Silkworms

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gigi613

Member
Heyo friends, I’m trying to add more of a variety to Nagas diet and other insects than stinky jumpy crickets :) I really wish I can get Dubias but my mom is absolutely against them, so I’m thinking to take on silkworms, not breeding them, but buying eggs in bulk and raising them to be happy plump and nutritious feeders. I read they’re a great staple but I wanted to hear the opinions of all you lovely people before I buy the eggs. Also to see if she likes them before I commit to them, I’m buying 50 1/2 inches tonight so I can give them a go with her. I hope this all works as well as I want it to ;) and feel free to leave any thoughts or expiwrnces or tips down below bc all is appreciated <3
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
They are a good, healthy option. Affordable if you're willing to raise them from eggs. Kingofnobbys has some posts that contain good info for raising them. Another good alternative to crickets and roaches is black soldier fly larvae. Moving between BSFL and silk worms should do a pretty good job of providing needed protein.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
They are a fabulous feeder insect , and their food (mulberry leaves are often available free of charge if you know someone who has a big hicks mulberry tree in their backyard or a grove of them on their farm and the mulberry leaves are good food too , Ca/P about 10:1).
Mulberrys were a summer childhood treat in my street when I was a kid (in the 1960s, one of the neigbours had a huge mulberry tree in their back yard that was thought to be over 100 yrs old), we went down the firebreak behind their back fence and raided the overhanging branches and ate the berries straight off the tree by the dozens , and collected them by the bucket load, our moms used these in tarts, in pies and made into jams.

My two old bluetongue skinks and my big lady beardie get a big silkworm each day as a staple + their crickets and an offer of salad.
I've nearly aways have up to 100 baby worms + 100 small worms + maybe 50 med-large worms and up to 20 cocoons and up to dozen moths on the go at any time year round, I keep my eggs in zip lock bags in the fridge in monthly batches.

If you let 20 or 30 of your worms become moths you can even make some pocket money by selling the surplus eggs , each female moth lays up to 400 eggs (do the sums).

I buy my mulberry leaves 200 at a time and keep these in the crisper in an unseal plastic bag for up to 6 weeks , and in winter resort to silkworm chow that I make up in 32g batches (32g chow + 90g boiling water) and make these as sausages wrapped in clingwrap. These keep for a few months if needed.
 

gigi613

Member
Original Poster
CooperDragon":6cm6wvbu said:
They are a good, healthy option. Affordable if you're willing to raise them from eggs. Kingofnobbys has some posts that contain good info for raising them. Another good alternative to crickets and roaches is black soldier fly larvae. Moving between BSFL and silk worms should do a pretty good job of providing needed protein.

Thank you so much!
 

gigi613

Member
Original Poster
kingofnobbys":1mgr6jqq said:
They are a fabulous feeder insect , and their food (mulberry leaves are often available free of charge if you know someone who has a big hicks mulberry tree in their backyard or a grove of them on their farm and the mulberry leaves are good food too , Ca/P about 10:1).
Mulberrys were a summer childhood treat in my street when I was a kid (in the 1960s, one of the neigbours had a huge mulberry tree in their back yard that was thought to be over 100 yrs old), we went down the firebreak behind their back fence and raided the overhanging branches and ate the berries straight off the tree by the dozens , and collected them by the bucket load, our moms used these in tarts, in pies and made into jams.

My two old bluetongue skinks and my big lady beardie get a big silkworm each day as a staple + their crickets and an offer of salad.
I've nearly aways have up to 100 baby worms + 100 small worms + maybe 50 med-large worms and up to 20 cocoons and up to dozen moths on the go at any time year round, I keep my eggs in zip lock bags in the fridge in monthly batches.

If you let 20 or 30 of your worms become moths you can even make some pocket money by selling the surplus eggs , each female moth lays up to 400 eggs (do the sums).

I buy my mulberry leaves 200 at a time and keep these in the crisper in an unseal plastic bag for up to 6 weeks , and in winter resort to silkworm chow that I make up in 32g batches (32g chow + 90g boiling water) and make these as sausages wrapped in clingwrap. These keep for a few months if needed.

