Silkworms
- Thread starter Kate
- Start date
Adam Harrelson
Member
i say medium-hard
Kate
Avid Member
i say medium-hard
Suitable to feed or not?
Kate
Avid Member
S--t!! I have just emailed them to ask what's in the food. Didn't think of that. Will let you know.
Miss Lily
Chameleon Enthusiast
Did you order from butterworms/lizard lunch? They sell food for both types of silkies - Eri and normal, I just checked. It states which is which and the Eri food is currently out of stock. You could email them and ask - t may we be the same (Mulberry chow) that both are fed on. I have never tried Eri silkworms before due to doubt about the plants that they eat and toxicity, I also decided against them!
Kate
Avid Member
No. Tried to order from Silkworm store but think something wrong with website so went to Silkfarm.co.uk. Will look at your site tho. Have ordered bombyx. Not mentally ready for worms. Lol
Miss Lily
Chameleon Enthusiast
Oooh, that must be a new site - never heard of that one before! I must check them out!
They are caterpillars rather than worms - don't know why they are called worms really, lol! They are quite cute really - they look like they have big faces! The best part is when they turn into moths - the cutest moths you will ever see!
I breed them and recently sold lots off to other cham owners. I now have loads that are so fat they can hardly move, and they should start spinning cocoons in the next day or so. I have a pair of moths mating - the male hatched on Sunday and the female this morning. I thought they were one of each because of the size they were before they pupated - females are larger than males. I was right! Luckily the male emerged first - if the female had emerged first then she would have laid her eggs before they had been fertilised! I also have another cocoon and two spinning as I type! They are amazing!
They are caterpillars rather than worms - don't know why they are called worms really, lol! They are quite cute really - they look like they have big faces! The best part is when they turn into moths - the cutest moths you will ever see!
I breed them and recently sold lots off to other cham owners. I now have loads that are so fat they can hardly move, and they should start spinning cocoons in the next day or so. I have a pair of moths mating - the male hatched on Sunday and the female this morning. I thought they were one of each because of the size they were before they pupated - females are larger than males. I was right! Luckily the male emerged first - if the female had emerged first then she would have laid her eggs before they had been fertilised! I also have another cocoon and two spinning as I type! They are amazing!
Benton1576
New Member
I ordered from silkworm store and had no problems at all. I know Tom did say he was going to update his web site to make it more user friendly.
Silkworms are tiny when they come, they will take 3-4 weeks to be of a good size to feed. Make sure you keep them clean, and wash and sanitise your hands before you touch them!
Kate
Avid Member
Yes the site seems a bit odd. I thought I had ordered them and was psyching myself up for this delightful package but my order was never confirmed nor my email answered. Thanks for advice. Truth is I don't know if I can handle them. Got my tweezers ready.lol
Benton1576
New Member
Sterile tweezers right? lol. These things will drop dead on you in a heartbeat if you dont have everything as clean and sterile as possible!
Kate
Avid Member
Sterile tweezers right? lol. These things will drop dead on you in a heartbeat if you dont have everything as clean and sterile as possible!
OMG. Will do. Do you think hubby will notice them?lol
Kate
Avid Member
Just had a reply from Silkfarm.
"The artificial food is made up of mainly crushed mulberry leaves. I use this food myself for all my silkworms and sell 1000's as live food. I am asked this question many times and quite right too, as you need to know you are doing the right thing. I have a very good customer who has a chameleon and tells me silkworms are one of the best food you can get. "
Very prompt reply considering the time of night. I'm happy with that.
"The artificial food is made up of mainly crushed mulberry leaves. I use this food myself for all my silkworms and sell 1000's as live food. I am asked this question many times and quite right too, as you need to know you are doing the right thing. I have a very good customer who has a chameleon and tells me silkworms are one of the best food you can get. "
Very prompt reply considering the time of night. I'm happy with that.
Miss Lily
Chameleon Enthusiast
I would think you would need an awful lot of cocoons to do anything with and have the time to unwind them! The silk fibres are very strong! I did advertise some for sale a couple of weeks ago on facebook and they al sold. What I have left now are just about to start spinning so I will not be selling those, but, yes, I did post them but first class only to ensure swift arrival! They all arrived next day too, but I have never sent any as far away as Scotland though! You are right at the other end of the country, lol!
Oh yes! Cleanliness is everything! I have a cup of boiling water that I rinse my tweezers off in between tubs. They have no immune systems and can suffer from 'Grasserie'. This will turn them to mush and spread through the entire colony wiping them out. It is quite disgusting! They also don't like to sit in their frass (poop) so I wedge sections of plastic canvas down into cricket tubs to create a false floor for poop to fall through. I just increase the hole sizes as they grow.Sterile tweezers right? lol. These things will drop dead on you in a heartbeat if you dont have everything as clean and sterile as possible!
