How do you keep silk worms

[dbford88]

Im currently looking to add silk worms to my feeding schedule. But i have to order them online so i would like too get alot of them at a time. So what do i need to keep them alive?

 

[maxttu]

You'll need to have mulberry leaves or chow. Pm pigglett79. She has great success in raising them. All that I know is that you have to be very sterile with them. They have no immune system and will die if you look at them wrong...

 

[pigglett79]

If you are planning on ordering a bunch of them be sure to order much smaller size than you need. They grow fairly fast and there isn't really a way to slow their growth other than limiting food every now and then. I raise them in Tupperware containers or large plastic bins. I cut out the lids and hot glue screen. Look at my breeding worms photo album for examples. I use plastic gutter guard from Home Depot on the bottom so that the poo can go through and it makes it easier to keep clean. I clean the containers daily and only offer enough food for a day. The remainder of food is kept in the frig.

Be sure to wash your hands and anything coming in contact with them. They are pretty sensitive to contamination. I feed them silkworm chow from mulberry farms; however when I have run out of chow I fed them greens and carrots and they survived. You can PM me if you have more questions. I am always happy to help.

 

[carol5208]

I keep them in tupperware containers with no lids. They do not crawl out. I feed the chow and they do pretty good. I always wash my hand before removing them to clean out the container. They are messy. The biggest hassle is cleaning out the container of all the poop!! They eat and poop eat and poop.....I do get them to cocoon and I feed the moths off when they hatch out. I do not breed them, so cannot help you there..

 

[sandrachameleon]

Im currently looking to add silk worms to my feeding schedule. But i have to order them online so i would like too get alot of them at a time. So what do i need to keep them alive?

these links may prove useful to you:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/silkworms-101-a-7906/
http://www.chameleonnews.com/05FebCaruthers.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/what-do-you-keep-your-silkworms-26605/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juLU39aJzik&feature=channel_page
http://www.wormspit.com/bombyxsilkworms.htm

 

[Nrupaw]

I keep them in tupperware containers with no lids. They do not crawl out. I feed the chow and they do pretty good. I always wash my hand before removing them to clean out the container. They are messy. The biggest hassle is cleaning out the container of all the poop!! They eat and poop eat and poop.....I do get them to cocoon and I feed the moths off when they hatch out. I do not breed them, so cannot help you there..

I created a Blog entry documenting how I keep my silkies. Check it out to see if its of any help

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/nrupaw/716-silkworm-enclosure.html