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Mealie questions
#135404
08/21/06 12:41 PM
08/21/06 12:41 PM
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Anonymous
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For background: I feed the basic BML mix, so that means the boys get their daily ration of mealies. I've mentioned in other posts that I'm going to quit buying the pre-packaged mealies from places like petco, and start buying them from another pet store (it's a reptile place) that has them for 30 cents a dozen, and they are "loose". OH, and that's for the big ones, too--HUGE--I think about 1/2 to 3/4 the size of a superworm. So here's the questions: -Since they don't come in pre-packaged, the store puts them in a baggie. I want to buy more than a few days worth (more like a couple weeks), so what should I use for bedding? -With my diet, would it be advisable to gut load? If so, what's that recipe? Thanks in advance.
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Re: Mealie questions
[Re: ]
#135406
08/21/06 12:44 PM
08/21/06 12:44 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,968 Northeast Indiana
minkasmom
Serious Glideritis
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Serious Glideritis
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,968
Northeast Indiana
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Wheat germ is a GREAT product to keep them in, too. They stuff themselves & there's no need for "extra" food added in.
Minkasmom (Papillon Kisses) Slave to: 25 gliders,4 cats, and ONE husband (can't handle two, lol!) Remembering all my lost loves
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Re: Mealie questions
[Re: ]
#135408
08/21/06 01:00 PM
08/21/06 01:00 PM
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Be careful with the Wheat germ, if not refrigerated, the oils in it do become toxic. Old fashioned rolled oats (Oatmeal) is much safer. And nope, there is no need to gut load with BML. What I do is mix the Oats, dry Baby Oatmeal cereal, and crunched up "oat" bran cereal all together. But, you can just use one of the three and be fine. Rolled oats are very inexpensive to use. Also, try not to allow any veggies or moisture touch the bedding to illiminate mold production. Check this post out where a member called the company for information: Wheat Germ Post
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Re: Mealie questions
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#135409
08/21/06 01:20 PM
08/21/06 01:20 PM
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Well I don't know if this answers your question, but you might try freezing them. I pick all mine out and freeze them and it is much simpler- no squirming bugs and I'm sure they last a while in there. My gliders all love them frozen just as much it seems!
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Re: Mealie questions
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#135410
08/21/06 02:27 PM
08/21/06 02:27 PM
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Would the baby rice cereal work? I keep my mealies in the fridge anyway, and only have about a 2 weeks supply at any given time. That way, I don't have to worry about taking them out to feed them--so there's no worry with the bedding molding. And yes, my wheat germ is refridgerated. Considering how much the stuff cost me, I'm definitely following the directions.
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Re: Mealie questions
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#135411
08/21/06 02:28 PM
08/21/06 02:28 PM
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Heheh! I use rice when I run out of the Oatmeal, but I prefer the oats... but rice will do okay for you for a quick feed fix, yep.
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Re: Mealie questions
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#135412
08/22/06 10:30 AM
08/22/06 10:30 AM
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I wouldn't think the wheat germ would be a big deal since you've gotta keep the mealies in the fridge anyway. I haven't tried freezing the mealies cause mine liked the canned ones OK, but there's NOTHING like seeing them dive, run, jump, attack a live mealie. Yea, yea, I'm sick, but that's my babies being my babies. If it makes them happy, I'm happy and to think, I wouldn't even TOUCH the worms when we first got Syd, I made Andi do ALL the insect feeding, hehehe.
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Re: Mealie questions
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#135413
08/22/06 10:46 AM
08/22/06 10:46 AM
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Mealies should be taken out of the fridge about once every 1-2 weeks for a day or so to eat. That is when the danger of the wheeat germ being out of the fridge comes into play.
I personally just use Old Fashioned Oats. It's cheaper than most of the other products and keeps the mealies fed <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />
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Re: Mealie questions
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#135414
08/22/06 10:52 AM
08/22/06 10:52 AM
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I try to buy mealies so that I only have to get them every 1-2 weeks. That way, I don't have to worry about taking them out of the fridge for feeding. I can't stand the things, why would I want to feed them?!lol As far as freezing, I think that would break my boys hearts...They are MUCH more interested in the wiggly ones. I think I'll be getting the old fashioned oats during my next shopping trip.
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Re: Mealie questions
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#135415
08/22/06 11:09 AM
08/22/06 11:09 AM
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OH, I see now. I guess I just take my mealies out, set them on the counter, count them out right quick and they're right back in the fridge so they aren't out for more than a few minutes if that long since I usually have Andi helping dig them out, hehe.
