Will hornworms eat grape leaves?

Chondro

New Member
I decided to try breeding hornworms since I heard they eat grape leaves. I have loads of grapevines in my backyard so I thought it would be easy. I have now run out of the food that they came with and have added grape leaves to their container. They seem to be ignoring the leaves completely. They're more interested in nibbling on each other than the leaves

Has anyone successfully raised hornworms on grape leaves? I hope I'm not screwed. I really don't want to have to buy the powdered food.
 
Ive never bred them, but I've defiantly fed them grape vine leaves.
also dandelion leaves, thin peels of carrot, and sweet red bell pepper.

You can make a paste (blender) from dandelion, grape vine leaves, arugula, mustard greens, basil, some sweet potatoe, some carrot, some wheat germ, a dash of spirulina and a little brewers yeast, either on its own or mixed with the powdered commercial chow

if you're in a panic, buy a tomatoe plant and sprout some potatoes (but then don't use these as feeders for your chameleons until you've cleared their guts out for several days)

someone on this forum said they will eat Bug Burger
 
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The leaves were freshly picked. I've only seen them take quick nibbles then wander off. So far 6/50 of the worms have been eaten by others. I ordered some powdered food. It'll take 4 days to get here. So probably none of worms will survive until then -_- total waste of money.
 
sorry you've had such trouble.

I meant leaves that were mature on the vine, or new growth?
Have you tried other food types? the sweet red bell pepper? the dandelion?
 
The leaves were all mature. Maybe they don't like them because they are wine grape vines. I've gotten them to eat sliced apples and carrots so they'll probably be ok.

I was planning on breeding them all and having 1000s of worms eating my grape leaves, but I guess that won't work.

I actually don't have chameleons. I feed these to a blue tongue skink, 3 leopard geckos and 23 crested geckos. I came here because most cham owners have used hornworms or silkworms.

Thanks for all your help Sandra.
 
Hm. Really curious, and unfortunate, that the didn't eat the grape leaves.
I'm going to make a notation in my blog about it, because this is important to know and share.
 
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