Questions about worms and beetles

[geckoqueen]

I have noticed eggs in the worm container, look white and move. I also notice a few small beetles in the gecko tank.
Um is this normal and do worms hatch out beetles?
Also my other gecko..I had two but the orange gecko died.
The other gecko I have does not eat much. I think it's been months since he or she ate and the gecko is still living, looks fat to. Is it normal for a gecko not to eat for months at a time? Cage temp is usually 80 to 90 degree on warm side, not sure on the cooler side what it reads. I don't have temp control on the cool end, just on the warm end. I mist daily the tank. Though might of ate as I remember seeing a beetle and when i clean the tank there were no beetles. Must be eating when I dont see him. Though usually I find lots of worms in the tank that still move that have not been eatin for months.

 

[acpart]

Yes, the worms eventually turn into beetles which lay eggs and produce more worms. Hopefully your gecko is eating since it still looks OK. Is it pooping?

Aliza

 

[LizMarie]

"do worms hatch out beetles?"

No. Worms turn into Pupae (those white alien looking things) that then morph into Beetles. The Beetles are the ones that mate and lay eggs that turn into worms and start the entire cycle again. http://nyworms.com/mealworms.htm has a nice little diagram of the cycle.

As long as it still looks healthy you don't have much of a problem yet. You have to have a better grasp of your temps. 80-90 on the warm side is too much of a range, can you be more specific. It should be in the 90's, constantly unless you do night time drops.

Are you misting the humid hide daily or the ENTIRE tank? Because leos don't need such a high level of humidity. They just need the humid hide to aid them in shedding when necessary.

 

[dmuehl]

You might want to check you mealworms for mites. If you use a maginifying glass and see little white things with legs and move...they are not eggs.

 

[geckoqueen]

You might want to check you mealworms for mites. If you use a maginifying glass and see little white things with legs and move...they are not eggs.

It looks to have a white tail and moves, that is what it looks like to me. I don't see any mites, just beetles.

 

[geckoqueen]

"do worms hatch out beetles?"

No. Worms turn into Pupae (those white alien looking things) that then morph into Beetles. The Beetles are the ones that mate and lay eggs that turn into worms and start the entire cycle again. http://nyworms.com/mealworms.htm has a nice little diagram of the cycle.

As long as it still looks healthy you don't have much of a problem yet. You have to have a better grasp of your temps. 80-90 on the warm side is too much of a range, can you be more specific. It should be in the 90's, constantly unless you do night time drops.

Are you misting the humid hide daily or the ENTIRE tank? Because leos don't need such a high level of humidity. They just need the humid hide to aid them in shedding when necessary.

Well When I look at the temp sometimes, its 80, sometimes is around 90, so you are saying it should stay around 90 all the time? I do not mist the humid hide daily, though I do every few days? Also Ninja seems to shed ok but when I had the orange gecko before he died, the shed was always getting stuck on him. So is a heat lamp enough or do I need the ultra voilet light also?

 

[geckoqueen]

Yes, the worms eventually turn into beetles which lay eggs and produce more worms. Hopefully your gecko is eating since it still looks OK. Is it pooping?

Aliza

Yea I see gecko poop sometimes. Also I put worms in yesterday and some are gone. I do not put worms into fridge as my parents dont like it, though when I get my own place I will place worms in the fridge. Also these worms I got at 7-11 before I moved. I know i have to get pet store worms if i can find some, or order online.

 

[LizMarie]

It looks to have a white tail and moves, that is what it looks like to me. I don't see any mites, just beetles.

Check out this post, http://geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=39338&highlight=pupae does your "egg" look like that?

If it does that is a pupae (not an egg) which is a worm that is basically morphing into a beetle. Eggs are so tiny that many people don't even notice them until they hatch out tiny mealworms.

 

[geckoqueen]

Pupae, yes I looked at the site and this is what it looks like, just like the picture. Ok then it is beetles then. Not mites.

 

[LizMarie]

Well When I look at the temp sometimes, its 80, sometimes is around 90, so you are saying it should stay around 90 all the time? I do not mist the humid hide daily, though I do every few days? Also Ninja seems to shed ok but when I had the orange gecko before he died, the shed was always getting stuck on him. So is a heat lamp enough or do I need the ultra voilet light also?

Yes the warm side should be around 90*F. Most caresheets say 88-92*F, but many experienced owners on this forum recommend a little higher reaching up to 97*F but people have their own preferrences and every gecko is different. But the temps should be some where around there. Same with the warm side they say from the high 70's to low 80's. I try to keep my warm side at 94*F with my cool side at 80*F but sometimes the outside temps only let me get it up to 78*F or so.

I use coconut fiber so it stays humid for a few days so I re-mist every 3days or so. If your humid hide stays humid for the most part you don't have to mist it everyday.

A heat lamp could be enough as long as you are able to achieve the proper temps AND maintain them. I personally finding them annoying and more of a hassle, you have to consider wattage, distance, replacing them when they go out, sometimes they just stop working, etc.. Have you considered a heat pad? I like the idea of setting and forgetting with occasionally looking at my thermometer for any adjustments that need to be made. No don't need a UV light because they really don't give off heat, are expensive and would really serve no purpose.

 

[biglepgec]

7-11 sells worms, awesome.

 

[STUTFL]

:laugh4: If you live near a fishing spot, most gas stations sell bait.