Hi all,

i just got my mealworms today and I got some that are black and some of the outer shells are just lying there, what happened? Also do I need those cricket gel water things for mealworms?

Mealworms shed just like our reptiles, which explains the yellow outer shells. They aren't actually worms, they are larva. They eventually turn into pupa, then little black beetles. If they are black while in the larva stage, they are dead. You do not need to give them cricket gels. Once every week, take the container out of the refrigerator for them to warm up and wake up. Put a piece of a sliced potato on top of the bedding. Leave them sit for 24 hours, by then they will wake up, eat the bedding and rehydrate from the potato. Then you can put them back in the refrigerator for another week then do the process all over again.

alright, well I kept them out for now, I am leaving them out for tonight and not feeding them, I will be feeding my leo in the morning, is that okay?

You don't have to refrigerate them, but refrigeration slows down their growing process. Are they in a container with the bedding already in it? If so that's their food. The potato is only used as a water source. I'd buy a good gutload for mealworms though, Worm Gutload I buy my cricket gutload from them and trust me you won't be disappointed. It's good to buy them a good gutload, because what that worm eats your gecko is going to eat. If that worm isn't eating good, then your gecko is basically just eating a hollow worm. It needs all the nutrients it can get.