Good Silkworm Info!!!

carol5208

carol5208

Chameleon Enthusiast
http://www.silkwormshop.com/benefits.html
Because I have stopped feeding my cham crickets(only because he refuses them) I have basically been feeding him silks, supers, horns(here and there) and wanted to convince myself that silks were a good alternative to crickets.
So this came off a website that sells silks but I thought it was good info to know and I would pass it along!
 
Thanks a bunch!

Well, they look yummy! :p
Thanks for the info and the link... I am looking to start Wilson on some type of new something and think this may be a good choice... verses meal worms.
 
I love that company. I have started my own group of silkworms from them. I orderd some small worms from them. They arrived all alive. I never lost any. They are now laying eggs. Then I ordered 250 eggs from them. They all hatched belive it or not. I now have a house full of silkworms thanks to the silkworm shop. I would recommend them to anyone. Also there food last a long time. And yes they have alot of helpful info. And they send it to you when you buy things from them.
 
Texas Ranger said:
I love that company. I have started my own group of silkworms from them. I orderd some small worms from them. They arrived all alive. I never lost any. They are now laying eggs. Then I ordered 250 eggs from them. They all hatched belive it or not. I now have a house full of silkworms thanks to the silkworm shop. I would recommend them to anyone. Also there food last a long time. And yes they have alot of helpful info. And they send it to you when you buy things from them.
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That is cool! i have not gotten into the egg thing (yet) anyways. I didn't even know they(silkworm shop) existed until I was searching around. I live in florida so I get mine from Coastal Silkworms and they are right here in the state but they always arrive alive and healthy as well!
 
Hmmm I bought silkworms once and they lasted quite a while. I think my next attempt will be to get a cycle going. Is it pretty easy to get the eggs hatched and grown to a decent size for a cham to enjoy? How long does it take from egg to suitable meal? Anyone out there buy that silkworm kit? Wondering if it would be worth it.

Sorry for all the questions, I am at work at right now its an all or nothing situation lol.
 
Franie (Froggthecham) also has a great care sheet, PDF form. If you are nice I bet she would send it to you. You can also bribe her with sticky reptiles like geckos. ;)
 
Syn said:
Franie (Froggthecham) also has a great care sheet, PDF form. If you are nice I bet she would send it to you. You can also bribe her with sticky reptiles like geckos. ;)
Click to expand...

What do you mean if you know I am nice, "you know I am nice"!!!!!!.. I'm a Crawford!!!! but thanks for the info!!!
 
Silkyslim said:
Hmmm I bought silkworms once and they lasted quite a while. I think my next attempt will be to get a cycle going. Is it pretty easy to get the eggs hatched and grown to a decent size for a cham to enjoy? How long does it take from egg to suitable meal? Anyone out there buy that silkworm kit? Wondering if it would be worth it.

Sorry for all the questions, I am at work at right now its an all or nothing situation lol.
Click to expand...

It is very easy to breed silkworms IMO. Easier than crickets. The more you feed the faster they grow. I can actually watch them grow from morning to evening. (for real) . I would say it takes a couple of weeks to get them to a good size (once they turn white). My cham likes them now. They are probley as wide as a q-tip. I put like 4 or 5 in a pile in my hand and he just graps the whole pile. I think he likes it better that way. No I didnt order the kit. I just started out with 50 worms. I feed some and let some go into the next stage. Now I have a ton of fertile eggs. The directions you get from them are very helpful.

Good luck. Its fun IMO
 
Texas Ranger said:
It is very easy to breed silkworms IMO. Easier than crickets. The more you feed the faster they grow. I can actually watch them grow from morning to evening. (for real) . I would say it takes a couple of weeks to get them to a good size (once they turn white). My cham likes them now. They are probley as wide as a q-tip. I put like 4 or 5 in a pile in my hand and he just graps the whole pile. I think he likes it better that way. No I didnt order the kit. I just started out with 50 worms. I feed some and let some go into the next stage. Now I have a ton of fertile eggs. The directions you get from them are very helpful.

Good luck. Its fun IMO
Click to expand...

What about the container you keep them in? I read somewhere that they were finicky and need to be in a clean cage at all times. I got tired of picking worms up so I could get rid of frass, I figure there is an easier way but I haven't set my mind to that task yet.

I have a 2# bag of food I bought. I made up a few batches of it and it never seemed "grateable" I would liken it more to the consitancy of wasabi paste. More mushy than Play-doh. Did I just not cook the food long enough?

I started with a quantity of powder and added water little by little till it was a watery paste and then cooked it over a double boiler until it was thicker. Once cooled it was firm but not grateable in my culinary eyes.

Edit: If Frannie is reading this. Pretty please, may i have a copy of that PDF caresheet? My email is [email protected] if you can't PM it to me. Thanks a ton!!! I have no sticky reptiles for barter but I'll buy you a beer :p
 
I just use the plastic totes. And every couple of days I hold the worms in one place and shake the poo to the other side. Then when it gets real built up I take them out and dumpit. Ive heard there is better ways where it will fall threw to another bin below. But this is easy for me to do. Im not handy at building things. So this is how I do it. All my worms have lived, so I guess Im doing somthing right.

Hope this helps:)
 
Silkyslim said:
I have a 2# bag of food I bought. I made up a few batches of it and it never seemed "grateable" I would liken it more to the consitancy of wasabi paste. More mushy than Play-doh. Did I just not cook the food long enough?

I started with a quantity of powder and added water little by little till it was a watery paste and then cooked it over a double boiler until it was thicker. Once cooled it was firm but not grateable in my culinary eyes.
Click to expand...



Silkyslim, you do not need to make your chow gratable.

You can make it a little runnier, the hydration is good for the silkworms anyway.
WHat you do is put them in a piping bag, and cut away the tip.

http://www.ladysilkworm.com/Silkworm-Food-(New).php

like in my picture there. As long as your chow isn't runny, you should be fine. You squeeze them out of the bag like a thin vermicelli, and make it into spaghetti as the silkworms grow. The grating is just so that you can buy a cheese grater. It doesn't make any difference to the silks.
 
Cool, good to know. I thought mine turned out right it just never made sense that you would use a grater on it. I like the piping bag idea. I have a few leftover from college I get to bust out once again ( I hate baking!!!)

I suppose I will give it another go as it seems Samson isn't all that interested in hornworms as of late and now they are too big for him to eat.

Nice website Lady btw :)
 
Silkyslim said:
Cool, good to know. I thought mine turned out right it just never made sense that you would use a grater on it. I like the piping bag idea. I have a few leftover from college I get to bust out once again ( I hate baking!!!)

I suppose I will give it another go as it seems Samson isn't all that interested in hornworms as of late and now they are too big for him to eat.

Nice website Lady btw :)
Click to expand...

Thanks Silky, I wish I had help with the website.. it still needs editing work!
Yeah, the piping bag works great. But my hands get so tired when I have squeeze out food for 10,000 silks! :p
 
ladysilkworm said:
Thanks Silky, I wish I had help with the website.. it still needs editing work!
Yeah, the piping bag works great. But my hands get so tired when I have squeeze out food for 10,000 silks! :p
Click to expand...

Psh try piping twice baked potatoes for 300+ I do not miss those days, I am glad my current place of employment does not offer twice baked potatoes
 
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