Geckos and Mold

[MikyPiky]

Yesterday I discovered my mealworm farm was very very moldy. I was very sad to see this and want to clean the whole mealworm farm. I am going to clean the farm very soon, but I want your opinion on something. I breed the mealies for my two leopard geckos and was wondering if they are still going to be safe for the geckos, I have heard differing opinions on the internet about if Mold is dangerous to geckos or not. Should I just wait a few days to let the mealworms get rid of the mold in their bodies, or is that still a risk to my geckos. Please help.

-MikyPiky

 

[acpart]

I have also heard that mold in the mealworms is not good for the geckos. I hate to say it but to be safe, you should probably get rid of the mealworms. You should also figure out what caused the mold. Sometimes certain veggies or fruits that go in with the mealworms get moldy before the mealworms can finish eating them.

Aliza

 

[indyana]

Yeah, very moldy I would not feed them.

 

[MikyPiky]

I have also heard that mold in the mealworms is not good for the geckos. I hate to say it but to be safe, you should probably get rid of the mealworms. You should also figure out what caused the mold. Sometimes certain veggies or fruits that go in with the mealworms get moldy before the mealworms can finish eating them.

Aliza

I have been breeding these mealworms for over a year, I cant just throw them out, I need these mealworms to save money and if I throw them out I would be heartbroken. I have heard some people say that you should just let the mealworms get it out of their digestion. Other people say mold is harmless to geckos. All I'm saying is that I'm not going to give up that soon, I have switched over the farm to a completely clean container, sadly I had to throw away a lot of little mealworms and eggs. If there is any possibility please let me know.

 

[acpart]

If you can pick out the adults and put them in new substrate (and then watch to make sure mold doesn't return, I think that would be OK.

Aliza

 

[MikyPiky]

If you can pick out the adults and put them in new substrate (and then watch to make sure mold doesn't return, I think that would be OK.

Aliza

I have already picked out all the adult mealworms and the beetles and pupae, I put them in a new container with oats and wheat bran. I cut open the lid and put mesh wiring at the top for better air flow. I haven't put any carrots in but will soon, I will watch carefully for mold growth and moisture. I have waited a few days for the mealworms to get rid of the mold in their bodies, today or tomorrow I will feed my geckos because they haven't been fed for a while. I hope my geckos will be fine!

 

[acpart]

I think that's a reasonable approach.

Aliza

 

[MikyPiky]

I think that's a reasonable approach.

Aliza

Thank you very much for the info!

 

[indyana]

Good luck!

The main concerns with mold are mycotoxins, which are various toxins that can be produced by mold in certain circumstances. There's little data available on toxicity in reptiles, and mycotoxicity is very difficult to diagnose. That being said, there is evidence that mealworms are able to excrete at least certain toxins over time and not accumulate them in their bodies.

Secondary concern would be fungal infections caused by general exposure to the mold.

I always advise throwing out mold-contaiminated feeders as a first option, but if that is absolutely not possible, doing your best to remove all mold traces and clear their systems is the best you can do.

 

[alphakenc]

Thank you very much for the info!

Any update on ur mealworms? Hope everything is good on ur end.

 

[Gary Orner]

I will contact my good friend Gillian from Rainbow Mealworms and see if she can give some thoughts on to prevent the molding

 

[Leakerto]

From what I've gathered, mold can potentially pose risks to leopard geckos if they consume contaminated mealworms. While some folks say mealworms can naturally clear mold from their systems, it's still a gamble, especially considering the health of your geckos.

 

[Griffonow]

Honestly, I'd err on the side of caution here. Mold can produce toxins that might not be good for your geckos, even if the mealworms eventually get rid of it in their bodies. It's better not to take any risks with your pets' health, right? I'd suggest cleaning out the farm as soon as possible. And hey, if you're worried about whether the mold has spread elsewhere or if there's any lingering issues, you might want to consider getting a professional mold inspection done. I found this company, https://www.alldryus.com/texas/houston-mold-remediation/, they seem to offer mold remediation services in Houston. Just my two cents, but I think it's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to our little reptile friends.