Superworm breeding FAIL =[

[SnapNYC]

Its supposedly very simple you just get adult super worms and separate them in individual containers with no food until them become red Beatles. then put them in a container with a big hide spot thats dark because they like to breed in the dark im guessing? anyway this is my first try at this and one of the worms got extremely dark and EXTREMELY SMELLY. soooo either its turning into a beetle or its dead. let me know some tips and can someone teach me how to breed wax worms? their food is just plain oatmeal. and the moister i use the cricket gell stuff thats yellow because it says its good for all feeder insects

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here it is compared to a regular living worm im about to feed to my dragons

 

[johnnyd5844]

That one is dead just throw it out. All you need to do is isolate them and keep them in the dark and they should turn into beetles in about 2 weeks. First they turn into a pupa whick looks like an alien then they turn into a beetle. Then put them in a bin with oatmeal or bran and give them carrots for moisture and either put them into a new bin every 2 weeks or look on youtube and build a superworm breeding filter. Thats what I did and it worked. Be paitent you might not see the babies for a month or two.

 

[Claudiusx]

or look on youtube and build a superworm breeding filter.

Oooh thank you for that I never would have thought about that. It would make my breeding set up much easier.

To OP. Yes second picture is a dead one throw it out. Third picture- Looks like it is dying too. They should start curling up into a C shape but should keep on looking fairly... alive-like until they start turning into the alien form. What is the ventilation and temps of the isolated worms?

Sorry I have no experience breeding waxworms so I can't give advice but im sure your friendly neighboorhood http://www.google.com could help you.

-Brandon

 

[SnapNYC]

well i dont know how they survive in the first place isolated and with no food. but apparently thats how they go into metamorphosis. so now the question is how do i prevent them from dying before they turn into aliens

 

[Claudiusx]

You need to start off by only isolating the biggest worms of the bunch, not the small ones. They still need good air circulation so make sure that enough air can get to them. They will morph on their own since it's in their nature to morph during times of stress or famine.

-Brandon

 

[Trogdorpheus]

There's no way to prevent them from dying when you're trying to force them to turn into beetles. Some die, some make it, that's just the way mother nature made it.

Yes second picture is a dead one throw it out. Third picture- Looks like it is dying too

Third picture is the same dead worm as the second.

 

[VogueStar]

youtube and build a superworm breeding filter.

Kudos! I never even thought about doin this and its great idea!! I tried breeding supers before and gave up because it wasnt working. [Of course when I breed mealies they breed just fine, but I dunt want them! :x ] Now that Ive got this info I will definitely be trying to breed supers again!! Super Thx!!

 

[simpleman]

black ones are dead and yes they smell like sh*&.......you seem to have it under control, just takes patience...

 

[Claudiusx]

Why are you posting this in so many sections lol? Its hard to keep track of all the replys if there are 3+ threads to keep checking.

-Brandon

 

[SnapNYC]

because nobody was replying and i didnt know if the worm was dead or about to morph into something. i needed a response quick because i had like three dead ones and the smell is unexplainable. :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[SnapNYC]

How many superworms can be born at once? how many does one beetle lay? lets say you have 20 beetles doin it then how many superworms are expected

 

[TheWolfmanTom]

If it smells clean it out.
Sometimes they die instead of morph.
Nothing you did wrong. It just happens.

 

[TheWolfmanTom]

It varies, Ive gotten sereral hundred worms with 40 beattles, and Ive gotten a thousand or so from the same number of beattles. Supper breed slow. From beattle to usable worm is about 3 to 4 months. Ounce you have a system in place its just maintaining it.

 

[SnapNYC]

first put em in 9/13/10 ended up with my first alien this morning 9/24/10

 

[Claudiusx]

Congratz! Good luck with the rest of the breeding process.

-Brandon