I love this and I am ready to get started raising them but I'm looking to make the best choices on how to go about it. That's what landed me here at your video. Thank you for sharing this with us. The mouth enclosure is an awesome idea, it's a great way to bring nature indoors.
Fun fact: insects have their nervous systems run down their front and their cardiovascular system down their back. So the line isn't their "spine" it's their "heart".
Its amazing once you learn the little clues you can control it better. They grow so fast its challenging!! My best to you good luck and thanks for the comment!
This video was super informative and really helped me decide to try to breed them! Could you possibly recommend some breeders? I appreciate the video and I am subscribing now!
I think any pet store that sells a four pack of hornworms is a good start. Joshs frogs has a starter pack - for the same price buy the 25 count (might be 24) ...... make sure you have hornworm food ready because they eat every single day and grow super fast. Feed your reptiles or amphibians some and then let the others make it to the stage where they are darker; line down their back; and they roam the perimeter looking for a place to bury themself. Then transfer them to the dirt/ substrate where they can cocoon and weeks later you will have manduca moths with wet wings perched drying. Leave them for a day to get settled then put them into your bigger unit to be able to fly and when each one emerges (some will take longer then others) hopefully a male and female will become a moth in the same week or 2. Make sure they are drinking nectar and wait for all to emerge. Timing is a crap shoot as they say so fingers crossed you will have the right male and females at the same time!!
Good stuff. I am just starting to look into breeding hornworms. I supply feeders to my local area and buying and re-sale at a profit for me isn't affordable for a lot of people. I am interested in the part where you said, "breeding season". You seem to be doing it indoors in a temperature controlled environment. Do you still have a particular season that it works in those conditions?
Its spring summer for me mostly because i get tired by fall depending on my success. Its hot here in the south so i am breeding in a very air conditioned home. Believe it or not! I make sure all my temps are good.... these guys are pretty resilient but they need a warm bulb and at night i use a reptile black heat bulb ..... does the trick.
Wow!! 21 tarantulas --- good for you!! Thats incredible. Regarding hornworms ...... its a lot of work but once you get it down .... its really satisfying to breed your own
Wow.. they wanted 10 to 15 bucks a piece for them in my area.. I order them now 12 for 5 bucks out of Kansas but really would just like to raise my own.. I hate buying bugs when I've spent countless dollars trying to get rid of bugs..lol
@@pamwhite9139 I'm sure gonna give it a shot.. I'm gonna watch the video again cause I dont recall you saying if you could tell the males from the females?
Your doing a great job ❤😊 i thank you so much for the knowledge mine are currently cocoons i have 6 that are going to definitely make it. A few cacooned and didn't make it as far as the others have unfortunately 😢 one if my favorite and tbe biggest i thought was definitely hoing to be a big beautiful moth had a jelly like substance coming out its rectum, i think it wqs his insides because if it wqs substate it woukdnt have stuck there....and then after i discovered that jelly and wqtching him closely, he died last night 😪 he was for sure my favorite and the biggest i have no idea what went wrong i fed them lettuce and tomatoes which holly molly 6 can eat a head of lettuce in 3 days flat. Plus a tomato. No joke. They eat alot sp be prepared because if they run out of food at all they will die within 12 hours. 😔
Thank you!! The hornworms I raise eat Repashy for hornworms and i order it online. The moths drink nectar which is easy to make. I love to show through my channel all the cool stages and I teach how to breed them. Please subscribe and thanks for the comment!!🌺
If you google best greens for hornworms there is a list you can feed them. Do not give them tomato plants as the plant itself may cause a problem in the belly of your reptile. Do a bit of research on this - its good to know. I personally use the repashy food alone but i know many who use the list of veggies online.
💕 thanks for showing your set up. That was a cool idea with the metal and silicone straws 😊 I want to build a butterfly and moth habitat. Those screen cages are too expensive. So I was thinking of buying a trellised raised bed on wheels, and like flex seal the screen meshing to it. Then plant all the host plants in the deep bed, and add earthworms. I don’t intend to clean the fras. Won’t it compost naturally in the deep bed? What do you think 🤔 Have a blessed day 💕
Great idea! You will also benefit from getting some isopods they eat poop; decaying matter and keep your unit clean. You can definitely create a custom enclosure and I will look for your questions if you need help!! You can do it! Promise! Just lots of stages to guide through but you CAN DO IT!!🇺🇸🌺🇺🇸🌺🇺🇸🌺🇺🇸♥️♥️
I understand what you are saying... but hornworms bred in captivity are a bit different than those found in a garden. These are 100% inhouse bred and the ones eating garden tomato plants are often toxic to pet reptiles. It has to do with the tomato plant. I love all insects but hornworms are special. I also have my superworm colony. Videos coming on that soon.
We found 7 in the garden and brought them inside, is our second day and I think one is really for the next step cause is running around the container, what should I do?? Help!!
