Need suggestions for keepig silkworms

[niese4pigs]

Just ordered my first shipment of silkworms. I am not ready for raising my own eggs yet. Just wanted to hear suggestions from everyone on how you store them. I have a plastic tub about the size of a shoebox (only ordered 25 worms) I read on Mulberry farm web site that you should only leave lid on box when feeding so food does not dry out prematuraly & to keep temp between 75-80 degrees. What do you all suggest for keeping temp up I thought about heating pad under box afraid if I use heat bulb or even house hold bulb may melt plastic. Thanks in advance for your thoughts. I am excited and nervous about keeping silkies.

 

[KCcham]

I have used the heating pad idea before, but mostly when I am hatching them from eggs and I can keep the eggs on the far side away from the direct heat.

 

[Nightoff]

You can probably use a 15 watt bulb. That shouldn't give off too much heat. Or if the you have a room in your house that is pretty warm you can keep them in there. (My parents have the furnace and hot water heater in the laundry room so it stays nice and warm. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Kbullock]

I keep mine in a plastic tub in my chameleons room since the whole room is warm already. I bought a piece of plastic mesh from the art store and then just put something under it to hold the mess up this way there poop falls below where they walk and eat. If you check out my profile I have a silkworm gallery and you can see my set up. Its cheap and easy and it works great. Oh and I found its best if you put no lid at all they wont crawl out.

 

[carol5208]

As far as temps, my house is 75 degrees. i live in Florida so it is pretty much like that all the time from the AC with the exception of the winter months when we dont use it. I have never used a light or heat or anything. I put mine in a tupperware with holes poked in the lid. I dont have anything to catch the poop(although I like the Idea of Kbullock) so I pretty much dump them all out on a paper towel EVERYDAY and clean out the poop. It is not that big of a deal really. I use the chow and have never used the leaves. I buy a 1 lb tub(refrigerate it) and it has lasted about a month for 100 worms. I am just about out. My silks are huge and they have really thrived. I probably only had like 5-6 die in the past 3 1/2 weeks which I think is pretty good. Oh and as far as not putting on the lid, yes they pretty much will stay in the tub although I found one on the rim of the container one day crawling around. So I keep the lid on half way. This is just what works for me and not sayint it is right or wrong.

 

[ladysilkworm]

As far as temps, my house is 75 degrees. i live in Florida so it is pretty much like that all the time from the AC with the exception of the winter months when we dont use it. I have never used a light or heat or anything. I put mine in a tupperware with holes poked in the lid. I dont have anything to catch the poop(although I like the Idea of Kbullock) so I pretty much dump them all out on a paper towel EVERYDAY and clean out the poop. It is not that big of a deal really. I use the chow and have never used the leaves. I buy a 1 lb tub(refrigerate it) and it has lasted about a month for 100 worms. I am just about out. My silks are huge and they have really thrived. I probably only had like 5-6 die in the past 3 1/2 weeks which I think is pretty good. Oh and as far as not putting on the lid, yes they pretty much will stay in the tub although I found one on the rim of the container one day crawling around. So I keep the lid on half way. This is just what works for me and not sayint it is right or wrong.

I'll say you are the perfect climate to raise silks!