Homemade Mealworm Bedding

Gathering Materials

• The bedding is composed of materials that the worms can ingest, keeping them healthy. Gather oats, cornmeal and wheat bran to serve as the primary bedding as well as a food source. Lettuce and potatoes are also important to provide moisture for the worms. Use a cat litter pan for storage. The steep sides make it impossible for the worms to climb out.

Creating the Bedding

• Grind the oats into fine particles and mix it with the wheat bran and cornmeal in a bowl. Layer this mix in the cat litter pan until it is about halfway up the sides. This will serve as the primary bedding. The mealworms can live in it and feed off of it. Sprinkle some chopped lettuce and small bits of potato into the mixture to provide water and moisture.

Adding the Worms

• A thousand or more mealworms can inhabit a space the size of a standard litter box. Dump the worms into the box and disperse them with your hands into and around the bedding. Place strips of newspaper over portions of the bedding. Some worms will naturally crawl onto the newspaper, making them easier to harvest when it's time to feed them to a pet.

Storage

• The worms can either be kept refrigerated or at room temperature. They will go into stasis and eat very slowly if refrigerated, often lasting weeks without dying or growing significantly. The worms will grow rapidly if kept at room temperature and deplete the oats and potatoes rapidly. Sift through the bedding for excrement and add fresh bedding at least once a week if they are kept at room temperature. Replace the lettuce and potatoes daily. Cover the litter pan with plastic wrap with air holes punched in it to serve as a lid in either case.