Silkworm breeding advice

[BenjiTheCham]

I’m thinking about breeding silkworms and I was looking for some advice. I think I should be able to do it all inside of an old 10 gal tank and just add dividers or something inside and make it able to clean easily.

What is the best thing to feed them? I know that you have to feed them mulberry leaves, but aren’t there powdered forms and other commercially available products? Can I mix these with anything to make them last longer? Can I buy it in bulk? How often will I need to buy more?

Sorry for the glob of questions lol, I just wrote everything that was on my mind

 

[MissSkittles]

I hatch my eggs in a short deli container on a low temp heat mat. Once all have hatched and are eating and gotten a bit bigger, I move them to a plastic shoe sized tote, where they stay until either being fed off or cocooning. Keeping everything as clean as possible is important. I use powdered chow and have found best prices for it on eBay. @snitz427 is our silkworm guru and you can find lots of helpful info from one of her posts. https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/posting-my-silkworm-experience.168402/

 

[BenjiTheCham]

I hatch my eggs in a short deli container on a low temp heat mat. Once all have hatched and are eating and gotten a bit bigger, I move them to a plastic shoe sized tote, where they stay until either being fed off or cocooning. Keeping everything as clean as possible is important. I use powdered chow and have found best prices for it on eBay. @snitz427 is our silkworm guru and you can find lots of helpful info from one of her posts. https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/posting-my-silkworm-experience.168402/

Thanks. Do you think instead of using a heat mat I could just put them next to my heat lamp on top of my enclosure (at a distance where they aren’t frying and make sure the bottom isn’t clear so my cham won’t see them)

 

[MissSkittles]

Yes. I use a heat mat because I keep my house cool.

 

[Ramrod]

I’m thinking about breeding silkworms and I was looking for some advice. I think I should be able to do it all inside of an old 10 gal tank and just add dividers or something inside and make it able to clean easily.

What is the best thing to feed them? I know that you have to feed them mulberry leaves, but aren’t there powdered forms and other commercially available products? Can I mix these with anything to make them last longer? Can I buy it in bulk? How often will I need to buy more?

Sorry for the glob of questions lol, I just wrote everything that was on my mind

 

[Ramrod]

Delete/sorry

 

[BenjiTheCham]

Yes. I use a heat mat because I keep my house cool.

Okay, my house tends to be warmer unless we have the ac on. I’ll probably end up keeping eggs in a container so that I can move them to a warmer if needed.

On to my idea, I wanted some feedback. So I have an old 10 gal glass tank with a screen lid. I want to move it on it’s side and add some separators for an all-in-one silkworm breeder. I’m not sure the material, but possibly just cardboard as long as the silkworms won’t chew though it (do you know anything about that?). My idea was separate it into 3 compartments. One big one on the bottom to have the moths in so they can mate. And two compartments above it: one for them to grow and another for them to cocoon, with toilet paper rolls and such for them.

Any opinions, suggestions, etc.

Oh yeah. Another detail is that the two top compartments will be at an angle to make it easy to clean the poop

 

[MissSkittles]

Okay, my house tends to be warmer unless we have the ac on. I’ll probably end up keeping eggs in a container so that I can move them to a warmer if needed.

On to my idea, I wanted some feedback. So I have an old 10 gal glass tank with a screen lid. I want to move it on it’s side and add some separators for an all-in-one silkworm breeder. I’m not sure the material, but possibly just cardboard as long as the silkworms won’t chew though it (do you know anything about that?). My idea was separate it into 3 compartments. One big one on the bottom to have the moths in so they can mate. And two compartments above it: one for them to grow and another for them to cocoon, with toilet paper rolls and such for them.

Any opinions, suggestions, etc.

Oh yeah. Another detail is that the two top compartments will be at an angle to make it easy to clean the poop

I’ve seen some adult silkies take what seemed to be tiny nibbles on cardboard TP rolls, but nothing substantial. I’m not so sure about using a tank like that. When they are getting ready to cocoon, they basically vomit and it can get messy fast. I’ve seen some nasty things grow from that (when I left it so as not to disturb their cocooning) which killed off the rest of the silkies. You could use the tank for when they are getting ready to cocoon (easy cleaning) and then after they emerge, for mating. Btw, their mating can get a bit messy too...they excrete little puddles of what I assume to be pheromones. Use wax paper beneath them and the puddles will evaporate quickly.

