joshuadh2310
Established Member
so my silkworms are at a perfect size right now and i was wondering how to stunt there growth?
stunting silkworms
- Thread starter joshuadh2310
- Start date
Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
I don't think you can. I mean you can slow down on feeding them and keep them in a cooler room. But with silkworms you can' put them in the fridge and if you don't feed them for too long (more than 24 hours depending on their size, some can't even go 24 hours) you will have a complete die off.
joshuadh2310
Established Member
oh dang my girl better get to eating lol she has about 95 left. i dont think i will buy anymore hornworms or silkworms until she gets older where it won't matter how big they get.
joshuadh2310
Established Member
Oh really cool would you explain this process to me? Right now they are in a pod straight from coastal silkworms so they are set up like hornworms where the food is at the top and they have a mesh screen in there do I have to put them in something else or?
These sites might help...
http://www.suekayton.com/Silkworms/whole.htm
http://www.mulberryfarms.com/care-raising-tips-faq-12.html
http://www.suekayton.com/Silkworms/whole.htm
http://www.mulberryfarms.com/care-raising-tips-faq-12.html
Matt Vanilla Gorilla
Chameleon Enthusiast
joshuadh2310
Established Member
Awsome that was a great thread! Only thing I didn't see a clear answere on was once they have laid eggs can you feed the moths to your chameleon? Are they good like the silkworms?
Remkon
Chameleon Enthusiast
You can feed them off.
I don't think they are as nutritious as the worms because they don't eat in their moth stage and they used a lot of their resources to transform from worm to moth.
They also don't move around to much so they don't make an interesting target.
The moths only live for ~10 days so you have to feed em off quick if you want to.
joshuadh2310
Established Member
Okay sweet so maybe if she takes interest I'll feed em but if not no biggie I guess. Your post helped me out a lot thank you sir
Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
I would worry honestly about what size of silkworms you think your chameleon can eat and cannot eat? And if they are the size I would assume is safe for an adult female panther? (guessing from picture can't remember at the moment) Honestly if you are keeping that size of silkworm at 95 in a pod they will likely die very soon. Silkworms do not do well in pods. In fact I never advocate the selling of pods. Which is why I never buy my worms in premade pods. It's horrible for their immune system. I don't even keep my hornworms in those (though they do better in them). Generally silkworms as soon as they arrive should be moved into a rubbermaid container. Unless they have just hatched in the last couple days. My smaller size is a shoebox and then once they outgrow that I immediately move them into my moth and cocooning box which is huge. But usually the more space provided the better. I have very little die if any.
joshuadh2310
Established Member
Roger that! I have two pods of them split right now how they came they are currently small enough for my 4 month girl to eat but are starting to speed up in growth with is why I asked about all this and will start separating them here in a few hours when I go to Walmart and buy some stuff to house them all in to start my colony
Remkon
Chameleon Enthusiast
I keep my silks in them small cricket containers, they are well ventilated and come free when buying various of feeders so I just safe em up and throw them out of they get to dirty, works well enough for me:
Depending on size of the silks I may use 1 container for 10 larger silkworms but when they are at the size that I expect the will start building a cocoon I transfer them to a bigger container, often without a lid.
Depending on size of the silks I may use 1 container for 10 larger silkworms but when they are at the size that I expect the will start building a cocoon I transfer them to a bigger container, often without a lid.
