My first colony of Silkworms are starting to cocoon and some of them are still hungry. So last night, I was cutting up an Apple to give to my crickets and roaches and figured what the hell, Ill give the silkworms some apple and see what happens. They loved it! Then I tried a carrot and the tore into it. I remember my vet telling me she fed her silks fruits and vegetables and I thought she was insane because everything I had read had me believing that only mulberry leaves and silkworm chow were edible to the guys. Anyone know of or have any experience as to why feeding them normal food would be a bad thing?
Silkworm food
- Thread starter lonomac
- Start date
Brad Ramsey
Retired Moderator
They'll eat anything, but they won't live long.
The ones that ate the apple and carrot would be good to feed off soon.
They won't pupate or develp properly.
-Brad
The ones that ate the apple and carrot would be good to feed off soon.
They won't pupate or develp properly.
-Brad
Brad Ramsey
Retired Moderator
Sure.
In fact Heika mixes a dry gut-load into the silkworm chow when she makes it and feeds that formula to worms she's going to feed off the next day.
You can gut-load silkworms for feeding but you cannot maintain silkworms on a diet other than mulberry leaves or silkworm chow.
It has been tried before and the worms don't last for very many days. It may not be possible for them to digest other foods....I don't know for sure.
If you try enhancing the chow with a dry gut-load make sure you have the regular prepared chow as well. The gut-loaded chow will not maintain the worms (only for ones to be fed off soon) Don't mess with any chow for worms you want to survive.
-Brad
In fact Heika mixes a dry gut-load into the silkworm chow when she makes it and feeds that formula to worms she's going to feed off the next day.
You can gut-load silkworms for feeding but you cannot maintain silkworms on a diet other than mulberry leaves or silkworm chow.
It has been tried before and the worms don't last for very many days. It may not be possible for them to digest other foods....I don't know for sure.
If you try enhancing the chow with a dry gut-load make sure you have the regular prepared chow as well. The gut-loaded chow will not maintain the worms (only for ones to be fed off soon) Don't mess with any chow for worms you want to survive.
-Brad
My first colony started cocooning this week and I noticed a few weird things. Some would get caught in some of the other cocoons and just die there, like it was a spider web. I actually saw 3 of them turn yellow roll on their side and start to pupate without even making the silk enclosure. I did mention that I fed some an apple last night, that may have weirded them out.
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