Are these hornworms safe for Spyro?

[Cacti3]

Hello everyone. I’m back with another question / big concern about hornworms. Recently, I ordered some hornworms from Flukers ( where I normally get them ). They came in a different packaging this time. And, some of them have black feet. I’m just concerned because ones that had black feet are like dying. I looked more carefully on one of the hornworms ( which I was about to feed to Spyro ) and it also had black feet. When I looked more carefully at the black feet, it’s like fuzzy. It looks like little worms in its feet. Here’s a pic.

Not sure if it is a parasite or not do I haven’t feed any of those worms to him.

 

[nightanole]

https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/736175

There are a few "hornworms" tomato and tobacco. Some have black feets, some do not, depending on the region.

Black horns will have black feets
Red horns will have green/white feets

And then you have the fireweed hornworms of doooooooooom

But they are all safe to eat as long as they are feed worm chow and not a variant of nightshade.

And you can always get the variety pack:

 

[Cacti3]

https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/736175

There are a few "hornworms" tomato and tobacco. Some have black feets, some do not, depending on the region.

Black horns will have black feets
Red horns will have green/white feets

And then you have the fireweed hornworms of doooooooooom
View attachment 365371



But they are all safe to eat as long as they are feed worm chow and not a variant of nightshade.

Oh, I’m still sorta concerned because well there’s 2 reasons:

1. All the hornworms I have are tomato hornworms I think and have red horns. That’s why I’m kinda concerned when they have black feet instead of green/white.

2. The hornworms came in a different container ( with barely or no circulation on the lid). Normally, they have plastic lids with holes. This time there was none. Just the weird paper like material lids that the BSFL come in. I think I may have seen a little bit of mold or something on the lid. That’s why I’m concerned to feed them to Spyro. Not sure if it was mold or just like liquid from the moist food at the bottom.

 

[nightanole]

Oh, I’m still sorta concerned because well there’s 2 reasons:

1. All the hornworms I have are tomato hornworms I think and have red horns. That’s why I’m kinda concerned when they have black feet instead of green/white.

2. The hornworms came in a different container ( with barely or no circulation on the lid). Normally, they have plastic lids with holes. This time there was none. Just the weird paper like material lids that the BSFL come in. I think I may have seen a little bit of mold or something on the lid. That’s why I’m concerned to feed them to Spyro. Not sure if it was mold or just like liquid from the moist food at the bottom.

They are pretty fast growing. Odds are the "bad batch" is also getting fed a different chow. The chow could get moldy and cause a die off. Hornworms are picky bastards. Some ate only hornworm chow, some ate silk worm chow. I had a few batches that would eat carrots. And i had a few batches that would only eat hornworms...

But ive never had a cause of an off feeder causing a lizard illness. Even in cases were the feeder died several several hours ago, and they they decide to eat it when you try to take it away.

 

[LizardLurkin]

I just noticed my worms had black feeties too. I think it's fine. I once fed Spooble a really dark blue-almost black hornworm and it went over fine enough.

 

[jamest0o0]

lol they are fine. Like @nightanole said I’ve never seen a chameleon sick on here because of what it ate. In the wild the nibble on toxic plants, eat insects that feed on poop/carcasses, etc.

 

[Cacti3]

Okay, thanks guys. I was just making sure my guy would be okay.

 

[BleuSaphir]

A lot of these businesses who sell insects for pet food consumption would get under fire for selling toxic. All captive hornworms are not toxic. It wild source it something to be really concern about.

 

[jamest0o0]

Okay, thanks guys. I was just making sure my guy would be okay.

No problem asking questions, just trying to ease your mind