Sunshine Mealworms is a company based out of Oregon. They offer mealworms, giant mealworms, superworms, crickets and waxworms. They have great prices on some items, but you have to email them for a quote on shipping. Shipping prices vary, but usually aren’t too expensive.

Ghann’s Crickets offers great prices, but shipping can be pricey. They are located in Georgia, so if you are in AL, GA, NC, SC, or TN, you can usually use ground shipping. In the summer time, VA is also considered. This is a great option for those that live in these states. The prices are usually pretty decent. During the summer time they offer “Crickets-In-A-Can”, which is 100 crickets that is delivered via USPS. This is a nice option for those with only a few reptiles and do not want to order 500-1000 crickets.

Worm Man’s Worm Farm is another east coast seller, in New Jersey. The prices seem a little steep, but they do include shipping. Personally, the prices would turn me away. I’d rather see a lower price first, then add shipping. Some of the prices are okay though, including mealworms.

reptilefood.com offers pretty decent shipping prices, plus great product prices. There sizing seems to be different from other sellers. Their 1/4″ cricket is equivalent to 1/8″ crickets are other places. Maybe it just depends on the order, I’m not sure.

How to:
Gutloading is simple and easy to do.

First you must create the housing environment for the feeders. This can be a rubbermaid container, 10 gallon aquarium, or other type of container/housing.

Second, a lid must be present. For rubbermaid containers, holes should be drilled into the top, or the top center can be cut away and replaced with screening. An aquarium should have a screen lid, which fits snuggly.

Third you want a base substance for the feeders (Worms in particular). This can be Oats, Bran, and other things. I use a mixture of oats and wheat bran with my feeders. I give them about 1-2″ of area to dig into.

Forth is a type of vegetable, multiple kinds if possible. You will want potatoes, carrots, kale, collard greens, basically anything listed in the iguana salad menu. This needs to be taken out after 24 hours to prevent any spoiling.

Finally you can add your feeders.

Always keep some sort of vegetable within the enclosure, whether it is a piece of potato, a carrot, or something else. This will allow the feeders to get water.

Housing
Superworms should be housed in a large container, preferably an aquarium or Tupperware container. I house my superworms in a 13″Long x 9″ Wide x 9″ High Tupperware container. I drilled holes into the lid in order to let in fresh air as well. Others prefer to use a 10 gallon or larger aquarium with a screen top. Superworms do try to climb, so a lid is generally mandatory, unless of course you want to wake up to superworms all over the place.

Substrate/Medium
Just like reptiles, superworms have a substrate they live on (and in). Rolled oats and Bran are two great choices. I use a mixture of both, above 2-3″ high, allowing the superworms to dig and move freely within.

Feeding
Besides eating the medium they are kept in, superworms need more nutritious food. This can include carrots, apples, potatoes, and other fruits and vegetables. I generally give them a bit of the Iguana Salad I make for the bearded dragon, mixed in with some other vegetables. Lettuce is not acceptable as it is mostly water. Make sure to take uneaten food out after 24 hours to prevent mold and bacteria.

Useful Information
Be careful when working with superworms, they bite, and it can hurt.
Now we’ve all heard it, how mealworms and superworms ate threw the stomach of a lizard. It’s a myth, which I’ve heard a lot about. By the time the worm gets down to the stomach, it’s been crunched with the teeth and gone through some nasty acid, plus it’s not a lot of room to move around. Not going to happen, but the superworm can bite your lizard on the outside, so never leave them just sitting in a cage uneaten.

~Nibbler

~Nibbler