Silkworms

[bruce the cham]

i would love to buy silkworms but there pretty pricy is there a good place to get them and is it good to get eggs or will they not hatch well cause the eggs arnt to expensive but care wise idk

Thanks

 

[nightanole]

I always go with eggs, if i have a mulberry bush/tree near by. In my case its right out of my work. Work is not happy about me stripping the tree, and keeping an odd trashcan next to the air compressor, but meh...

You just run the leaves through the slap chop and lay them down, every few days. The worms will just migrate up, you never have to clean the batch out.




Now if you have to use chow, that is hard mode. They are not as robust, and its a lot more expensive.

 

[dinomom]

I always go with eggs, if i have a mulberry bush/tree near by. In my case its right out of my work. Work is not happy about me stripping the tree, and keeping an odd trashcan next to the air compressor, but meh...

You just run the leaves through the slap chop and lay them down, every few days. The worms will just migrate up, you never have to clean the batch out.




Now if you have to use chow, that is hard mode. They are not as robust, and its a lot more expensive.

Yes but not as expensive as buying adults! I find hatch rate to be close to 100%. A bit of work but totally worth it to me having multiple animals

 

[PistachioG]

I always go with eggs, if i have a mulberry bush/tree near by. In my case its right out of my work. Work is not happy about me stripping the tree, and keeping an odd trashcan next to the air compressor, but meh...

You just run the leaves through the slap chop and lay them down, every few days. The worms will just migrate up, you never have to clean the batch out.




Now if you have to use chow, that is hard mode. They are not as robust, and its a lot more expensive.

I’ve had horrible luck with chow. I might see if there is a way to grow a tree here.

 

[elizaann2]

I always go with eggs, if i have a mulberry bush/tree near by. In my case its right out of my work. Work is not happy about me stripping the tree, and keeping an odd trashcan next to the air compressor, but meh...

You just run the leaves through the slap chop and lay them down, every few days. The worms will just migrate up, you never have to clean the batch out.




Now if you have to use chow, that is hard mode. They are not as robust, and its a lot more expensive.

The things we do for our chameleons!

 

[Andrew1283]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a mulberry tree in my life. But I see they can be purchased online. I wonder if it’s possible to buy these guys and grow them indoor by the windows to harvest leaves while I feed silk worms. I do this with basil plants. Hmmm

 

[MissSkittles]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a mulberry tree in my life. But I see they can be purchased online. I wonder if it’s possible to buy these guys and grow them indoor by the windows to harvest leaves while I feed silk worms. I do this with basil plants. Hmmm

I’m going to guess it’s going to take a long time to grow the tree big enough where it won’t miss the leaves needed for silkies. I use chow and as long as I stick with what I know to be right, I have pretty good success. Right now I have several hundred that I hatched and am raising and they are finally big enough to be feeders. All of my animals are really enjoying them. I expect to have lots that will grow too big to be fed that will cocoon and become moths that will provide me with plenty of eggs to hatch out as I need.

 

[dinomom]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a mulberry tree in my life. But I see they can be purchased online. I wonder if it’s possible to buy these guys and grow them indoor by the windows to harvest leaves while I feed silk worms. I do this with basil plants. Hmmm

I think you'd need far more leaves than you could produce, they are ravenous.

 

[Andrew1283]

I did see a mulberry tree for sale that was much larger, but $150.00.

I think you'd need far more leaves than you could produce, they are ravenous.

You’re right. Even the large $150.00 mulberry tree only had a few dozen leaves. I would strip it bare in no time and that’s not cost effective.

 

[dinomom]

I’m going to guess it’s going to take a long time to grow the tree big enough where it won’t miss the leaves needed for silkies. I use chow and as long as I stick with what I know to be right, I have pretty good success. Right now I have several hundred that I hatched and am raising and they are finally big enough to be feeders. All of my animals are really enjoying them. I expect to have lots that will grow too big to be fed that will cocoon and become moths that will provide me with plenty of eggs to hatch out as I need.

The extra male moths I feed off as well-and dead ones go into pitcher plants, so nothing goes to waste.

Strangely enough I like making the chow, I like the earthy smell!