Hornworms? Other Insects? Silkworms?

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Birdy

Hatchling Member
Hi!
I’m very interested in getting silkworms. I’m also thinking about getting some hornworms from Great Lakes Hornworm people as well. But I’ve never had silkworms or hornworms before. So I was wondering what all you had to say about them, and what are their care needs, any other worms you all might recommend,other insect companies , etc, etc. I want to give my Beardies more different kinds of insects.
Thank you!!
Birdy
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
This is the correct forum =). Don't worry either way, we'd just move it to the right spot easily if need be.

I love both hornworms and silk worms. The hornworms grow to be pretty large (thumb sized or larger) quickly (within a couple of weeks) so they're best for larger dragons. They're full of liquid so they're very hydrating as well. My dragon LOVES them and will dart after them from two rooms away. Silks are also really good feeders. They are smaller but also healthy and soft. They can be a bit sensitive and I've run into some shipping issues in the past if the weather isn't just right (not too hot, not too cold) but I like them.

I order hornworms in a cup with some chow from Great Lakes. I just keep them in the cup with the vent holes down and the cup propped on something (between two hockey pucks in my case) to allow airflow. I dump out the poop from the bottom of the cup every day and that's about it. They're pretty easy.
Silk worms come in pods with food too, but I usually order them 25-50 at a time and put them in a small rubbermaid bin with holes cut in the top. Paper towel lines the bottom and I grate (frozen) chow over the top of them (fresh mulberry leaves are even better if you have them). I replace the towel every day and remove dead worms from the bin right away. You can also raise them from eggs which is a bit more work but you can get a lot more bang for your buck this way. Kingofnobbys has a thread on here that is a thorough how to guide for this.

I also like to get black soldier fly larvae from time to time. Symtonbsf has them available for a good price. They are also easy to care for. I just leave the pod at room temp and pick them out when needed. The dirt they come in can be messy so it's good to brush them off or rinse them in a sieve and dry them before feeding. They are very small so a large dragon can go through a ton of them at once. If they are eaten too quickly they can pass through undigested. It's not really a problem but it's a waste, so it's best to feed them slowly to ensure they get chewed up a bit if you see this happen.
 

Birdy

Hatchling Member
Original Poster
Thank you so much!! I’m going to order some hornworms today!?
Thank you again!!
Birdy
 
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