Hornworm dilemma

[LittleLionLover]

I recieved a shipment in today, first time ordering hornworms from coastal, I usually order them from mulberry farms.They look healthy and more or less the same except for their color. Their blue rather than green, and the food is a tan sort of yellow color, rather than the usual green im used to ( funky smell too). Also I've run out of hornworm chow. So I have some questions, any input would be great.

1. I've read that this coloration is due to a lack of chlorophyll in the lighter form of chow. Is this true, and does this have any effect on my cham?

2. Is there a nutritional difference between the light and dark chow, Pros and cons?

3.Which is a better purchase or are they same thing?

4. What would make a good substitute? I've heard silkworm chow and bell pepper, but do either have ill effects that could harm my cham?

 

[Texas Panther Man]

Ive gotten the teal horns before. They are nutritionally the same. I dont know about the bell pepper but Ive heard you can use silkworm chow as a sub food if you run out. I actually prefer the lighter food myself. I think the frass seems to be cleaner and drier than the darker stuff. Ive switched to mulberry recently and I do thinnk their worms are a little hardier than the teal colored worms. I seem to have fewer die offs.

 

[LittleLionLover]

Ive gotten the teal horns before. They are nutritionally the same. I dont know about the bell pepper but Ive heard you can use silkworm chow as a sub food if you run out. I actually prefer the lighter food myself. I think the frass seems to be cleaner and drier than the darker stuff. Ive switched to mulberry recently and I do thinnk their worms are a little hardier than the teal colored worms. I seem to have fewer die offs.

I've gotta agree about mulberry's worms, they do seem alot hardier, never really had to add or change food either. I think I might prefer the darker food honestly, it isn't as smelly. But I'm hesitant to try the silkworm food cause im not sure if there are any effects to it, I've heard both silkworm chow and hornworm chow are essentially the same thing, but I want a bit more affirmation about it before I go for it. Thanks for the input.

 

[pssh]

It's fineto feed silkie chow. I fed mine some, and bell pepper is also fine. You can try feeding other leafy greens and see if they will eat some. I can't remember what green it was, but I got mine to eat some...

 

[FredChameleon]

i ordered horn worms from coastal also and they were just fine, came just like yours did. my jackson loved them and my beardy loved them also

 

[COASTALSILKWORMS]

1. I've read that this coloration is due to a lack of chlorophyll in the lighter form of chow. Is this true, and does this have any effect on my cham?

Yes, that is correct. The food we use for the hornworms is a high end lab grade food that costs a lot more then the mulberry (green) food. The hornworms will grow faster on this food and much stronger at a smaller age.

2. Is there a nutritional difference between the light and dark chow, Pros and cons?

Yes, the yellow food is a custom blend made just for hornworms that we use.

3.Which is a better purchase or are they same thing?

The worms are the same the food used is different, its a personal choice. We can send hornworms on green food too and the worms will turn back green. The main issue is mold, and we have found the yellow food not to mold. That said we have a new mulberry food in and will be testing it on the hornworms once we use up all the yellow.

4. What would make a good substitute? I've heard silkworm chow and bell pepper, but do either have ill effects that could harm my cham?

You can use the silkworm food.

 

[LittleLionLover]

Thanks for all the input guys, ill be using the silkworm chow as a sub for now.