Hornworm maintenance
- Thread starter Ponyboy
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Andee
Chameleon Enthusiast
I don't like keeping any sort of feeder in a cup situation. It's not anywhere near comfortable for the feeder nor healthy, and humidity just builds up quicker as does the feces and food. I end up keeping my older worms in shoebox sterilite containers. Once they reach a quarter of an inch they are moved.
DanSB
Avid Member
If you're just keeping them for 1 chameleon I would imagine you won't need more than 3 - 6 at a time? They are good supplemental feeders but I wouldn't use a primary source of food and a small one will be full grown in few weeks depending on what size they are when you get them.
Either way I get mine in deli cups with he plastic mesh and food already in it, I believe this is the standard method for selling them and I leave mine in the cups until they are all eaten and have never had any problems. The humidity and feces does build up but if you just open the cup daily and dump the feces and let it air out for a minute it is fine. I only get 6 at a time from a local store who will give me a cup if I buy 6, but I'm feeding a Giant African Bullfrog that would eat all 6 in one sitting and then look for more if I let him... Remember, no matter what you do they don't keep well and will not last more than 2 - 3 weeks before they get full grown and want to turn to moths...
Either way I get mine in deli cups with he plastic mesh and food already in it, I believe this is the standard method for selling them and I leave mine in the cups until they are all eaten and have never had any problems. The humidity and feces does build up but if you just open the cup daily and dump the feces and let it air out for a minute it is fine. I only get 6 at a time from a local store who will give me a cup if I buy 6, but I'm feeding a Giant African Bullfrog that would eat all 6 in one sitting and then look for more if I let him... Remember, no matter what you do they don't keep well and will not last more than 2 - 3 weeks before they get full grown and want to turn to moths...
MSMorgan
Avid Member
http://www.rainbowmealworms.net/hornworms
Scroll down to care and storage.
Fridge is probably too cold. An ice chest with an ice pack @55* - 60* +/- maybe cool enough to slow the growth rate down enough where you can feed all of them off over a 2 week period. Last week, I received a cup of 24 smalls from Rainbow. My house stays at 70* +/- . I pick out one or two of the biggest (still pretty small for horns) and feed them off. Next feeding day, I look for the next biggest 2 and so on.
Last edited:
Peachypink
Chameleon Enthusiast
That was my problem. I totally overbought! I had gotten some since I was having to force feed my panthers who was having eye problems. They grew to 2 inches in a week! Now I'm stuck with about 25 huge worms that are too big for him to eat and my beardie isn't really interested in them. I even called a vet that I know has like 8 bearded dragons to see if I could just give them away. They breed their own so didn't need them. Not sure what I'm gonna do with these monsters!
Next time I will get less and try the cooler. Thanks for the tip!
One day in the refrigerator, 2 days out, the horn worms will slow down their growth. I use a temperature gun to avoid the colder areas on all my refrigerated feeders such as Butter Worms, Blue Bottle spikes, and Black Soldier Fly larvae.
I only do the slow down cycle after they reach 3/16 inch in diameter, and about 1-1/2 inch in length, younger horn worms don't handle the cold as well.
Regarding growing them in a cup, one of the main reasons for fatality is mis-moults. The cup and the moist food keep high humidity, and the screen gives them a hanging spot for molting. I have done tray raising which is easier than cups when doing several hundred worms, but i use the cups until the there is no more food, and the horn worms are too long for the cup. That is why I like the 32 ounce insect cup, and not the 24 ounce shorter cup, so the food is all eaten before the worms are too long.
CHEERS!
Nick
I only do the slow down cycle after they reach 3/16 inch in diameter, and about 1-1/2 inch in length, younger horn worms don't handle the cold as well.
Regarding growing them in a cup, one of the main reasons for fatality is mis-moults. The cup and the moist food keep high humidity, and the screen gives them a hanging spot for molting. I have done tray raising which is easier than cups when doing several hundred worms, but i use the cups until the there is no more food, and the horn worms are too long for the cup. That is why I like the 32 ounce insect cup, and not the 24 ounce shorter cup, so the food is all eaten before the worms are too long.
CHEERS!
Nick
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