My roommates and I just purchased 2 hornworms to feed our geckos. We are beginners in breeding but we are trying our hardest to breed these hornworms. Any advice is appreciated and any joke is welcomed.
Repashy hornworm mix and a small variety of mixed greens (washed- organic ) you can find a general list online …. Keep in mind they will often change color a bit when you feed them certain things or at least that has been my experience.
No tomatoes or leaves of tomato - it will be toxic to your reptile ….. always know what ultimately your reptile can or cant ingest. Good luck keep me posted!!
If you mean hornworms? Try several things- Google search live hornworms for sale and see what pops up. You can also try ebay or Amazon. I know that Joshs Frogs out of Michigan usually sells live hornworms but keep in mind that most vendors must charge you shipping two day or even faster due to the heat. Live ANYTHING during extreme heat or cold temps will naturally cost more and you do not want any live feeder to suffer. Good Luck!!
Hornworms can eat a variety of veggies but I stick to Repashy for hornworms- they may get dark or change color if eating mixed greens or etc but its okay doesnt hurt them. If they go limp or flat that is not the food. That happens to some….. they never seem to make it regardless but usually with good nutrition they will grow fast-- very fast.
I have 4 pupa about to hatch soon as my 3rd try 😅 where I get stuck is what to do with the eggs. Like what's the best setup for the stage between egg and big enough worms to pick up and place in a food cup
Try a container with a lid and a few small air holes. Keep semi moist … as they advance from ball to crawling tiny worm sometimes hard to see other than that horn which will look like a walking eyelash- so tiny so cute! Some people use cups w a lid but as long as they can be warm not hot… and crawl when ready - most will be fine. You literally can use items around the house when you have success the first time. Have food at their reach which is why they crawl -instincts kick in and they head upward. If you check them daily and arent sure.. just send me the description of whats happening and i will walk you through it. Good luck!! Remember dont overheat or over moisten the environment you choose - finding just the right combo will be the biggest challenge. Congrats on everything youve done to this point!!! Jasmine you can do this! Its such fun to see these itty bitty life forms grow ….. you will loose some or many and it wont be your fault just keep going and going!! Keep me posted ok?
@@pamwhite9139 Thank you! I just bought an exoterra screen house because I didn't like the butterfly pop up one. I'm watching your videos again for inspiration. I feel like it might be a bit harder to harvest the eggs, but it'll look so much nicer!
I'm just hoping I have enough of them hatch at the same time. 2 have turned super dark since yesterday so I think there close, but the other 2 might be a couple days off 😅 and then there's a few about a week out. My first attempt I messed up at the egg stage, my second I ended up with 2 moths but they hatched several days apart and didn't produce eggs 😅 I might order another round of hornworms just in case
@@pamwhite9139 I would love that! I wish I could share a picture of what I set up so far. The only step I'm worried about now is just hoping they hatch at the same time. All 4 buried themselves within the same 24 hour period, but only 2 look on the verge of hatching
Great question! Its not easy since they dont really show sexual dimorphism. Sex is predetermined as a hornworm obviously but you truly cant tell very easily until they begin mating. I used to think the smaller ones were males but they proved me wrong more than once.
Hornworms eat a firm pudding type of food. I get repashy hornworm. Not in petstores but its the stuff you see in the cup (not their poop pellets) when you buy them at petsmart or petco etc etc You can find recipes online to make your own food. Its a bit difficult but its out there! Good luck if you decide to breed!
I truly cant wait to hear your updates!! I have had as many as 11-16 easily in my 4 x 2 x 2. They are easy to live with and never have i seen them hurt one another. Their goal is to try to fly and mate and you never know which two will hook up. Males will hook up with many (no shocker there ha ha ha)
@@pamwhite9139 my kids are very excited as well. After they bury themselves how long till they become a moth? Does the moth enclosure need soil? My hornworm are in a big bin like yours and the poop falls down to a lid and I dump it easily. I had a separate bin with soil and I put them in it and they all digged down 🤯 I'm going to use the mask but should I also keep real plants in the moth cage as well? Do I need lighting or could I use our natural heating from outside.
Excellent question! I actually have a 4 yr old south african female bullfrog. She allows me to let them develop in her enclosure. When they spring up as a big moth…. She wont eat them. I dont think feeding them to your reptiles will hurt your reptile but I have not tried it yet. Let me know if you do.
I lost a few toads that way years ago. I literally let them gobble any part of the plant. My toads became ill and died. I personally wont feed them tomato or leaves etc. Too risky for me. I agree with you. 🌺👍
@@pamwhite9139 Wow that was quick! Thanks! I'm just raising one for fun because the animals I tried to feed it to didn't want it. I don't want to risk transferring germs from one animal to another. So I have a pet caterpillar. Lol 😂 They are cute!
Those hornworms you breed and those on tomato plants, I read somewhere that they are not the same kind? Correct or what? If they are not the same kind, they should rename it different, even though they look alike.
