Hornworms have bright green liquid coming out

[ZiggyDust]

So I was feeding my beardie hornworms today, as it’s all she will eat at this given moment. In the process of doing so their normal clear liquid that comes out from them was bright green. Now I have been feeding the hornworms collard greens and bell peppers since I got them yesterday, this has just never happened when I have fed them the same diet prior. Is the bright green liquid a bad sign? Searching online hasn’t given really any answers. Just want to make sure something else is going on.

 

[CooperDragon]

I'm not sure about the green liquid. I'd probably hold off on offering them as feeders for now until you know more. When you pick them up are they firm or are they squishy and deflated feeling? I've noticed that when they get sick and are dying they tend to have a more deflated look/feel to them and I separate them from the group.

It might be worth trying to offer them a commercial chow and see how that goes. Repashy makes a hornworm powder that you can mix with hot water and it sets into a dense cake/gel that they seem to enjoy.

 

[ZiggyDust]

I'm not sure about the green liquid. I'd probably hold off on offering them as feeders for now until you know more. When you pick them up are they firm or are they squishy and deflated feeling? I've noticed that when they get sick and are dying they tend to have a more deflated look/feel to them and I separate them from the group.

It might be worth trying to offer them a commercial chow and see how that goes. Repashy makes a hornworm powder that you can mix with hot water and it sets into a dense cake/gel that they seem to enjoy.

They do have a kind of squishy feeling, I also don’t have anything to compare them to as I’ve never tried prior, so I don’t have a reference point. They do have some chow that came with them that is also in their container I made them.

I think I will hold off for now until I can find more information. Thank you for the reply.

 

[AHBD]

I'm pretty sure it's just a coincidence. Sometimes when I feed my dragons a lot of greens it changes some of the color when they poo, other times not. I think the hornworm liquids are green since they're eating green veggies.

 

[Xjrosie]

They do have a kind of squishy feeling, I also don’t have anything to compare them to as I’ve never tried prior, so I don’t have a reference point. They do have some chow that came with them that is also in their container I made them.

I think I will hold off for now until I can find more information. Thank you for the reply.

YOU TOUCH THE BUGS?????

I can't do it. I despise bugs, including butterflies. I hate anything with more than 4 legs. Kudos for the hand feeding.

 

[ZiggyDust]

I'm pretty sure it's just a coincidence. Sometimes when I feed my dragons a lot of greens it changes some of the color when they poo, other times not. I think the hornworm liquids are green since they're eating green veggies.

That’s what I was thinking. It rad just a really bright neon green, it looked unnatural lol.

 

[Xjrosie]

So, Thor bit a hornworm in half (it was pretty big) and the juice was a pale neonish green. It was a healthy one, properly plump, I just bought them about 4 days ago. Maybe it's been green inside and you just didn't really notice it till now.

 

[ZiggyDust]

Yea, hoping that’s exactly what it is. Just took me off guard.

 

[Drache613]

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