Is it ok to leave mealworms and wax worms in substrate?

[tiffew]

Our 6 month old eastern box turtle isn't eating-you may have read my other post. The worms end up crawling off the food plate since the turtle ignores them. Is it ok to keep them in the terrarium moss, or should we remove them after a time? Are they able to crawl up the rubbermaid container that they are in with the turtle and escape? Will they breed and multiply in there? I also wonder if our little turtle is afraid of them. They are about an inch or so long. Could their living in his home cause him stress? Thanks for any help. I ordered 1/4" meal worms online and they'll arrive in a few days. I'm crossing my fingers he is willing to eat those.

 

[lisa127]

No, you cannot keep mealworms in the enclosure. They can end up chewing on animals living in the enclosure. You may keep earthworms loose in the enclosure however.

 

[Yvonne G]

Besides what Lisa said, the worms will eventually turn into beetles.

 

[tiffew]

Oh geez. Ok so the worms may have been harming my turtle? How do I know if this has happened?

 

[tiffew]

We just removed all the worms--the exact amount we have given him. No idea what is in his feces--he's not eating a thing!!!

 

[lisa127]

We just removed all the worms--the exact amount we have given him. No idea what is in his feces--he's not eating a thing!!!

Is he going? If he is, he's eating something. I don't think I read the other thread. What are you feeding him?

 

[tiffew]

We give wax and new worms daily (he's not eaten one on 17 days), lettuce, fruit, veggies and turtle pellets. We count everything and all we put in we end up taking out because he doesn't even touch it. Past two days I've put critical care in his water, but he can't have absorbed enough for a poop. I'm perplexed.

 

[lisa127]

I used to float reptomin sticks in the water saucer for babies when they were in their pool. Maybe you could try that?

Have you tried red wigglers?

 

[tiffew]

The ones around here are huge and I think he'd be terrified of them. I'm trying hard to find the tiny blood worms alive to put in his bath water. I ordered 1/4" size meal worms online and hopefully when they come he will eat those.

 

[lisa127]

The ones around here are huge and I think he'd be terrified of them. I'm trying hard to find the tiny blood worms alive to put in his bath water. I ordered 1/4" size meal worms online and hopefully when they come he will eat those.

Red wigglers are smaller. See if you can find those at the pet store. I raised my hatchlings on those and reptomin sticks.

 

[tiffew]

Ok I am buying Reptomin sticks today. I'll continue to look for smaller red wigglers. thanks for all your help. I'm sure I seem crazy, but this turtle means everything to our son and he really deserves something to go right for him right now.

 

[lisa127]

Ok I am buying Reptomin sticks today. I'll continue to look for smaller red wigglers. thanks for all your help. I'm sure I seem crazy, but this turtle means everything to our son and he really deserves something to go right for him right now.

Keep in mind red wigglers are different than nightcrawlers. The nightcrawlers are large but red wigglers are small.

 

[KevinGG]

Try soldier fly larva. Very tiny and very nutritious. Used them for my boxies when they were young. Once they accepted pellets, I stopped though.

 

[tiffew]

I'll look for soldier fly larva. He didn't care about the reptomin sticks in his water or the pellet, half of wax worm, red lettuce or raspberry we gave him today.

 

[ColleenT]

Feeding Box turtles- http://www.boxturtlefacts.org/Feeding_North_American_Box_Turtles.pdf

 

[tiffew]

Thanks, Colleen. That's a very helpful article. Guess it could be anything bugging our turtle and making him not want to eat.

 

[dmmj]

do you have a pet store nearby? If so they should sell either the live or the freeze dried black worms or bloodworms I'm unsure of the name drop those in his water.

 

[tiffew]

Yes, they are out of stock until Thursday. He still has no interest in the Reptomin sticks. They dissolve and he walks away. He is down two grams in the last two days. I'll soak him again in water with baby carrot food tonight and offer food after. Is handling him twice a day for these soaks too much?

 

[PJay]

The soaking is worth any stress handling may cause.