Hawkmoth not quite out of cocoon

[bbyoda]

Has anyone experienced this before and understand why it happened?

Essentially my hornworms pupated and a couple have emerged as hawkmoths really quickly. This one seems to not have fully emerged...I'm not sure if I can help it remove the cocoon off its face or if I just put it out of his misery. Or if it's safe to feed to my adult Vieled with part of it's cocoon still on its face.

 

[MissSkittles]

I haven’t had hawk moths. Not a fan of hornworms. I guess you could try to gently help it get the thing off it’s face.

 

[bbyoda]

I haven’t had hawk moths. Not a fan of hornworms. I guess you could try to gently help it get the thing off it’s face.

I was able to gently flake off a few pieces but then got concerned I might be forcing it and cause damage.

 

[Chameleoking]

If you see one that has struggled to emerge for more than 15 minutes, try to gently make the hole of the chrysalis bigger so that the butterfly doesn't have to work so hard. Confirm that the chrysalis is firmly planted to a high spot on its stick, and then carefully use a tweezer or small pin to slit the chrysalis

 

[Uri]

View attachment 314752

Has anyone experienced this before and understand why it happened?

Essentially my hornworms pupated and a couple have emerged as hawkmoths really quickly. This one seems to not have fully emerged...I'm not sure if I can help it remove the cocoon off its face or if I just put it out of his misery. Or if it's safe to feed to my adult Vieled with part of it's cocoon still on its face.

Ew that’s disgusting glad I rarely use hornworms they are gross and smelly and the only reptile thats actually willing to eat them is my leapord gecko literally everyone else is weird and refuses them for whatever reason after seeing that I don’t think I wanna keep them anymore

 

[Mountain Dragon]

Ew that’s disgusting glad I rarely use hornworms they are gross and smelly and the only reptile thats actually willing to eat them is my leapord gecko literally everyone else is weird and refuses them for whatever reason after seeing that I don’t think I wanna keep them anymore

It’s so interesting how each chameleon has different taste buds! My chameleon LOVES hornworms and can’t get enough of them. To me they are the least grossest feeder and the only one I hand feed.

 

[Uri]

It’s so interesting how each chameleon has different taste buds! My chameleon LOVES hornworms and can’t get enough of them. To me they are the least grossest feeder and the only one I hand feed.

mine refuse hornworms they just leave them there to die pick off everything but them even when they are very small they will not be eaten and that’s weird even for my hoehnelii who has a big appetite mine can’t get enough of roaches and soldier fly larvae I’ve even noticed they both prefer much smaller feeder items then what most people would feed a chameleon their size but I mean they are the boss and us well we are just the hand and bank accounts that support their wants and needs

 

[bbyoda]

Ew that’s disgusting glad I rarely use hornworms they are gross and smelly and the only reptile thats actually willing to eat them is my leapord gecko literally everyone else is weird and refuses them for whatever reason after seeing that I don’t think I wanna keep them anymore

I don't mind them at all! I get them in those pods and keep them upside down (but propped on something for air flow) and empty the poo everyday. Then seeing them pupate and emerge as moths is super neat. And of course my chameleon loves them in both worm and moth form so totally worth it for me! The moths just never seem totally with it though. I'm doing something wrong for sure.

 

[bbyoda]

If you see one that has struggled to emerge for more than 15 minutes, try to gently make the hole of the chrysalis bigger so that the butterfly doesn't have to work so hard. Confirm that the chrysalis is firmly planted to a high spot on its stick, and then carefully use a tweezer or small pin to slit the chrysalis

So this one emerged from most of the cocoon but has the last bit on its head like a helmet. If it's still on its face tomorrow I'll try to gently pry it off.

 

[Chameleoking]

When its just over head you can
cut the slit gradually, making sure that you don’t split it completely since the butterfly still needs to struggle a bit toward the end so it can spread its wings rather than fall straight to the ground. Also once they start coming from cocoon it usually only takes a few minutes to fully emerge. It could die by morning. If would use some tweezers and with your free hand hold down the part of cocoon that's hanging free, this should stabilize the moth enough so that you can use your other hand with tweezers and very gently and carefully nip at first an 1/8 in. tear where its caught around head. Stay clear of eye areas. If you can nip from bottom side of head. See if moth will start flapping wings so that it free itself the rest of the way. If that doesn't work nip some more.

 

[bbyoda]

I was able to carefully get its cocoon helmet off. I think its proboscis wasn't functioning properly. So I fed it to my chameleon since I figured it wouldn't be able to eat.

 

[Uri]

I don't mind them at all! I get them in those pods and keep them upside down (but propped on something for air flow) and empty the poo everyday. Then seeing them pupate and emerge as moths is super neat. And of course my chameleon loves them in both worm and moth form so totally worth it for me! The moths just never seem totally with it though. I'm doing something wrong for sure.

Mine are too small for hornworms in most stages after like a few days to a week of them hatching. So they definitely won’t even consider the moths