Thank you I’ve been considering raising them completely and profiting off the extras, I just ordered 250 eggs and some chow with mulberry leaves and all that important stuff. I just have a few questions
1. What do you keep the worms in?
2. What do you keep the moths in?
3. What is your best advice to hatch the eggs successfully?
4. Last but not least any other tips id? I’d be very greatful :)
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
gigi613":2hckwpud said:
kingofnobbys":2hckwpud said:
They are a fabulous feeder insect , and their food (mulberry leaves are often available free of charge if you know someone who has a big hicks mulberry tree in their backyard or a grove of them on their farm and the mulberry leaves are good food too , Ca/P about 10:1).
Mulberrys were a summer childhood treat in my street when I was a kid (in the 1960s, one of the neigbours had a huge mulberry tree in their back yard that was thought to be over 100 yrs old), we went down the firebreak behind their back fence and raided the overhanging branches and ate the berries straight off the tree by the dozens , and collected them by the bucket load, our moms used these in tarts, in pies and made into jams.

My two old bluetongue skinks and my big lady beardie get a big silkworm each day as a staple + their crickets and an offer of salad.
I've nearly aways have up to 100 baby worms + 100 small worms + maybe 50 med-large worms and up to 20 cocoons and up to dozen moths on the go at any time year round, I keep my eggs in zip lock bags in the fridge in monthly batches.

If you let 20 or 30 of your worms become moths you can even make some pocket money by selling the surplus eggs , each female moth lays up to 400 eggs (do the sums).

I buy my mulberry leaves 200 at a time and keep these in the crisper in an unseal plastic bag for up to 6 weeks , and in winter resort to silkworm chow that I make up in 32g batches (32g chow + 90g boiling water) and make these as sausages wrapped in clingwrap. These keep for a few months if needed.

Thank you I’ve been considering raising them completely and profiting off the extras, I just ordered 250 eggs and some chow with mulberry leaves and all that important stuff. I just have a few questions
1. What do you keep the worms in?

This is what I do :
Newly hatched = 600cc clear plastic takeaway food tub (made air tight using clingwrap to keep stable humidity and keep micropredators (ants, spiders) out.
from 10mm long to 1.5" long 800cc clear plastic takeaway tub (ventilated (lots of 3mm diam holes in side and lid)
Larger silkworms I use 4L tubs (like used to freeze food in) but I use a soldering iron to make airholes in the clip on lid).
Moths well ventilated 800cc takeaway tub.
Cocoons I use a 1.5L tub (with a ventilated lid).

So long as you keep the boxes or tubs clean and mold free (white and yellow mold will kill a colony of silkworms in no time) .
So long as there is plenty of space for the worms and they are well ventilated it doesn't really matter , these are just convenient for me as I already had the containers on hand.


2. What do you keep the moths in?
3. What is your best advice to hatch the eggs successfully?
If you have bought them , leave in the petridish with lid on until they start hatching , then take lid off and move the opened dish into a tub , give them a sliver of chow or a fresh young (light green / tender) mulberry leaf) , seal tub with cling wrap and put lid on.
If you are hatching your own , helps to wait for them to all go grey , then place in bottle or ziplock bag and refrigerate for a month at least (no colder than 7 degC) then take the ones you want to hatch out and let them hatch (might take a few weeks or even a month or so).




4. Last but not least any other tips id? I’d be very greatful :)
viewtopic.php?f=76&t=222193&hilit=silkworms+hatching&start=75
 

mobseed

Member
I am also interested in starting a SilkWorm colony for my future beardie....
I've found an website that send the eggs to Romania , and they also have chow ( which I dont understand how / why to cook or something like that )....
Maybe someone finds a nice video and would posted here, until then I am scrolling on articles on-line and on youtube...

Cheers
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
mobseed":25lni2pv said:
I am also interested in starting a SilkWorm colony for my future beardie....
I've found an website that send the eggs to Romania , and they also have chow ( which I dont understand how / why to cook or something like that )....
Maybe someone finds a nice video and would posted here, until then I am scrolling on articles on-line and on youtube...

Cheers

Silkworm chow is vacuum dried then ground mulberry leaves ( the best grades are made from white mulberry leaves ).
It is best bought in dry powder form in sealed bags.

