joshdhensley
New Member
OK, so silkworm 101 was AWSOME. But, since I am new to keeping these things, I would like to see some pics of what all of you keep yours in from egg all the way to moth. Can't wait to see.
What do you keep your silkworms in?
- Thread starter joshdhensley
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THECHAMMAN
Established Member
i keep mine i n a 10 gallon tank with screen glued just above the bottom so i have to clean it less, and ill try to get pics in a minute, my camera battery is dead. they are a lot better than crickets. basically just CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN.
SoCaliSon
Avid Member
Hey Josh!
Sorry I didn't get a chance to respond to your PM. I'll respond here. I leave my eggs in the container they come in until they hatch and feed the hatchlings directly in there. I keep the dish in a small rubbermaid container done up like the ones in Silkworm 101, with no lid and just keep feeding. At the first cleaning I remove the dish with all the waste. Sorry I don't ahve any pics of all this.
~Joe
Sorry I didn't get a chance to respond to your PM. I'll respond here. I leave my eggs in the container they come in until they hatch and feed the hatchlings directly in there. I keep the dish in a small rubbermaid container done up like the ones in Silkworm 101, with no lid and just keep feeding. At the first cleaning I remove the dish with all the waste. Sorry I don't ahve any pics of all this.
~Joe
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
I use (reuse) small plastic containers, like sour cream or chinese food come in. no lids. piece of cheap paper towel on the bottom. about twenty to 50 eggs on the paper towel loose or stuck to pieces of towel or toilet roll. feed them little chunks of chow a few times a day (drop chow right on the towel near some worms, or squish it to the sides of the container). no major effort. just dump the droppings periodically, change to a new piece of paper towel periodically. keep feeding. I currently and using 20% dandelion, 5% sweet potatoe and 75% chow to feed them. When a few silworms are large and the vein on their back pulses, I move a few to a separate plastic container. in addition to papertowel on the bottom, I toss in a few slightly flattened toilet paper rolls (cut into thirds, so a few squished donuts) for them to cocoon on. Dont do much for the moths. Just let them mate, lay eggs on the toilet rolls and paper towel. After I've got enough eggs the moths are fed off to the chams, frogs and mantids. Move eggs to original plastic containers, and repeat. EASY bug to raise.
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sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
joshdhensley
New Member
Thanks Sandra! Big help. Thank you too Joe and Chamman.
Sandra,
How long can you go between feedings? The chow seems to dry out after 2 days or so, but will the little buggers be ok without food for a couple more days? Sorry to hijack the thread!
Nick
THECHAMMAN
Established Member
word from the wise, dont use a heating pad, even on low, it makes any cage bottom go 100F+ so use a low wattage heat bulb like 25w works to get the temp in the mid to high 80's
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
I cook up new chow every few days, again in small portions. I make tea most mornings, so I am boiling water anyhow. several tablespoons of chow in a small container, a few splashes of boiling water. mix. cool. use as needed.
I feed my silkworms 2-6 times per day, in portions that are consumed within 10 minutes. It doesnt have a chance to dry out. Lately, they get chow for breakfast, dandelion for lunch, Chow for first dinner, chow for second dinner.
But they can go several days without food, if for some reason they have to. If you keep them in a cooler room, they'll last longer despite not eating.
I dont heat the silkworms whatsoever. They are just at room temp, in the chameleon room, which is around 21C/70F to 27C /80F daytime at this time of year (summer). Cooler at night.
I feed my silkworms 2-6 times per day, in portions that are consumed within 10 minutes. It doesnt have a chance to dry out. Lately, they get chow for breakfast, dandelion for lunch, Chow for first dinner, chow for second dinner.
But they can go several days without food, if for some reason they have to. If you keep them in a cooler room, they'll last longer despite not eating.
I dont heat the silkworms whatsoever. They are just at room temp, in the chameleon room, which is around 21C/70F to 27C /80F daytime at this time of year (summer). Cooler at night.
THECHAMMAN
Established Member
mine are tiny so i feed them every other day, about a large spoonful, and it is usually consumed the day i feed them, or it is kinda dried out by then.
KingJulien
New Member
Thank you Sandra! I love the pictures. You make it look so simple! Do you cover the containers at all or just leave them open?
24hrs after first hatch is when you first feed. this allows the slow movers to emerge. Cheese grate chow directly over top of them in the petri dish they are in. the next day, remove them(i use a playing card) and place in their permanant home. albeit, a tupperware with no top, shoe box, chinese food takeout container, etc. and cheese grate more food on top. their first week is their most cruicial and they should be fed daily. after a week, they are of a decent size to pick up and you can then remove frass. after their first week, you can cheese grate food everyother day. good luck oh and to answer your question, I use stackable storage containers(at Target for about $12 and can house 4,000 medium sized) that have holes already put in the front. dunno how to do pictures but i think you can use your imaginiation.
oh and to answer your question, I use stackable storage containers(at Target for about $12 and can house 4,000 medium sized) that have holes already put in the front. dunno how to do pictures but i think you can use your imaginiation.
pigglett79
Avid Member
Seems like many old threads are being resurrected tonight.....
Crocky, you can let them cocoon in the container they were raised it.
Crocky, you can let them cocoon in the container they were raised it.
