How many horn worms for Panther?

[Andie]

I have an approx 6 month old male Panther. He is very healthy, strong and a great eater.
I've started adding horn worms to his diet, but I'm wondering how many he should have in a day.

I usually mix his meals with 1-2 super worms, a few crickets and 1-3 horn worms.

He's free ranged so he usually goes to his feeder cup for the crickets and supers when he feels like it.
I give him the horn worms out of my hand.

 

[Andee]

I wouldn't feed more than 2 small hornworms a day, or one medium. Too.many can cause runny stools.

 

[absolutbill]

I generally give 2 a day - they aren't always on the menu, but I get a cup of them every couple of months or so. My adults can generally handle 2 large adults, and the beardies are more than happy to help with the rest!

 

[Peachypink]

I'm glad this questions was asked. I was wondering the same thing!

I recently added horn worms to my panther's diet of dubia roaches. I mistakenly bought 3 tubs, 15 per tub, having no idea that they grow so fast!! Now I have a bunch of large horn worms. So, I was also wondering......How big is too big? I've hear that with soft bodied worms you can go the length of their head. And what do I do with the ones that are too big?

 

[Andee]

I wouldn't go bigger around than the space between their eyes. The length isn't as bad with soft feeders. When their two big there is two things you can do. Kill them or let them pupate into moths. You can't release them because they are agricultural pests. You could technically sell them if someone wants them, maybe someone with the bigger cham species will want them.

 

[Peachypink]

Thanks, I do have an adult beardie who will eat them but I was surprised that they got so big within a weeks time! That means they are going to be more of a once and a while treat for him rather that a constant one or two a day. I just can't be making a new order once a week.

 

[NERVOUS]

When I have Horn worms my Cham gets 1-2 per day. He won't eat anymore than that. So, I almost always end up pupating a few worms from each pod.

 

[Andie]

Oh dear....LOL! I've been giving him 3-4 a day. He loves them. I'll cut back to just 2 I guess.
Thanks everyone!

 

[Kclarke02]

I'm glad this questions was asked. I was wondering the same thing!

I recently added horn worms to my panther's diet of dubia roaches. I mistakenly bought 3 tubs, 15 per tub, having no idea that they grow so fast!! Now I have a bunch of large horn worms. So, I was also wondering......How big is too big? I've hear that with soft bodied worms you can go the length of their head. And what do I do with the ones that are too big?

Very good question! I've come across the same problem. A few small ones perfect for my veiled but the rest bigger, so not sure what to do with them!

 

[Kclarke02]

I wouldn't go bigger around than the space between their eyes. The length isn't as bad with soft feeders. When their two big there is two things you can do. Kill them or let them pupate into moths. You can't release them because they are agricultural pests. You could technically sell them if someone wants them, maybe someone with the bigger cham species will want them.

How long before they pupate, and how should I store them until then?

 

[Andee]

You have to give them dirt to pupae in, and they are ready to pupae when they look kind of translucent with a very noticeable vein in their back. I don't believe hornworms or silkworms should be kept in cups, it's the farthest thing from natural and I consider it cruel. I only keep them in cup like objects when they've just hatched, then about a week out I move them into a small storage container that is like a shoebox size. You should keep them in the soil once they've dug down and keep it moist. They need strong light in order to hatch and they need something they can climb upside down on to pump their wings full.

 

[Kclarke02]

You have to give them dirt to pupae in, and they are ready to pupae when they look kind of translucent with a very noticeable vein in their back. I don't believe hornworms or silkworms should be kept in cups, it's the farthest thing from natural and I consider it cruel. I only keep them in cup like objects when they've just hatched, then about a week out I move them into a small storage container that is like a shoebox size. You should keep them in the soil once they've dug down and keep it moist. They need strong light in order to hatch and they need something they can climb upside down on to pump their wings full.

Thanks so much! I have several big ones that id like to try to keep and pupae. I'd love to raise them for my Cham, but I'm new to this...

 

[Kclarke02]

There's literally a whole new world when you get into having a Cham. I love it, and look forward to possibly raising my own feeders in the near future.

 

[Andee]

Raising hornworms is not as easy as silkworms. The hawkmoths need a reptibreeze, usually a medium size and need a hummindbird feeder with nectar to keep going if I'm correct. They need a tomato or a member of the night shade family in order to lay eggs and the babies cannot be allowed to eat the plant or they will be toxic. So every egg you plan to hatch and feed off needs to be collected. Then you end up with more than you need and you have to sell them. Plus you have to have food to feed them, preferably chow.

 

[jtimen]

Thanks, I do have an adult beardie who will eat them but I was surprised that they got so big within a weeks time! That means they are going to be more of a once and a while treat for him rather that a constant one or two a day. I just can't be making a new order once a week.

My beardie goes nuts for them. I just ordered some small ones for my veiled based on his enthusiasm. It's a win-win. If they get to big for Meagan, Fungo gets extras!

 

[trickedoutbiker]

You should keep them in the soil once they've dug down and keep it moist. They need strong light in order to hatch and they need something they can climb upside down on to pump their wings full.

Once mine dug down into the soil I pupated them in, I waited about two weeks then dug them up rather than leaving them in the soil. I did this because they do require lots of light to hatch out and this is better achieved if you dig them up and put them on top of the soil, spraying them every day or every other day with some water. In my case, I kept the pupaes in a container on top of some paper towels that I kept moist, and I had a few sticks in the container for them to stretch their wings on whenever they hatched. Sprayed them every two days. To help them hatch faster, I put a lightbulb aiming at the container and set it on a timer for 14 hours a day, as 14 hours of daylight is what will cause them to pop out much faster. Just make sure you keep them moist or else their wings will not develop correctly. Once they hatch, they only live about 24-48 hours or so without nectar to drink. So plan on feeding them off as fast as you can, or get a Reptibreeze cage or something similar and put a hummingbird feeder in there full of nectar for them to drink from.

 

[Chamifornia]

Adult panther and veiled can eat the bigger ones but be careful they do bite and I've had one bite my panther and hurt his tongue. I try and stay at the 2 inch size now on