Silkworm question

Psychobunny

Psychobunny

Avid Member
Okay, got several silkies that are pretty big, but they still chow down when
I put food in there.
How do I know when to stop feeding them and let them cocoon?

Also, I was thinking of putting them (as they are turning into cocoons) in
a box with egg carton on the floor so each cocoon can have it's own
little burrow!!??
 
Thanks.
It sounds like they just keep on eating right up untill they start to spin their cocoons!!??

I dont know how I could get that many toilet paper rolls!! LOL

I would have to ask everybody at work to please save their paper rolls for my silkworms (they already think I have a few screws loose!!)
 
Psychobunny said:
Okay, got several silkies that are pretty big, but they still chow down when
I put food in there.
How do I know when to stop feeding them and let them cocoon?

Also, I was thinking of putting them (as they are turning into cocoons) in
a box with egg carton on the floor so each cocoon can have it's own
little burrow!!??
Click to expand...

I put them on paper towel. It's easy to cut up the areas where the eggs are. I also provide toilet roll insides. They seem to like them. I would keep feeding them. They will cocoon randomly. I have some monsters that must cocoon very soon. I did have one who layed her eggs on egg carton but the eggs are firmly stuck to them.:)
 
yup they gotta save up some calories for the weeks they spend in the cocoon!!
sounds like a plan, haha! if everyone saves their rolls for ya you should be good to go :)
 
Last edited:
You can have a few in one toilet roll . The moths will flutter about outside the roll.
 
Psychobunny said:
Thanks.
It sounds like they just keep on eating right up untill they start to spin their cocoons!!??

I dont know how I could get that many toilet paper rolls!! LOL

I would have to ask everybody at work to please save their paper rolls for my silkworms (they already think I have a few screws loose!!)
Click to expand...

LOL it is funny you say that.....because that is exactly what I did! I collected them at work and asked everyone to save them for me. Hahaha I had a bunch of people constantly saving them for me it was pretty funny. And yes they all think I am strange. I had the pharmacy save petri dishes for me as well.
 
Kate said:
I put them on paper towel. It's easy to cut up the areas where the eggs are. I also provide toilet roll insides. They seem to like them. I would keep feeding them. They will cocoon randomly. I have some monsters that must cocoon very soon. I did have one who layed her eggs on egg carton but the eggs are firmly stuck to them.:)
Click to expand...

You mean you use paper towels as like, a substrate for the worms?
Some of these guys must be 3'', they are large!!

So, it's hard to get the eggs off the egg carton?
Cant you just cut the egg patch out and save the eggs stuck to the paper?

Also, if I put them on paper towels, how do I clean the poop??
 
pigglett79 said:
LOL it is funny you say that.....because that is exactly what I did! I collected them at work and asked everyone to save them for me. Hahaha I had a bunch of people constantly saving them for me it was pretty funny. And yes they all think I am strange. I had the pharmacy save petri dishes for me as well.
Click to expand...

You could buy some thick craft paper from a art supply store and make your own little rolls!!
Also, you can look out for products that ship in those cartons with the segmented packing, like cases of wine, only smaller.
Folks at work are always throwing those away, I could just save a few?!
 
Psychobunny said:
You mean you use paper towels as like, a substrate for the worms?
Some of these guys must be 3'', they are large!!

So, it's hard to get the eggs off the egg carton?
Cant you just cut the egg patch out and save the eggs stuck to the paper?

Also, if I put them on paper towels, how do I clean the poop??
Click to expand...

No. I move the cocoons onto paper towel . The eggs do stick fast. You could cut the egg carton but sometimes the eggs can be scattered over a wide area. I put the cut out squares of egg covered towel into the plastic boxes you buy crickets in. I also add a damp piece of tissue into the boxes.:)
 
Psychobunny said:
Okay, got several silkies that are pretty big, but they still chow down when
I put food in there.
How do I know when to stop feeding them and let them cocoon?

Also, I was thinking of putting them (as they are turning into cocoons) in
a box with egg carton on the floor so each cocoon can have it's own
little burrow!!??
Click to expand...

When the silks are BIG, put them in any plastic box with a lid, quit feeding them, and put them in total darkness. This will trigger cocooning. If you do this with smaller skis, they will cocoon, but not turn into moths.

You can add toilet paper rolls, but they will spin without props.

Only move the cocoons to the hatching box when the silk is finished spinning.

Paper towels for the hatching box are best, easy to tear off parts where eggs are laid, to hatch them out.

Feed the moths off to chams-YUMMY!:D
 
In the third part if my blog I talk about moving the cocoons to a container lined w paper towels. When the moths start to mate I put a toilet paper roll or cup over them to control the egg laying area. This way all of the eggs end up in one nice circle rather than spread out in a large area. You can then cut out the circle . From there you can just let them hatch, or store in the frig for later use. When I put them in the frig I just place them in a sandwich bag and write the date on it.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/pigglett79/765-silk-worm-rearing-breeding-part-3.html
 
Okay, I get it :D

So when I have them in the dark, should I be concerned about the temp??

Do they need a certain temp to cocoon? Or just room temp mid 70's?
 
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