How many are too many silkworms for a Juv Parsonii?

[Twitchet]

Andrew- I don't envy you with your story- That would see me in some institution I would think. Must of been an extremely stressful time, It must be such a lot for a wc animal to have to adjust to, what they would of gone through, are cb not easy to get where you are?
Joel to the rescue again ? He's suffered a couple of hysterical emails from me!
I guess just as you thought you were making progress then a hunger strike. My male was so shy I almost felt what it must be like with a wc, he had not had a lot of visual or actual contact with people so was tricky too. Decided to try and bite me for the first time today too-
Sounds fantastic your new enclosure. Great to have the space to do something like that.
I can't get/grow Nopali- as in cold U.K, love that website- love all the powders etc, I'm thinking that would be good for locusts to eat! You say greens for your roaches? What sort as I haven't found mine eat mush in the way of leaves. Any other powders etc you recommend for my gutloading mix I'd be grateful. The roaches are having walnuts and brazil nuts ground up tonight.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

My roaches and crickets eat collards, mustard greens, spring mix, Wild collected greens, dandelion/chicory, kale, grated winter squash, parsnips, sliced oranges, blueberries, mangos, figs, and practically anything I offer. I offer them wet mix about every 3 days, and no other moisture source. Being thirsty enticed them to eat more of the wet foods. I offer the dry mix sprinkled on top of the wet and sometimes in between. I only offer the nopali, currently, as I have so much in my dry mixture that although I love the idea of having a variety of wet stuff, it was too labor intensive and costly.
I can't grow the spineless opuntia here, either, but you can order it from rivenrock.com. It stores as well as potatos and should withstand shipping to the U.K., though I'm not sure they ship internationally or for how much. I get 4lbs every 6 weeks and could actually use 6lbs. I have a lot of roaches!
As for additional powders to try, I mix it up. I add kelp powder, chlorella, hemp, chia, dried ( preservative free ) fruits and powders, their multiple gain cereals ( not too much ), spirulina, bee pollen, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, coconut, and many other items. I limit the fruits to enough to make the mixture smell sweet, but you don't want too much phytic acid or phosphorus.

 

[Twitchet]

Oh so I'm doing pretty good with my list, more or less most of the things you give which I'm very happy about. It's a bit like an apothecary here with jars of odd things all for a roach or locust to eat.
We grow organic turnip greens, mitzuna, mustard, rocket, kale, collards, comfrey, dandelions, alfalfa, pak choi, squash, courgettes, carrots, parsnips, beetroots, pumpkins, so I'm very lucky to have a wide range at my fingertips. We, as humans, eat sunflowers, pumpkins, hemp, chia, cocoa powder, sesame and linseeds ground up so I give the roaches some of our mix too.
I'll have to be tougher with my roaches and try and get them to eat their greens.
Thanks ever so much for the info and the list, I'll try and add some of the things to mine, no phytic acid though, I wish locusts came packed with alfalfa hay instead of bran, I always shake off all the bran before they go into their new home.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

We were discussing gutloads and here is my latest mixture. It varies a little each time I order.

 

[Andee]

Where are you ordering these things?

 

[Twitchet]

Thanks Andrew- I have 70% of them but will add some extras from your list- such a good company- I will see if I can find a similar here , I like the fruits, raspberries etc- I don't have much of that in my list, .
I've just made up grated pumpkin, blueberry, spirulina, bee pollen, powdered sunflower,pumpkin seed, hemp and linseed mix so I'm hoping everyone will help me out and eat it up I tried my roaches on beetroot leaves and alfalfa and they did eat it so that's great to know.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

Where are you ordering these things?

Nuts.com

 

[Twitchet]

Andrew, looks like there's an Opuntia so that is hardy in the U.K would you believe so after the winter I'll try growing it.
Thanks again for the info. Makes me hungry reading all the yummy things my roaches get to eat

 

[jannb]

I would let him eat as many silks as he wants. My males didn't like silks but loved the big hornworms. My female Hera likes silks and horns.

 

[Twitchet]

Great shots, lovely looking , oh I wish I could get hornworms in the country, pleased to have my silks though and he loves them, he's woofing down locusts too so at least he has a bit of roughage.
I'm glad silks are o.k , better than o.k actually, and He and my xanth adores them.
Thanks.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

Andrew, looks like there's an Opuntia so that is hardy in the U.K would you believe so after the winter I'll try growing it.
Thanks again for the info. Makes me hungry reading all the yummy things my roaches get to eat

I'm aware that there are hardy species, but they have tiny, fiberglass-like spines, that make them difficult to prepare and handle and they are extremely slow growing.