keeping silkworms

kidchameleon · 03-21-04, 09:17 AM

hey, i was wondering if anyone here keeps silkworms. i have a few and i want them to last because my jackson really loves them. ive tried looking up information about them online, but couldnt really find any. what do you guys use as substrate?what should they be fed? what should the temperature/humidity be at?

im gonna go and try to find some more information on them now. if i find any good information, ill post it just incase other people are curious about this too.

thanks

DragnDrop · 03-21-04, 09:51 AM

Silkworms eat only fresh mulberry leaves, or silkworm chow (made from the leaves). If you don't have any of that food handy, they won't last long, so I'd suggest you feed them off fast, before they die or become 'empty' feeders. You can get all your info about them from the Mulberry Farms website.

dank7oo · 03-21-04, 10:31 AM

I tried silkies for a while, but here is the problem I found. If ou only buy a few, the shipping costs become crazy and it become was to expensive, but if you buy a lot, it is hard to feed them before they begin to cacoon. I stick to onec in a while now, usually get them from petshopss that rip the hell outta me

(anything for max)

Jason

kidchameleon · 03-21-04, 11:24 AM

ok thanks a lot dragon. unfortunately, i dont have any mulberry leaves, or silkworm food. i saw some at the show, which is where i got them(10 for $1) and its was $3. but i was like ehh, i dont really need it, they'll probably eat fruit or something. but i guess that was a bad idea.

and dank, i got mine from a show, at a really cheap price. 10 silkworms for $1. but last time i got my jackson silk worms, he didnt eat them. i think they were too big for him. so this time i figured i'd only by 10, and get lucky if he eats 2 of them. but he really likes them now. i guess i skip on the crickets tomrrow and give him the rest of the silk worms.

thanks a lot.

Collide · 03-21-04, 11:39 AM

I rased silks no problem as long as u have the food your cool keep them in a container NO LID with a cardboard base. Mabey im lucky but i have no issues raising silkies. I just Grade the food on top of them twicwe a day and clean them out when needed and i dotn have hardly no deaths. I use Silkworms.ca they are also at the rep show.

kidchameleon · 03-21-04, 12:32 PM

what do you feed them though? the mullberry leaves or their special food? because niether of those are available to me right now. ill have to wait until atleast the 18th of april, and hope they have at that show in White PLains, NY.

nguyen_inc · 03-21-04, 01:13 PM

hey, I am starting a silkworm breeding colony for my animals, and I think I have the answers you need! Well I feed mines the mixture, I have no problem with it. I get all of my food and silkies from http://www.californiasilkworms.com/ hes great and also has a name on this site which is Charm_Paradise. I get all of my info about silkies from http://www.pclaunch.com/~kayton/Silkworms/raising.htm . I hope these web site help you.

Pirranha · 03-21-04, 03:33 PM

can anyone find what the silkworm food is made of,besides the mulberry leaves?
also,has anyone tried keeping mulberry leaves for very long?can they be kept in the freezer or something for a few months?

meow_mix450 · 03-21-04, 05:28 PM

post in the fod for thught they might know more

Meow

Collide · 03-21-04, 06:49 PM

well im not quite sure what is in mulberry chow other then mulberries im sure if u ask your supplier they would tell u. As for Mulberry leaves i had soem in bags that lased for about 2 months in my vegie crisper in my bar fridg, But i experienced much better results from the chow.

Bryce Masuk · 03-21-04, 07:21 PM

you can feed them dryed mullberry leaves Its the bulk of what is in the dry food you need to add water though you can buy dry leaves here http://www.carolina.com/

kidchameleon · 03-21-04, 07:39 PM

alright, thanks a lot everyone