breeding butters?

Bartman · 11-15-04, 10:14 PM

I want to start breeding my own worms to save some money on feeders. Ive been spending a crap load of money lately because I hate feeding crickets, and havnt used them in quite a while.

Could anyone tell me or give me a link on how to breeding either butter worms, wax worms, or even silks.

Which would be the easiest and have the biggest "payout" or the most amount of worms made?

Thanks!

PS, im paying 1.50 a dozen for wax, 60 cents each for butters, and 25 cents each for small silks.

With these prices in mind, is it even worth breeding my own feeders?

ChokeOnSmoke · 11-15-04, 10:27 PM

Can't help you out much but I think butters eat tebo trees and silkies eat mulberry so you would need access to one of them. Man those prices are insane compared to thunder bay, it costs $1 a piece for silkworms. I've never even seen butters but I'm sure they would be more outragous then the silkies judging by your prices.

Linds · 11-15-04, 10:45 PM

Butter worms cannot be bred. They are treated with radiation or something like that to prevent them from turning in to moths before they are exported from Brazil.

A lot of people here breed their own waxies, so I'm sure you will be able to get opinions there. Silks aren't as easy to breed from what I understand.

Have you thought about breeding superworms? They make a great staple and aren't too difficult once you get started. Mealworms are easy as pie to breed.

Bartman · 11-15-04, 10:50 PM

I was thinking of that, but assumed they arnt the greatest for my cham (the main eater of whatever ill breed) or my beardy since they are so hard to digest.

Would they be fine to feed regularely?

I also hand feed my cham, and tried hand feeding him a superworm once and he freaked out for some reason. Maybe mealworms as they are smaller. Same process though as supers right?

Linds · 11-15-04, 11:06 PM

Supers make a great staple diet for all sorts of reptiles. You need to seperate the worms in order for them to pupate. I just used film containers, but you have to be sure they can't reach the top, or they will chew their way out the top (they definitely earn the title 'super'!). Make sure there is a bit of substrate. Then once they turn to beetles, you can put them all in a rubbermaid with some substrate and bark for them to hide in and lay their eggs. You can't leave the beetles in with the worms however, as they will get eaten.

Mealworms aren't as complicated to breed. You can leave them in all the time with the worms (although I find production to be minimal when rotation isn't exercised), they don't require anything to hide in, and they will pupate regardless of their environment

Bartman · 11-15-04, 11:15 PM

How do I make sure the super worm cant reach the top of the film container. They are pretty small so I cant see them NOT eating throught the top..?

Linds · 11-16-04, 12:59 PM

I only make a tiny pin-prick hole in the lid, then only place a small amount of substrate in the bottom, not filling it halfway or anything to give it the advantage of getting out. A lot of people use those sweing cases, that have all those individual compartments in them. It isn't overly important how you do it, the important thing is that they are seperated from each other... they need their privacy to pupate

Bartman · 11-16-04, 01:01 PM

Hey, ive got one of those sweing cases so ill grab some mealies today and try it! Thanks

So the beatles are fine to give to a beardy or cham if I feel like getting rid of some?

diablodragon · 12-03-04, 05:17 PM

the beatles taste bad and most reptiles wont eat them.

ChristinaM · 12-19-04, 07:38 PM

Both my gecko's and dragons love the beetles.

Mealworms are a no for dragons. Superworms are good in moderation

Linds · 12-20-04, 11:16 AM

Mealworm beetles are fine to feed, if your reptile will eat them, superworm beetles let out an awful stink though. Most animals won't touch them.

greenman1867 · 02-15-05, 04:26 PM

Silkies are very very easy to raise and probably the most nutrient filled of the worms, they dont bite and have no exoskeleton, almost perfect........except buying the mulberry. I would say it is worth it though.

I still feed crix but each Beardie gets 3-5 silks a day for extra nutrition and as a treat, LOL I take them out of there cage back to where the silkies are and hand feed them a few silkies, OMG they love it, it's like "going out" to eat steak for them.

GL