 

[BenjiTheCham]

I’ve seen some adult silkies take what seemed to be tiny nibbles on cardboard TP rolls, but nothing substantial. I’m not so sure about using a tank like that. When they are getting ready to cocoon, they basically vomit and it can get messy fast. I’ve seen some nasty things grow from that (when I left it so as not to disturb their cocooning) which killed off the rest of the silkies. You could use the tank for when they are getting ready to cocoon (easy cleaning) and then after they emerge, for mating. Btw, their mating can get a bit messy too...they excrete little puddles of what I assume to be pheromones. Use wax paper beneath them and the puddles will evaporate quickly.

Okay thanks. That’s good to know, I think I’ll try to find a plastic or something to make it out of.

Another question: how much would it cost for food? I have seen food, but I’m not sure how fast they’ll go through it. I’m planning on buying around 25 to start off, how many eggs would you expect them to lay, assuming most of them survive? I’m pretty sure my neighbors have a mulberry (tree/bush?) and I could possibly ask them for leaves. Could I make dry food out of this to use during the winter?

 

[MissSkittles]

I’ve been buying 2 lbs of chow for $40 with free shipping, which is the best price I have been able to find. Oh gee...each lays a lot of eggs. Lol Is easiest to show you. I believe this was from 2 separate silkies. When first laid, they’ll be light colored. After a couple of days, the fertile ones will darken. I keep them in the fridge for at least 2-3 months for a diapause before hatching them...works best for me.

 

[Sharon12]

Mine hatched today. I have an incubator. Fed them tonight with chow through a syringe. They are Etosha's favorite ?

 

[MissSkittles]

Great idea using a syringe to push/extrude chow! Think I’ll try that when my next batch of eggs hatch. All of my reptiles love the silkies...except for my one weirdo leopard gecko who only wants wax and mealworms.

 

[BenjiTheCham]

I’ve been buying 2 lbs of chow for $40 with free shipping, which is the best price I have been able to find. Oh gee...each lays a lot of eggs. Lol Is easiest to show you. I believe this was from 2 separate silkies. When first laid, they’ll be light colored. After a couple of days, the fertile ones will darken. I keep them in the fridge for at least 2-3 months for a diapause before hatching them...works best for me. View attachment 269223

How long does the 2 lb last?

 

[MissSkittles]

How long does the 2 lb last?

I make it in 1/4 lb batches, so it lasts me quite a while. I’ve been hatching silkies only about twice a month in batches between 50-100 and with more waste of chow than I’d like (it dries out so fast), I use 1/4 lb per each batch.

 

[BenjiTheCham]

I make it in 1/4 lb batches, so it lasts me quite a while. I’ve been hatching silkies only about twice a month in batches between 50-100 and with more waste of chow than I’d like (it dries out so fast), I use 1/4 lb per each batch.

Okay good to know. I wish they didn’t only eat mulberry leaves, otherwise they’d be pretty low cost. And not too difficult either, for a staple

 

[MissSkittles]

Okay good to know. I wish they didn’t only eat mulberry leaves, otherwise they’d be pretty low cost. And not too difficult either, for a staple

Once you get the hang of breeding them yourself, it isn’t difficult at all and is still less expensive than buying them.

 

[BenjiTheCham]

Once you get the hang of breeding them yourself, it isn’t difficult at all and is still less expensive than buying them.

Yeah, that’s very true.

 

[BenjiTheCham]

Once you get the hang of breeding them yourself, it isn’t difficult at all and is still less expensive than buying them.

Also, Do you recommend I start off with buying silkworms or the eggs?

 

[MissSkittles]

Also, Do you recommend I start off with buying silkworms or the eggs?

I’ve ordered eggs twice from 2 different sources and had exactly one egg actually hatch. Others have no problems. I’ve done well starting with silkworms, but some others have had problems. I would say try starting with eggs and see how that works for you.

 

[Ramrod]

I’ve ordered eggs twice from 2 different sources and had exactly one egg actually hatch. Others have no problems. I’ve done well starting with silkworms, but some others have had problems. I would say try starting with eggs and see how that works for you.

Agree with above as you would be able to hatch eggs right away and it would give you an idea of what you are getting into.