Mealworms are one of the most widely used feeder insects for reptiles, birds, and hedgehogs — but should you choose live or dried? Both have their place, and understanding the differences will help you make the right choice for your animal.
Live Mealworms
Pros
- Higher nutritional value — live mealworms retain full moisture and nutritional content
- Natural behaviour trigger — movement stimulates hunting instinct in reptiles
- Better hydration — ~62% moisture content contributes to your animal’s water intake
- Gut-loadable — you can feed them nutritious food before offering to your reptile, boosting their value further
- More palatable — most reptiles strongly prefer live prey
Cons
- Shorter shelf life — need to be used within days to weeks
- Require storage management — fridge storage slows development but doesn’t stop it
- Escapees — live mealworms can burrow if left in an enclosure
Dried Mealworms
Pros
- Long shelf life — can be stored for months without refrigeration
- Convenient — easy to portion and store
- No escapees — no risk of insects burrowing into substrate
- Good for wild birds and hedgehogs — dried mealworms are excellent for garden wildlife feeding
Cons
- Reduced nutritional value — drying removes moisture and degrades some nutrients
- No movement — many reptiles won’t recognise stationary food as prey
- Not suitable as a sole diet — should always be supplemented with live feeders for reptiles
Which Should You Choose?
For reptiles, live mealworms should always be the primary feeder. Our live mealworms are gut-loaded before delivery and arrive fresh and active.
Our Dried Mealworms (250g) are ideal as a supplement, for wild bird feeding, or as a backup when live feeders aren’t available. For maximum variety, our Predator Blend combines dried mealworms, locusts, and silkworms in one pack.
Order Fresh Live & Dried Mealworms in Wakefield
Terra Solutions delivers both live and dried mealworms personally to your door across Wakefield and Leeds.