Breeding hornworms

[Diamondsword]

So I’ve decided to start breeding hornworms to save money. I know a lot of people say they are to big and eventually they get pretty big so I will feed them to the Chams when they are pretty small. So from what I know so far I use tomato’s,red bell peppers, and dandelion leaves( made sure they are pesticide and insect free). I know they are ready to pupate when they are about three-four inches long,stop eating, and have a largely visible vein down their back. Will feed the moths cotton balls with sugar water(1 cup water to 1 tablespoon brown sugar) and keep in a screen enclosure(still figuring out what to use) and remove all eggs daily. I was wondering I anybody has any tips or could tell me what I’m doing wrong. Heres one of my bigger ones right now.

 

[Beman]

He is not ready to pupate yet... They get like gross fat and do not move around as much. They stop eating... Right now that is just a happy chunky worm lol.

 

[Kamikaze Chameleon]

Thats awesome! Ive always wanted to, havent had the time but I dont think your suppose to feed the tomato. Ive read there is a compund that is toxic to chameleons, thats why your NOT suppose to feed off wild ones.

 

[Beman]

Thats awesome! Ive always wanted to, havent had the time but I dont think your suppose to feed the tomato. Ive read there is a compund that is toxic to chameleons, thats why your NOT suppose to feed off wild ones.

It is actually the tomato leaves and the plant itself that make them toxic.

 

[PabloTheCham]

It is actually the tomato leaves and the plant itself that make them toxic.

So I can feed tomatos to hornworms when they are out of chow?

 

[Beman]

So I can feed tomatos to hornworms when they are out of chow?

Personally I only feed hornworm chow... I have fed them carrots or dandelion greens when I run out and am waiting for more chow. But I find that they really do not do well on veg when they have been on chow.

I do not use any part of the tomato plant because it is in the nightshade family. I choose not to risk it at all lol.

 

[Kamikaze Chameleon]

Personally I only feed hornworm chow... I have fed them carrots or dandelion greens when I run out and am waiting for more chow. But I find that they really do not do well on veg when they have been on chow.

I do not use any part of the tomato plant because it is in the nightshade family. I choose not to risk it at all lol.

Yea chow is so much easier for cleanup too!

 

[Spyro]

You should see the heartbeat down the back clearly before it is ready to pupate. Use chow. Also If you will have several moths and this is a regular thing, you should consider wearing a mask to avoid breathing in scales.

 

[Beman]

You should see the heartbeat down the back clearly before it is ready to pupate. Use chow. Also If you will have several moths and this is a regular thing, you should consider wearing a mask to avoid breathing in scales.

ewww scales?

 

[Diamondsword]

Thank you all of you good to now about scales that is... weird

 

[Diamondsword]

And is there a vegetable I should use because I read they can do tomatoes on another post and they ate most of one in a few hours. And chow is pretty expensive so I was wondering if there was a cheaper option

 

[Kamikaze Chameleon]

Microblade carrot, that will work temporarily but you should REALLY get chow

 

[Diamondsword]

Okay so today I ordered a bunch of chow and am using chopped up carrot until it gets here and I think this one is ready to pupate.

okay so I ordered a bunch of chow. I think this one is ready to pupate and I was wondering what to use as substrate. This one has stopped eating and just climbing and trying to hide.

 

[Diamondsword]

Whoops wrote twice I’m going crazy