Hornworms

[Rango3d]

I've been doing a lot of reading on raising horn worms. No 1 really has come forth about making chow or feeding fresh foods. I'm experimenting myself with making my own chow.
I have very carefully inspected commercial stuff and have found wheat germ and flax seed meal in it.
What else?????
I'm pretty sure commercial stuff is very simple to keep costs down.

I'm trying a recipe now and I will update on how it works.

Any ideas on anything to put in?????

 

[pigglett79]

There are recipes for the chow out there. I have seen them on this forum as well. I do feed mine fresh veggies as well. the chow does make them grow faster so I use that for my breeding worms and the ones Im feeding off get fresh veggies and chow.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/homemade-hornworm-food-79692/

https://www.chameleonforums.com/homemade-hornworm-chow-74471/

https://www.chameleonforums.com/recipe-hornworm-chow-37595/

https://www.chameleonforums.com/diy-hornworm-chow-17000/

 

[Rambsy 2013]

I will give it a try

 

[Rango3d]

Do you use your own chow or commercial grade chow?

I have seen those recipes. My question is do they work? Any success with them?
That's the grey area for me.

What veggies do you feed?

 

[pigglett79]

I use commercial chow its just easier and I am happy with the product from great lakes hornworms. I feed them greens, red bell pepper, squash and carrots usually. They will eat a variety of items.

 

[blastPHANT1337]

Hello everyone

I too just got into hornworms and have never seen my lazy dinosaurs move so quickly in my entire life. Nothing like the motivation of food!

I was wondering what you all do about their stink? They absolutely reek beyond anything I've ever dealt with between crickets and roaches (the latter never really smell at all)...


Maybe when it gets warm enough I can stick them on my fire-escape but until then I am stuck inside with them. Any tips?

 

[pigglett79]

Hello everyone

I too just got into hornworms and have never seen my lazy dinosaurs move so quickly in my entire life. Nothing like the motivation of food!

I was wondering what you all do about their stink? They absolutely reek beyond anything I've ever dealt with between crickets and roaches (the latter never really smell at all)...


Maybe when it gets warm enough I can stick them on my fire-escape but until then I am stuck inside with them. Any tips?

I am not sure why yours stink, I have never had hornworms smell bad. Is it possible your food has gone bad?

 

[Chameleon Creator]

It's the food that stinks. It's smells absolutely awful, even when it hasn't gone bad. If you leave them in their containers without cleaning out their droppings and replacing old food with fresh food then the smells intensifies to probably what you are describing

 

[pigglett79]

The food shouldn't smell bad, if it does I would suggest replacing it with fresh food as it is likely accumulating bacteria. This is why I only keep mine in the pods for a short time. Once they grow to at least half an inch I transfer to a separate container that I can add fresh food daily to.

 

[Chameleon Creator]

I suppose it depends on what food you use and what you would consider a bad smell. I made the food myself and it smelled bad while cooking it.