Silkworms

[Kate]

Well I've gone and ordered my first bach if silkworms. Don't know if I have made a big mistake cause hubby moaning about locusts and crickets in kitchen. Got some good advice from Blackened. I hope he doesn't spread the made up chow on his toast! Lol. Hope Popeye likes them, if he doesn't how long do they take to turn into moths? Also do they smell?

 

[carol5208]

they don't really smell nor does their poop. The chow smells though. I don't mind it, my daughter hates the smell of it. If you feed them round the clock the will grown pretty quickly and cocoon within a few weeks. If you want to slow down the growth you can feed every few days and they won't get as big. Once they get about two inches long they will start to cocoon. In about two weeks the cocoons will hatch and you will have moths.

 

[AngieL]

Tell your hubby that they're caterpillars! Sounds much more appealing than worms

 

[Kate]

Tell your hubby that they're caterpillars! Sounds much more appealing than worms

Better than roaches.lol? He already goes on a slug hunt most nights , trying to eradicate the garden of them!!

 

[AngieL]

Better than roaches.lol? He already goes on a slug hunt most nights , trying to eradicate the garden of them!!

Lol! Usually it's the ladies that have a problem with the bugs. You see it in here all the time "I want to get roaches but my girlfriend won't let me" or "my mom won't let me"

I have to admit, I was a bit funny about the bugs but you totally get used to them. Does hubby like your chameleon?

 

[Kate]

I went away for a week with my dad a few weeks ago and left him in charge. He did enjoy him but I also have geckos, eggs and babies, said it was a lot of work but was quite excited when a crested gecko egg popped. Tried to take Popeye out in the sun on the only sunny day and he wouldn't budge.lol

 

[AlecWade]

Silkies seem much more appealing of a feeder insect compared to a lot of the more common bugs people use. They are just white squishy caterpillars and are IMO very cool! I love placing a fresh layer of mulberry leaves on top of them and watching them chomp through them like nom nom nOm. They are however very sensitive and I've heard can have problems with bacteria if you're regularly contaminating them with your hands or in other ways. Still a much more appealing feeder then stinky crickets! Good luck with your silkies they are great!

 

[Kate]

Silkies seem much more appealing of a feeder insect compared to a lot of the more common bugs people use. They are just white squishy caterpillars and are IMO very cool! I love placing a fresh layer of mulberry leaves on top of them and watching them chomp through them like nom nom nOm. They are however very sensitive and I've heard can have problems with bacteria if you're regularly contaminating them with your hands or in other ways. Still a much more appealing feeder then stinky crickets! Good luck with your silkies they are great!

I will let you know,,,,,,,

 

[Miss Lily]

You must keep everything clean that you use to handle them, and their things, etc. They have no immune system and the disease they get is called 'Grasserie' and it turns them to mush, it's quite disgusting! It can wipe out a whole colony too, so cleanliness is really important!

 

[Kate]

You must keep everything clean that you use to handle them, and their things, etc. They have no immune system and the disease they get is called 'Grasserie' and it turns them to mush, it's quite disgusting! It can wipe out a whole colony too, so cleanliness is really important!

Thank you for that. This gets better by the hour. Better to be prepared. How do you pick them up? Would I be best to wear latex gloves?

 

[Miss Lily]

When they are tiny I use cocktail sticks to move them or a white bristled kid's paintbrush. When they get larger I have a pair of tweezers that I only use for them and I wash it in boiling water before using in each new tub. The less you touch them with anything the better chance they have. There is a lot of info in this link: http://www.wormspit.com/bombyxsilkworms.htm

 

[Kate]

When they are tiny I use cocktail sticks to move them or a white bristled kid's paintbrush. When they get larger I have a pair of tweezers that I only use for them and I wash it in boiling water before using in each new tub. The less you touch them with anything the better chance they have. There is a lot of info in this link: http://www.wormspit.com/bombyxsilkworms.htm

Thanks. I'm going to have nightmares tonight.