Problematic Superworm Breeding

[Chameleon Crazy Chick]

So, I decided that this weekend I am going to start a superworm colony, as Nik loves them a LOT. I am a very stubborn, hardheaded person (that's part of the reason I got Nik. Kept pestering. Works like a charm. The superworm's one of his frequents, that and crickets. Occasionally dubia roaches, but not often as my mom HATES THEM.
I read up a bunch, and I have several different pages up at once researching everything.
So, one of the requirements is that you need a warm, dark place, right? so the worms can pupate. However, here in Cinci, it's getting to 15, 20 degrees. And my mom expects me to raise the worms in the garage. She says she won't allow them in the house. Problem. The garage isn't heated or anything, so it's gonna kill the worms REAL FAST. Should I use a heat pad, like you would for dubia roaches?will that even work?
Any suggestions are GREATLY appreciated.

 

[Furciferocious]

You will need some kind of heat pad/tape and a thermostat to control it. You will need some kind of insulated place to put your bug bins into in the winter. Could be an old cooler. Could be a box you build out of 1" styrofoam or a sheet of foam insulation board from a hardware store. Could even be an unplugged refrigerator (which is just an insulated box). Since I've never done this I can't give you any more details. I think most people will say that superworms shouldn't be the primary feeder. Nik loves them because they're like ice cream to him, not necessarily because they are good for him.

 

[alphakenc]

It all depend on how big is the superworm colony u planning to raise?the more they are ...maybe the heat tapes will be more valuable than just the heat pad.

 

[Chameleon Crazy Chick]

how exactly do you control the heat tape? Does it stay hot all the time?

 

[alphakenc]

If u decided to go with the heat tape(flex watt)with an adjustable thermostat u can wrap the flexible heating tape around the desired area you want to heat inside the large bug enclosure, set the temperature, and it will maintain heat at the set temperature.Usually stay around the set temperature,unless is the power outage or some type of the malfunction.

 

[Dumzy]

Im not taking care of chams anymore, but i do still lurk around here sometimes, thought id help u out, i breed superworms for my bearded dragon and i use one of those small fridges that can be set to warm/cold, i set mine to warm and fill empty pill bottles halfway with flukers cricket gutload, and put 1 superworm in each one, then put it in the warm fridge until it pupates, once it turns into a beetle i take it out, put it into a bin with egg crates, water crystals and flukers cricket gutload as a bedding to lay the eggs in.

 

[Dumzy]

Oh, and they sell the fridges on amazon for like $40 each, most people use them for breast milk or soda. Here it is: https://www.amazon.com/Gourmia-GMF-...rd_wg=bPm9g&psc=1&refRID=WT08YXY4MBPNB1F9M6V5

 

[Dumzy]

And i would only use my "design" if you are keeping them outside, if you decide to keep them inside just put them in your closet or somewhere else dark, they dont need heat inside if your house is heated.

 

[Chameleon Crazy Chick]

Well, considering my mother has banned them from the house, that would work just fine!

And i would only use my "design" if you are keeping them outside, if you decide to keep them inside just put them in your closet or somewhere else dark, they dont need heat inside if your house is heated.

 

[Dumzy]

Well, considering my mother has banned them from the house, that would work just fine!

I would also hook it up to a thermostat, i can post some pictures of mine if you want, but yea, outside set the fridge to warm, hook it up to a thermostat set to 78 - 80F and leave it in a dark place for about 10 days, make sure you dont open it, also if you use clear containers to seperate the worms, wrap them in duct tape or something. The worms wont pupate if they are able to see another worm.

 

[Bigsky]

Well, considering my mother has banned them from the house, that would work just fine!

They don't need to be in the dark. Look for a used picnic cooler for a container. They need to be kept warm. It takes a long time to get a colony started. I have good luck with damp peatmoss for larval bedding. Wheat bran for food. Mature larvae will come to the top and roam around, apparently searching for a place to pupate. Buy some cheap small plastic cups and put one mature larva in each cup. This will product pupae and eventually the adults to get your colony started. No, they are not cannibalistic, as is commonly stated. Be patient, it may take 6 months to get started.