the reply!
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
BeardieSmaug":3dkmzbkr said:
Drache613":3dkmzbkr said:
Hello,

This can definitely happen but shouldn't happen at an alarming rate.
Did you purchase them or have you bred your own beetles & they hatched out, etc?
I breed our own superworms, & I use organic chicken laying mash as bedding for our
superworms. It is vitamin & mineral rich with a good protein content also. You might want
to look into that to be sure they are getting adequate nutrition.
Carrots are great & I also use potatoes too, but everything organic so there aren't any chemicals
or pesticides present.

Tracie
I'm just witnessing two of them eating a dead one, so im guessing this is happening for the last week or so. No breeding or anything, bought them from dubiaroaches.com and kept in oats. I put in carrots and sometimes potatoes. doubt any chemicals or presticide is present in the container. Why are they doing this? Are they just extra hungry? Should I be putting in carrots/potatoes all the time? (i always put once a week, they are usually eaten in 2-3 days)
I just put in some fresh pieces of carrot and collard greens right now though.

Thanks for the reply!

I find if the bedding hasn't been topped up , or the carrot chunks are bad, they will eat each other.

I commonly find 2 or 3 dead in my superworm tub , last time I ordered superworms was 200 over 6 months ago , and I still have a lot of these alive in laval stage.
 

BeardieSmaug

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
kingofnobbys":1fgtos1h said:
BeardieSmaug":1fgtos1h said:
Drache613":1fgtos1h said:
Hello,

This can definitely happen but shouldn't happen at an alarming rate.
Did you purchase them or have you bred your own beetles & they hatched out, etc?
I breed our own superworms, & I use organic chicken laying mash as bedding for our
superworms. It is vitamin & mineral rich with a good protein content also. You might want
to look into that to be sure they are getting adequate nutrition.
Carrots are great & I also use potatoes too, but everything organic so there aren't any chemicals
or pesticides present.

Tracie
I'm just witnessing two of them eating a dead one, so im guessing this is happening for the last week or so. No breeding or anything, bought them from dubiaroaches.com and kept in oats. I put in carrots and sometimes potatoes. doubt any chemicals or presticide is present in the container. Why are they doing this? Are they just extra hungry? Should I be putting in carrots/potatoes all the time? (i always put once a week, they are usually eaten in 2-3 days)
I just put in some fresh pieces of carrot and collard greens right now though.

Thanks for the reply!

I find if the bedding hasn't been topped up , or the carrot chunks are bad, they will eat each other.

I commonly find 2 or 3 dead in my superworm tub , last time I ordered superworms was 200 over 6 months ago , and I still have a lot of these alive in laval stage.

What do you mean by topped up? Like fill up the container with enough bedding? I have mine filled up about 2 inches high on a medium-large tupperware. And for the food, I usually slice up a combination of thin circles and strips of carrot and put it in, this time along with some collard greens. And I still found some being half eaten, less dead though, but still appearing dead in the mornings. They usually eat the veggies really fast.
Still finding them dead in the mornings is kind of sketching me out haha :banghead: I'm waking up my beardie from brumation (he kind of half brumates, stays awake a few hours in the mornings and relaxes in his hide and goes back to sleep) next wednesday for a bath, hydration and some veggies since its been 3 weeks now. And If he decides to stay up for more than 2 days I feed him some supers but I'm honestly a little scared they might be bad or something. Thinking of starting over and buy new ones? Is there a possibility they are bad?
My beardie is really good with eating his veggies, but he lost interest in crickets and dubias completely a few months ago, so its been veggies and supers mainly, with a dubia roach here and there.

93594-8052918543.jpg
 
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