Feeding Silkworms ????

[vgaines]

I ran out of silkworm food and I cannot get more until Wednesday. ( I have ordered some but wont ship until Monday) Is there anything else I can feed them until the silkworm chow gets here? I live in town so there are no Mulberry trees to get leaves from. I have Bug Burger. Can I use that until the chow get here?

 

[Saldarya]

You can try thinly shaved carrots, perhaps dandelion leaves (get from whole goods or fresh market).

 

[Psychobunny]

I have fed mine kale and romain when I ran out of their special food.

 

[pigglett79]

Shaved carrots and greens should get them by until then, they usually don't eat non mulberry very readily, but will eat enough to survive until the chow comes.

 

[Shaunny]

I feed mine every 2 days with the chow if that helps so leave it a day then add the carrot or other greens suggested and I'm sure they will be fine.

 

[vgaines]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I have given them carrots and greens and they seem to be eating it.

Another question. Is it normal for them to vary in size when they all hatched at the same time? I have some that are still tiny and some that are big. I have tried to separate them to make sure the tiny ones are able to eat. I will not hatch out 250 eggs at the same time ever again. lol

 

[pigglett79]

Yes, siza variation is normal. Sometimes when you have a large number all together they can get crowded and not all of therm get to eat at the same rate.

 

[Shaunny]

Mate I did the exact same thing and now I'm over run with the bloody things. I think 50 would last me a month I'm going to end up with about 200 moths at this rate lol. And yes I have split them too as some are still about 10mm in length

 

[sandrachameleon]

I now always feed silkworms 50% mulberry based food (either leaves or chow) and 50% something else (largely dandelion leaves since they grow as weeds readily available where I live)

 

[captdan]

what type of mulberry tree, or does it not matter?

 

[CarlC]

I now always feed silkworms 50% mulberry based food (either leaves or chow) and 50% something else (largely dandelion leaves since they grow as weeds readily available where I live)

Sandra are you seeing any difference in growth rate of the worms doing this?

Carl

 

[vgaines]

Well, I tried the carrots and greens and my worms starting dying off fast. I lost a lot of them the last few days. Thankfully I got my chow in today so I am hoping that no more die... I will be ordering more eggs next month I just won't hatch out 250 at a time...