birds don't like live mealworms (1 Viewer)

HartleyHare · Jun 20, 2012

I bought a tub of live mealworms and have just put some out and the birds won't touch them. They ignored the bowl I put them in ( its a bowl they are used to ) and started queueing to get onto the fatball and peanut feeders instead |:S||:S|. So, I removed the feeders and now they all sat on top of the bushes glaring down at me. What shall I do ??

Kits · Jun 20, 2012

Can you not leave the bowl out and see if they come to it after a while?

HartleyHare · Jun 20, 2012

Kits said:
Can you not leave the bowl out and see if they come to it after a while?

I did just that and mixed the worms in with the stuff in the bowl. Now 2 hours later the bowl is bare apart form a few worms |>| I thought they were supposed to love live worms ? Shall I just all their usual stuff away and just leave them the worms ?

Kits · Jun 20, 2012

I would continue to leave out your usual feeders as well as the worms. Sometimes birds take a little while to get used to new things.

HartleyHare · Jun 21, 2012

The Starlings love them, so does the Jackdaw but the Sparrows ( who I bought the worms for ) just look at it in disgust.

I put out a bowl this morning before the Starlings arrived and they all sat in a line on the top of the bushes and stared at me in total silence. It was the silence that was eery as they are usually chattering away amongst themselves and hopping about on the bushes waiting to get onto the table. After I had put the bowl down a couple of the adult birds came and had a look and then flew off. left teh bowl for an hour or so and then gave in and put out their usual breakfast. You have never heard some a clamouring and jabbering |

|

I thought Sparrows love live mealworms and will feed them to their chicks ??

etudiant · Jun 21, 2012

HartleyHare said:
The Starlings love them, so does the Jackdaw but the Sparrows ( who I bought the worms for ) just look at it in disgust.

I put out a bowl this morning before the Starlings arrived and they all sat in a line on the top of the bushes and stared at me in total silence. It was the silence that was eery as they are usually chattering away amongst themselves and hopping about on the bushes waiting to get onto the table. After I had put the bowl down a couple of the adult birds came and had a look and then flew off. left teh bowl for an hour or so and then gave in and put out their usual breakfast. You have never heard some a clamouring and jabbering ||

I thought Sparrows love live mealworms and will feed them to their chicks ??

Maybe your sparrows have enjoyed your bounty for so long that they have forgotten what live food looks like??

HartleyHare · Jun 21, 2012

etudiant said:
Maybe your sparrows have enjoyed your bounty for so long that they have forgotten what live food looks like??

My hubby says they are totally spoilt - he got all upset because I bought them some cheese scones and he thought they were for him :-O Seriously though, they eat the dried mealworms so why don't they like the fresh ones ? And they eat the flies that conveniently expire on the windowsill.

etudiant · Jun 22, 2012

HartleyHare said:
My hubby says they are totally spoilt - he got all upset because I bought them some cheese scones and he thought they were for him :-O Seriously though, they eat the dried mealworms so why don't they like the fresh ones ? And they eat the flies that conveniently expire on the windowsill.

Food that fights back!
A new and frightening development. More at 11.

stonechat1 · Jun 22, 2012

When the meal worms are starting their pupation (that´s when they are getting the soft white skin) then sure no bird can resist ;-)
http://www.zimpernik.at/mehlwurm.jpg

roger1234 · Jun 22, 2012

my house sparrows love live mealworms,keep putting them out and they will take them.

HartleyHare · Jun 27, 2012

The meal worms are turning into beetles |8.| They have been kept in fridge in a plastic tub and only taken out one a day. I found 2 beetles in the tub this morning. What shall I do ? There are still quite a lot of worms left and I don't want a fridge full of beetles. Will the birds eat the beeltes ?

Oh, I love your photos Roger1234!

Nigel Davies · Jun 27, 2012

Hi Hartleyhare,

I'm surprised your birds do not like live meal worms, mine love them and if you go to RSPB Titchwell a Robin who well mug you for them on the carpark.

Nigel

etudiant · Jun 27, 2012

HartleyHare said:
The meal worms are turning into beetles |8.| They have been kept in fridge in a plastic tub and only taken out one a day. I found 2 beetles in the tub this morning. What shall I do ? There are still quite a lot of worms left and I don't want a fridge full of beetles. Will the birds eat the beeltes ?

Oh, I love your photos Roger1234!

You can pick out the ones getting ready to emerge as adults, just select the pupae that are starting to get dark.
Alternatively, you can start your own colony in a plastic bucket, some damp newspapers with oat bran rations will keep them coming, harvest as necessary.

Romafree · Jun 27, 2012

Eek....only just seen your post!! How brave you are! I got squeamish the first time I bought DRIED mealworms as they moved as I opened the tub!! :eek!:
Now, beetles in da fridge....oh, no way!! :-C
Think many of our birds are spoilt. I hung up new feeders, cleaned birdtable, put all fresh food there and provided the usual sparkling water and they all disappeared for hours and still don't seem happy.....the dogs are getting quiite jealous!! o

birds don't like live mealworms (1 Viewer)

More options

HartleyHare

Well-known member

Kits

Picture Picker

HartleyHare

Well-known member

Kits

Picture Picker

HartleyHare

Well-known member

etudiant

Registered User

HartleyHare

Well-known member

etudiant

Registered User

stonechat1

New member

roger1234

Well-known member

Attachments

HartleyHare

Well-known member

Nigel Davies

Well-known member

etudiant

Registered User

Romafree

Well-known member

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread