Silkworm question?!

[JennaMarie]

Hi everyone! So we ordered silkies a few weeks ago and as many were too big to feed, we figured what the heck, let them become moths! So I set up some toilet paper rolls in the cage, and well... only 2 made it in there. There are a few who decided to cocoon outside of the rolls. So my question is...

What do I do now?!

Do I leave them in the rolls, and the stray ones just sitting there? I know I eventually need to transfer them to a new bin with paper towel on the bottom, but any tips on how to do this? I don't want to kill them or anything.

Thanks!

 

[reptoman]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/silkworms-101-a-7906/index2.html

This thread has a lot of info on silkworm breeding

 

[JennaMarie]

Yeah I've read that link before and I just double checked... it doesn't say much about moving cocoons that spin outside the rolls. I guess I'm just unsure as I know some people place the cocoons on paper towel directly (indicating that they move them) and others leave them in the rolls. I wasn't sure if anyone had opinions on which method worked better. Also, do they have a specific up and down side?

 

[carol5208]

They can just be set any way. There is no up and down as far as I know. When mine cocoon I just put them in a little tupperware bowl and they hatch out just fine. Usually the moths start mating right away and start laying eggs. I don't want the eggs, so I just seperate and feed the moths to the my chameleons.

 

[Branman]

Hi everyone! So we ordered silkies a few weeks ago and as many were too big to feed, we figured what the heck, let them become moths! So I set up some toilet paper rolls in the cage, and well... only 2 made it in there. There are a few who decided to cocoon outside of the rolls. So my question is...

What do I do now?!

Do I leave them in the rolls, and the stray ones just sitting there? I know I eventually need to transfer them to a new bin with paper towel on the bottom, but any tips on how to do this? I don't want to kill them or anything.

Thanks!

The ones that cocconed inside the rolls are fine. The ones that cocconed outside the rolls should be transferred to a bin that has paper towels on the bottom. If they cocooned outside the rolls, then you should wait 3 days before you touch the cocoons. After 3 days, gently pull the silk that is sticking the cocoon to the bin and transfer it to a bin with paper towels. Just be careful to not squeeze the cocoon. If you have any questions, you can message me, I would be glad to help

 

[JennaMarie]

Thanks everyone! I have successfully transferred 4 cocoons to basically a brownie dish with some paper towel on it, and there are a few others spinning inside the toilet paper rolls now. I'm going to get another container with a lid so that when the moths hatch the cats can't eat them. Here's hoping project silkworms works! Any other tips and tricks are more than welcome! Thanks again everyone!