darkling beetles

[Floppysquirrel04]

ok so i ordered like 500 mealworms a few months ago and i have about 50-80 darkling beetles that grew from the ones who weren't eaten by my adorable killer. I'm planning on making a colony of my own but would it be safe for ace to eat a few beetles? i know in the wild they eat beetles, but better safe than sorry.

[Diggie's Friend]

A member had a problem when their squirrel slurped a stink bug, for it causes pain and a bit of bleeding from the sharpness of the carapace moving through the intestines.

I recommend Camilles Vita-Mealies online, that produces quality organic raised sources for pets. This family run business is very helpful and friendly. They offer both live and freeze dried mealies. Some squirrels prefer the crunch of the freeze dried mealworms over the live. And then these added advantage not having the short time limit to feed them for reason of the worms morphing into insects, resulting in a beetle population explosion.

http://vita-mealie.weebly.com/dried-superworm-listings.html

[cava]

It was one of my overwinters. She ate a stink bug and the exoskeleton caused a GI bleed, very pale skin and lethargy. I was really afraid and kept her hydrated until she could replenish the blood loss. She finally passed little exoskeleton pellets with her poop pellets. She only ate yogurt for days and had to be in her own cage so the others didn't beat her up.

I would highly recommend that you NOT give hard, crunchy bugs.

Stupid stink bug!:pissed

[Diggie's Friend]

The dried ealies aren't super hard like the exoskelton/carapace of mature insects that tend to splinter, but more crunchy munchy like Cheetoes, with squirrels being able to well chew them up. The only funny thing observed with this source included in the diet for a number of years, was when the squirrel bit off the head part and discarded it. :eek

Uh oh! Now the members are going to think of eating mealies when eating cheetoes! :yuck

[Floppysquirrel04]

Thanks guys! I'll keep ace away from the beetles then. Thanks a lot diggie, now I'll never look at a Cheeto OR a mealworm the same way...

[Diggie's Friend]

I would just get one of the small bags, as you don't want them to go bad by storing them too long.

Seeing it may be a new food source, placing one small drop of organic edible Chia oil (Foods Alive) on the dried mealie

should help peak interest. I have detailed nutritional data on these just incase anyone is interested?