Why Don't The Birds Like My Mealworms?

[hellywelly4]

I've only just started to put them out and did wonder if it's because they are quite hard - they are dried ones. Should I soak them first?

[Buenchico]

Quote:
"TIP: If buying dried mealworms rather than live mealworms, soak in warm water for 20-60 minutes before putting out to provide valuable moisture content. This makes them more attractive to birds plus easier to digest - especially for younger birds"

Source:
https://shopping.rspb.org.uk/mealworms/

[ladybirder]

You you can but Live ones are by far the best especially during the breeding season. A hard one could choke a nestling whereas a live one wouldn't. Hopefully mum is too savvy to feed chics the hard ones though. Wigglywigglers is an excellent site to buy them and they don't smell and keep quite a while. Plenty of info their site.

[rowanwitch]

A lot of birds prefer them chopped up a bit too.

[GenuineclAss]

The dried mealworms have also been found to be very bad for hedgehogs - I think I read that they give them some sort of bone disease. (?)

I stopped putting them down, but still use a "robin" bird food, which seems to attract all sorts of birds - I'm thrilled with the results!
This bird food contains a few mealworms, but not many.

Also put down suet block, crumbled, which goes down even better than the seed. The blackbirds and robins will appear out of nowhere and sit on my raspberry canes to attract my attention if there's no suet down!

[iluvmargie]

My blackbirds go mad for the dried mealworms and at the moment they are vanishing almost as soon as I put them out. I have never had any problems with them straight from the packet.

[hellywelly4]

Thank you all very much for your replies. I will definitely start to soak them and buy live ones when they're finished.

[ladybirder]

That's true re hedgehogs gc, but for live as well as dry mealworms. Just a small amount once a week according to the Hedgehog Society.

[sherrardk]

Hedgehogs can become addicted to them and not eat a proper diet as a result, ok for a treat though.

[Tilly2]

We use these.
https://www.thecornmill.com/mealworms/500g-soldier-worms-add-on

[TTG]

I have a nature cam and can confirm ALL birds which visit my garden like the mealworms I put out! Blackbirds, Robins, Dunnocks, Magpies, Sparrows etc. I do crunch them up slightly before putting down.

[iluvmargie]

Yes, sparrows eat a lot of mine too.

[Old_Geezer]

Try soaking them in cherry brandy overnight, first.

[Bazile]

Perhaps they've noticed the use by date :-)