WC Hornworms Found - Your Opinion?

[studio2eight]

My husband was out doing some tree trimming. He ran inside telling me he found the same worm I feed the chams.

I went out to the tree/bush he cut and low and behold... he had found 4 Hornworms. I've never seen ones with this coloration. I wanted to know with proper feeding, are these safe to give to my chams?

I've attached pics of them and the tree they were on.

Thanks!!

 

[shaunaroxanne]

I wouldn't risk it because you don't know what he's been eating. They say the chameleons can't eat them if they have been fed tomato leaves because they are toxic, so I would worry. He looks too big to keep for a few days fed on straight hornworm chow, but that might be an option if you found some smaller ones.

 

[ataraxia]

I dont have any experience from this to tell you 100% but i have read that some raise them on tomato plants with no ill affect on there animals. Maybe some of those will see this thread and give you advice.

 

[shaunaroxanne]

I dont have any experience from this to tell you 100% but i have read that some raise them on tomato plants with no ill affect on there animals. Maybe some of those will see this thread and give you advice.

I have seen that as well and would be interested to hear from someone who has actually tried it. I wouldn't be willing to take the chance without having conclusive evidence that it is safe.

 

[Cainschams]

I dont have any experience from this to tell you 100% but i have read that some raise them on tomato plants with no ill affect on there animals. Maybe some of those will see this thread and give you advice.

I know a couple people who have fed their animals WC horns with no ill affects. They said they would pluck them out of the garden on a constant basis to feed off.

 

[Trace]

I don't think that is the typical hornworm Manduca sexta. The head narrows to a point were our CB horns are more sausage shaped. They might be a close relative but until you have an exact ID I wouldn't feed them.

 

[studio2eight]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts! I decided not to take the chance, and returned these guys to the wild

 

[pssh]

Those are not the same species that we feed our chameleons. I don't know what kind, butI wouldn't risk it until you know what the plant they were on is, and can correctly identify the species to determine if the are safe or not.