Best foods for Super Worms

Ilike4hornedchams · Nov 25, 2018

Ok so this shouldn't be too complicated but I am finding my superworms, which I buy 500-1000 at a time, are not loving the foods I offer them and about 15-20% of them are dying off before I can feed them off! So here is the list of foods I offer them and how I think they like em.
- Water Crystals: so so.
- Bug Burger: they like it but it makes them pee ammonia which smells kinda strong so that's only a treat.
- Carrots: Good they like
- Cucumber: They don't care for
- Mixed greens: They don't care for
- Potato's: They don't care for
- Oranges: They don't care for

So what DO they like? When WILL keep them hydrated? I'm pretty sure the ones that are dying off simply like something that I'm not offering. Please let me know you're recommendations that WORK.

Thehippie · Nov 25, 2018

well carrots are great because they don't mold fast like fruit so keep the carrots and leafy greens increase calcium so if you can get them to eat those then try or you can try sweet potatoes but idk how well that will work out

celeste_knitter · Nov 25, 2018

My bedding is organic alfalfa pellets, so they eat that. I sprinkle cricket crack on top of that & they eat that. I use water crystals in a flat lid top - they love that. I occasionally put a quarter of an orange, they seem to go for that too.

Roz’sMom · Nov 25, 2018

I buy superworms in bulk for my other pets for whom they are staples. I have mine bedded in oat bran and whole oats. I liberally scoop my powder gutload (Pangaea PIG) into their bedding and mix it around. For wet gut load I have great luck with:

Leaves (green and a few brown)

Grape
Mulberry
Hibiscus

Greens

Dandelion
Watercress
Arugula/Rocket
Celery tops
Parsley
Cilantro/Coriander

Fruit

Apples
Grapes
Watermelon
Citrus (specifically orange/lemon)
Berries

Veggies:

Squash (zucchini, Mexican, crookneck)
Cucumber
Shredded and whole carrots
Bell peppers, small sweet peppers, etc. [edited to add]

The leaves, greens, and citrus I grow myself. I also have a grapevine for fruit. This keeps costs low for me. Any combination of the above is my usual wet gutload for the majority of my feeders. I’ve never had any issue with moisture content and I don’t add water crystals to their bedding. They always eat it up, in my experience. Hope this helps!

Roz’sMom · Nov 25, 2018

Roz’sMom said:
I buy superworms in bulk for my other pets for whom they are staples. I have mine bedded in oat bran and whole oats. I liberally scoop my powder gutload (Pangaea PIG) into their bedding and mix it around. For wet gut load I have great luck with:

Leaves (green and a few brown)

Grape

Mulberry

Hibiscus

Greens

Dandelion

Watercress

Arugula/Rocket

Celery tops

Parsley

Cilantro/Coriander

Fruit

Apples

Grapes

Watermelon

Citrus (specifically orange/lemon)

Berries

Veggies:

Squash (zucchini, Mexican, crookneck)

Cucumber

Shredded and whole carrots

Bell peppers, small sweet peppers, etc. [edited to add]

The leaves, greens, and citrus I grow myself. I also have a grapevine for fruit. This keeps costs low for me. Any combination of the above is my usual wet gutload for the majority of my feeders. I’ve never had any issue with moisture content and I don’t add water crystals to their bedding. They always eat it up, in my experience. Hope this helps!

Photographic evidence:

brinks184 · Jul 21, 2024

Ilike4hornedchams said:
Ok so this shouldn't be too complicated but I am finding my superworms, which I buy 500-1000 at a time, are not loving the foods I offer them and about 15-20% of them are dying off before I can feed them off! So here is the list of foods I offer them and how I think they like em.
- Water Crystals: so so.
- Bug Burger: they like it but it makes them pee ammonia which smells kinda strong so that's only a treat.
- Carrots: Good they like
- Cucumber: They don't care for
- Mixed greens: They don't care for
- Potato's: They don't care for
- Oranges: They don't care for

So what DO they like? When WILL keep them hydrated? I'm pretty sure the ones that are dying off simply like something that I'm not offering. Please let me know you're recommendations that WORK.

I'm having the same issue. I'm wondering how the place that sell them are keeping them. I have tried different companies to purchase from, same issue no matter where I buy them. They eat the carrots and potatoes really well. I red if they are cannibalizeing, feed more greens because the way they process foods, the greens are protein to them. I put it in several different ways trying to see what gets the best results, they seem to like having the greens into a bundle. I also put a couple throughout the bedding, and I see the hole and even see them eating the greens, well maybe just burrowing into it. I keep them in. When I get them in the mail they are never in bedding, I'm really wondering how it would work if I didn't put 3 or 4 inches of wheat bran into the enclosure, just maybe 1inch of wheatbran on one side food on the other. I put in a couple egg crate containers, but it just seems to give them a spot to curl up on and wait to die. Superworms are much much more complicated then meal worms. PLEASE HELP!!!

MissSkittles · Jul 21, 2024

Hi. I’ve never had a problem with supers. I’ve kept them in wheat bran (they seem to do best in this) and organic soil (they didn’t do so well). I feed them shaved winter squashes, like butternut, acorn and yellow summer squash sliced thin, shaved carrot, occasionally Repashy Bug Burger and other low moisture foods. They will eat all of the bran and it will be replaced by their poos, so you’ll need to move them to fresh bran when that happens. Their poo and bran can look similar at a glance. Only put in what you think they can eat in a day as you don’t want their brain to get moldy. Also, make sure they have enough space. I think if too crowded they may cannibalize each other a bit.