Mealworms - dried or wriggling?

Darley · #1 (**permalink**) 03-01-2009, 06:08 PM

My Blackbirds love mealworms, but keeping live ones is such a pain. I bought some dried ones with a picture of that Oddie fellow on the pack. It says they can be soaked in water, but after 24 hours there doesn't seem to be a lot of difference! I tried adding hot water but they just don't seem to take it up.

Has anyone any tips on re-hyrdating mealworms, and is it worth the effort?

ellen h · #2 (**permalink**) 03-01-2009, 06:12 PM

The birds round here seem happy enough eating the dried ones as they come out of the pack

ellen

NJP87 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-01-2009, 06:15 PM

i use live ones, but only because i keep them for my leopard geckos.

tameblackbirds · #4 (**permalink**) 03-01-2009, 06:15 PM

I always add very hot water and that seems to work but as Ellen says they seem more than happy to eat the dried ones. There is an argument that they are not as nutrious dried but my birds gobble them up

Cheryl · #5 (**permalink**) 03-01-2009, 06:28 PM

It never crossed my mind to try to re-hydrate them

They get them dried this time of year- my resident Robin positively looks out for them and in the spring I buy live ones to help with the fledglings - I've not had any complaints so far

tameblackbirds · #6 (**permalink**) 03-01-2009, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheryl

It never crossed my mind to try to re-hydrate them

They get them dried this time of year- my resident Robin positively looks out for them and in the spring I buy live ones to help with the fledglings - I've not had any complaints so far

Thats what I do live ones in the spring early summer and sometimes I re-hydrate them