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Re: Mealie questions
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#135416
08/22/06 11:21 AM
08/22/06 11:21 AM
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My boys inhale them, they don't have time to be left out! They were sitting on my shoulder the other day, getting their daily mealie ration, and Sampson got a little excited and jumped into the container. He got the dust/bedding all over his face, and subsequently, all over me and everything in the immediate vicinity.
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Re: Mealie questions
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#135417
08/22/06 11:40 AM
08/22/06 11:40 AM
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</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr /> My boys inhale them, they don't have time to be left out! They were sitting on my shoulder the other day, getting their daily mealie ration, and Sampson got a little excited and jumped into the container. He got the dust/bedding all over his face, and subsequently, all over me and everything in the immediate vicinity.
<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thanx.gif" alt="" /> for that picture. I needed that pick me up. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug2.gif" alt="" /> I can also see that happening all to well with our sugs <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/roflmao.gif" alt="" />
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Re: Mealie questions
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#135418
08/22/06 11:43 AM
08/22/06 11:43 AM
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Okay, The purpose of taking them out is for several reasons; allowing them to warm up, hydrate and allow them to eat and this should be done with all of your worms you feed, basically. In fact I wouldn't refrigerate right away after receiving them, I would get them to eat some healthy oats, and push what ever they "were" being fed out of their bodies before feeding to gliders. And you need to take them out for several hours a couple of times a week. If you just have one or two hundred at a time, it would be okay to refrigerate always, but I would still initially feed them and allow the other bedding they WERE in to be discarded, about 18 hours worth. BTW, Lorie, the wheat germ WILL eventually become unusable. You may consider changing the bedding in the near future. Wheat germ is WAY expensive too, so it will save you a few bucks in the long haul. [:"red"] Remember your Sugar Gliders are eating what your worms are eating. [/]
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Re: Mealie questions
[Re: ]
#135419
08/22/06 11:48 AM
08/22/06 11:48 AM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,968 Northeast Indiana
minkasmom
Serious Glideritis
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Serious Glideritis
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,968
Northeast Indiana
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Oooooh, thank you for telling me about the danger that wheat germ can be when left out! I just ordered some more mealies, so I'm going to pack them in rolled oats when they arrive!
(My babies don't even like "chilled" mealies...spoiled things like them room temp!)
Minkasmom (Papillon Kisses) Slave to: 25 gliders,4 cats, and ONE husband (can't handle two, lol!) Remembering all my lost loves
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Re: Mealie questions
[Re: ]
#135420
08/22/06 11:50 AM
08/22/06 11:50 AM
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Cycy, since I've just been running out every now and again to get a few containers of the mealies from a pet store, I don't usually buy that many at atime simply because so many of them are already dead, grrrrr. I've got a whole thing of upopened wheat germ since I was going to try the LB mix, but never did since they took to their current diet so well. I guess where we don't buy many at a time, they are gone so fast there's not much time to do anything with the worms. But I will certainly keep this information handy should we decide to purchase more quanitity. What's your feeling on that "Gut Load" stuff that you can order online? Would the oats, etc be pretty much the same or what? Remember, while I'm here ALOT reading and posting, I AM still learning and more than willing to take EVERY suggestion to heart for the good of my babies <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/heartpump.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/agree.gif" alt="" />
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Re: Mealie questions
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#135421
08/22/06 12:04 PM
08/22/06 12:04 PM
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Oh, Lorie! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/roflmao.gif" alt="" />I see your reading girlie!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yelclap.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yelclap.gif" alt="" /> Okay well, I don't feed the gut load, mainly due to the calcium ratio in the diet I feed, and I would be concerned for you to do this too, as it will alter the already established ratios you are feeding your suggies. BUT, even if you did gut load, many feel that you will be wasting your expensive vitamins and calcium, due to the melaworms intestinal tract being so minute, it really doesn't change the nutritional value of the worm substantially to notice..... I would recommend not gut loading for sugar gliders. HTH!! Happy reading!!
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Re: Mealie questions
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#135422
08/22/06 12:59 PM
08/22/06 12:59 PM
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Aww, thank you! That helps. I didn't wanna try to "gut load" worms that my suggies were just gonna tear the heads off of in a matter of seconds, lol.
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Re: Mealie questions
[Re: ]
#135423
08/22/06 01:13 PM
08/22/06 01:13 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,234 Tarpon Springs, FL
mattysmom
Glider Guardian
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Glider Guardian
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,234
Tarpon Springs, FL
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I too use oatmeal/oat bran for my mealie farm which (brag) is thriving and saving me many bucks each week since I have a couple of mealie-loving hedgehogs in addition to my gliders. I also stopped gut-loading the worms I bought from stores/websites based on recommendations on this forum.
Moira & Matty & my zoo
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