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Ryansturtle Ryansturtle Superwormbreeder |
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Silkworm Help!!!!
-Ryan |
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| 04/07/08 07:37pm |
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Ryansturtle View Profile |
Message To: Ryansturtle In reference to Message Id: 1693523 Silkworm Help!!!!
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| 04/10/08 10:13pm |
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Superwormbreeder View Profile |
Message To: Ryansturtle In reference to Message Id: 1698285 Silkworm Help!!!!
Silkworms will not bite, making an ideal worm for feeding most reptiles, amphibians and other animals, and they offer great nutritional value. Newborns are small enough for most baby reptiles to eat and young silkworms can even be fed so they will grow to a desired size. Silkworms are soft-bodied, slow moving and can grow to 3 inches in length. They are also relatively fast growing, reaching about 3 inches in length and ready to cocoon in as little as 25 - 28 days. The great thing about silkworms is that they only grow as much as you feed them, and they can go for up to a week without food. Keep in mind, however, that silkworms become dehydrated after a few days without food, and should be feed at least once daily in order to remain healthy. But, in general, if you have too many silkworms you can feed them a few times per week and they’ll stay alive until you need them without growing too much larger. How To Take Care Of Silkworms: -Wash hands thoroughly before handling the worms or the food or they may develop bacterial problems. Using a cheese grater, grate a small amount of food onto the worms and repeat until the worms reach the desired size. For best results, maintain temperatures between 78° and 88° F. -Excessive condensation forming in the container after feeding is the leading cause of failure. If this condensation does form, take the lid off your container and allow the container and old food to completely dry out. In the future, make sure the previous food is dry before feeding again. Old damp food is a breeding ground for mold and other problems, dry food is not. -As the silkworms grow, you may need to transfer your worms to a larger plastic container. The lid needs to have ventilation holes. If not, you need to vent the lid so the silkworms won’t suffocate and to allow condensation to dissipate. You can also use a shoebox. The old food and waste matter can be removed, but does not have to be if it remains thoroughly dry. -Under ideal conditions (78° to 88° F and allowed to feed nearly continuously) silkworms can go from egg to 1 inch in length in about 12 days, and 3 inches in under 30 days. The worms will begin to spin cocoons at about 28 - 30 days old or when they are between 2 1/2 and 3 inches long. Do NOT refrigerate your silkworms, it will kill them. They do not need a lot of space or any substrate in their container, just enough room to be able to spread out. I found that a small well ventilated sterilite tub or any clear plastic container works well. Be sure to either screen in the top or drill tiny 1/16th inch size holes in the lid and upper sides of the tub for ventilation. To clean the containers simply lift the worms up by the silk net that they put down on the bottom of the container or remove them one at a time. Place them on newspaper or paper towel and wash the tub out with soap and water. After it is completely dry you may place your worms back in their tub. I haven’t tried this yet but some people are lining their tubs with a rigid plastic screen found at craft stores. They lift out the grate with the worms on top and the pooh is left in the bottom! If you want to make your own chow here is how: To prepare chow use a one quart dish for one pound of chow and a two quart dish for two pounds of food. Mix a 4oz packet of dry food with 1 1/2 cups of water. (makes 1 pound) Mix a 8oz packet dry food with 3 cups of water. (makes 2 pounds) 1) Stir together dry chow with water in a microwave safe bowl. 2) Heat in microwave on high for 2 minutes.* Chow will bubble up. 3) Stir hot chow till well blended. 4) Heat in microwave again on high for 2 minutes.* 5) Stir hot chow again till well blended. It should now have the consistency of runny mud. 6) Place plastic wrap on chow touching the chows surface. 7) Leave on counter to set and cool. 8) Once cooled, it should have the consistency of cheese. Place an air tight lid on the container and store in the refrigerator. It will keep for one or two months! * Microwaves differ in cooking intensity. You may need to either add or subtract a minute or two to get it to cook right. House: a cardboard box with a lid is an ideal home for silkworms. The box should be at least as large as a shoebox. Plastic Containers are also ideal because silkworms do not need much room and do not rely on substrate. A jar is not suitable because it does not allow airflow and can overheat. Predators and ills: Keep spiders away but do not use fly spray, cleaners, hair spray, incense or any other chemicals near the silk worms. Hope I was able to help. |
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| 04/19/08 09:53pm |
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