can hamsters have live crickets and mealworms?

[Call me Alison]

hello....

yesterday i was given with my 2 Russian hybrids 2 live crickets which are huge and 5 fat meal worms which i was told they apparently love.

at the moment there all in tied food bags in a carrier bag in the bathroom because i really don't want to touch them or look at them!!

they apparently especially love the crickets!!

if anybody could let me know, gaining the courage to touch them is another story!

thanks Alison

[Silver]

They can have both.

I don't know what you could keep them in feed them to keep them alive though.

Some people take the heads off the meal worms first because if a hammy puts it in there pouch alive the meal worm can bite the pouch.

Good luck

Silver xxx

[Call me Alison]

oh dear this sounds sooo gruesme!!

erm if i let them die first would it be ok to give them then?

xxx

[NotsoLittleOlive]

You may as well get dried ones if they're dead lol.

You can just crush their heads, like under a spoon or something. Bit less gruesome than snipping it off altogether :P

[Silver]

Yes they can be eaten once dead. I have no idea how long you can keep them once dead before you feed them.

Trouble is with the meal worms they turn into beetle's & the cycle goes round. I know they can be a pest if they get into the carpet.

I did see a brilliant post on a different forum showing the life cycle.

Silver xxx

[Silver]

Here you go Wiki talks of the different life stages

Mealworm - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Silver xxx

[existence037]

Ive tried giving my hamsters some mealworms but theyre just afraid of it,.so i just gave it to my turtle. ,

well you can give your mealworms some bread to keep them alive, ad put them in a bottle.

[Call me Alison]

Originally Posted by NotsoLittleOlive

You may as well get dried ones if they're dead lol.

You can just crush their heads, like under a spoon or something. Bit less gruesome than snipping it off altogether :P

i didn't buy them i was given them with the hamsters!!

i wouldn't have the guts to buy them myself lol xx

[Call me Alison]

Originally Posted by Silver

Here you go Wiki talks of the different life stages

Mealworm - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Silver xxx

thanks silver!!

i'll try and be brave later and squish there heads!! xxx

[Jessie]

If you keep the meal worms in the fridge they don't turn into pupa or beetles as fast and they can be kept there for a month or so. and they don't need food in the fridge. the crickets can eat veggies to stay alive. and i keep them in a bowl with small holes all over, some paper towels and a chunk of potato or carrot.