The chow I use comes in 250g bags as powder (looks like green flour).
I make small batches of chow up as needed .
My recipy (took some trial and error with the smaller batches to get it right .
> usually I'll weigh out 32g batches of the chow into a microwaveable clear round plastic takeaway type tub
> I'll add 88g boiling water that , mix (creates a paste)
> and I then nuke the batch for 90seconds on high
> and then I VERY carefully transfer the boiling hot slurry to a cardboard mold lined with clingwrap (I make my own molds)
NOTE the chow sets quite fast so you'll need metal spatula to scrape the remnants out of the tub (add these to the sausage)
, and carefully seal with the overhanging clingwrap (forming a sausage shaped log of chow) which goes into a rectangular tub and is stored in the fridge.
I'll usually make 3 or 4 sausages of chow and simply slice off pieces from a sausage as needed (I press these flat to give the worms better access).
 

mobseed

Member
kingofnobbys":ntdrd4ff said:
mobseed":ntdrd4ff said:
I am also interested in starting a SilkWorm colony for my future beardie....
I've found an website that send the eggs to Romania , and they also have chow ( which I dont understand how / why to cook or something like that )....
Maybe someone finds a nice video and would posted here, until then I am scrolling on articles on-line and on youtube...

Cheers

Silkworm chow is vacuum dried then ground mulberry leaves ( the best grades are made from white mulberry leaves ).
It is best bought in dry powder form in sealed bags.

The chow I use comes in 250g bags as powder (looks like green flour).
I make small batches of chow up as needed .
My recipy (took some trial and error with the smaller batches to get it right .
> usually I'll weigh out 32g batches of the chow into a microwaveable clear round plastic takeaway type tub
> I'll add 88g boiling water that , mix (creates a paste)
> and I then nuke the batch for 90seconds on high
> and then I VERY carefully transfer the boiling hot slurry to a cardboard mold lined with clingwrap (I make my own molds)
NOTE the chow sets quite fast so you'll need metal spatula to scrape the remnants out of the tub (add these to the sausage)
, and carefully seal with the overhanging clingwrap (forming a sausage shaped log of chow) which goes into a rectangular tub and is stored in the fridge.
I'll usually make 3 or 4 sausages of chow and simply slice off pieces from a sausage as needed (I press these flat to give the worms better access).
Thank you very much for answering to me , some expressions are a little hard to get ... since English in not my native language.

I understand that I have to get that powder, combine it with water, put it in the microwave and then make something like a sausage of it...

I hope I get it right...
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
mobseed":124jumi2 said:
kingofnobbys":124jumi2 said:
mobseed":124jumi2 said:
I am also interested in starting a SilkWorm colony for my future beardie....
I've found an website that send the eggs to Romania , and they also have chow ( which I dont understand how / why to cook or something like that )....
Maybe someone finds a nice video and would posted here, until then I am scrolling on articles on-line and on youtube...

Cheers

Silkworm chow is vacuum dried then ground mulberry leaves ( the best grades are made from white mulberry leaves ).
It is best bought in dry powder form in sealed bags.

The chow I use comes in 250g bags as powder (looks like green flour).
I make small batches of chow up as needed .
My recipy (took some trial and error with the smaller batches to get it right .
> usually I'll weigh out 32g batches of the chow into a microwaveable clear round plastic takeaway type tub
> I'll add 88g boiling water that , mix (creates a paste)
> and I then nuke the batch for 90seconds on high
> and then I VERY carefully transfer the boiling hot slurry to a cardboard mold lined with clingwrap (I make my own molds)
NOTE the chow sets quite fast so you'll need metal spatula to scrape the remnants out of the tub (add these to the sausage)
, and carefully seal with the overhanging clingwrap (forming a sausage shaped log of chow) which goes into a rectangular tub and is stored in the fridge.
I'll usually make 3 or 4 sausages of chow and simply slice off pieces from a sausage as needed (I press these flat to give the worms better access).
Thank you very much for answering to me , some expressions are a little hard to get ... since English in not my native language.

I understand that I have to get that powder, combine it with water, put it in the microwave and then make something like a sausage of it...

I hope I get it right...

That's what I do , some people make larger batches and either transfer to a piping bag or let it set in the container it was nuked in.
 
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