When you buy some at a petstore you will see poop in pellet form and food - same color. Usually its a sorry mess and although it appears they have food- often its all poop and the hornworm is trapped until someone buys it and gets it out of there! I use repashy hornworm food. You can find ebay sellers and you can buy other places online. Some people make their own from scratch based on recipes online. I tried and could never get it right so i find purchasing Repashy Hornworm is a time saver for me personally. Great question funny it does look like peanut butter..... but not anything related to PB....
Thanks so much for showing us your ingenuity and what you do. Mittens is adorable btw!
Thank you Doggo Supremacy !! Much love!! Appreciate the kind words 🌺
I love this and I am ready to get started raising them but I'm looking to make the best choices on how to go about it. That's what landed me here at your video. Thank you for sharing this with us. The mouth enclosure is an awesome idea, it's a great way to bring nature indoors.
100% agree. I hope my videos help. Keep me updated and if you have questions i will try to get back asap.
Wow! What a setup!! Love your little mittens 💚💚💚
Thank you!!! 🌺
Fun fact: insects have their nervous systems run down their front and their cardiovascular system down their back. So the line isn't their "spine" it's their "heart".
Exactly. Pulsating Aorta -
Thanks for the video! I have too many worms and now I know to feed the ones starting to get a dark line on their back first
Its amazing once you learn the little clues you can control it better. They grow so fast its challenging!! My best to you good luck and thanks for the comment!
I have one of those pet playpen things with a mesh top and sides, do you think I could use that for keeping them?
This video was super informative and really helped me decide to try to breed them! Could you possibly recommend some breeders? I appreciate the video and I am subscribing now!
I think any pet store that sells a four pack of hornworms is a good start.
Joshs frogs has a starter pack - for the same price buy the 25 count (might be 24) ...... make sure you have hornworm food ready because they eat every single day and grow super fast. Feed your reptiles or amphibians some and then let the others make it to the stage where they are darker; line down their back; and they roam the perimeter looking for a place to bury themself. Then transfer them to the dirt/ substrate where they can cocoon and weeks later you will have manduca moths with wet wings perched drying. Leave them for a day to get settled then put them into your bigger unit to be able to fly and when each one emerges (some will take longer then others) hopefully a male and female will become a moth in the same week or 2. Make sure they are drinking nectar and wait for all to emerge. Timing is a crap shoot as they say so fingers crossed you will have the right male and females at the same time!!
Good stuff. I am just starting to look into breeding hornworms. I supply feeders to my local area and buying and re-sale at a profit for me isn't affordable for a lot of people. I am interested in the part where you said, "breeding season". You seem to be doing it indoors in a temperature controlled environment. Do you still have a particular season that it works in those conditions?
Its spring summer for me mostly because i get tired by fall depending on my success. Its hot here in the south so i am breeding in a very air conditioned home. Believe it or not! I make sure all my temps are good.... these guys are pretty resilient but they need a warm bulb and at night i use a reptile black heat bulb ..... does the trick.
I'm thinking about getting into these guys. I have 21 tarantulas... These worms are $12/4 at the local pet store!!!!!! 😣 New sub! 🤗
Wow!! 21 tarantulas --- good for you!! Thats incredible. Regarding hornworms ...... its a lot of work but once you get it down .... its really satisfying to breed your own
I didn't know tarantulas can eat these
Wow.. they wanted 10 to 15 bucks a piece for them in my area.. I order them now 12 for 5 bucks out of Kansas but really would just like to raise my own.. I hate buying bugs when I've spent countless dollars trying to get rid of bugs..lol
You can do it! It just takes patience and trial and error kinda patience but you CAN do it. I can teach you !! ♥️♥️
@@pamwhite9139 I'm sure gonna give it a shot.. I'm gonna watch the video again cause I dont recall you saying if you could tell the males from the females?
These guys are adorable.
I know right? I just love the entire process. With everything so crappy in the world its truly a blessing to watch them develop!!
Can the climb on the sides of the plastic bins?
Would a 12x12x18 work for the moths? And would they be able to breed ? And do they need a heat lamp?
What hornworm breeders do you recommend??
Your doing a great job ❤😊 i thank you so much for the knowledge mine are currently cocoons i have 6 that are going to definitely make it. A few cacooned and didn't make it as far as the others have unfortunately 😢 one if my favorite and tbe biggest i thought was definitely hoing to be a big beautiful moth had a jelly like substance coming out its rectum, i think it wqs his insides because if it wqs substate it woukdnt have stuck there....and then after i discovered that jelly and wqtching him closely, he died last night 😪 he was for sure my favorite and the biggest i have no idea what went wrong i fed them lettuce and tomatoes which holly molly 6 can eat a head of lettuce in 3 days flat. Plus a tomato. No joke. They eat alot sp be prepared because if they run out of food at all they will die within 12 hours. 😔
Hi what is the name of this Worm?
Great video, what do you usually feed the hornworms and the moths?
Thank you!! The hornworms I raise eat Repashy for hornworms and i order it online. The moths drink nectar which is easy to make. I love to show through my channel all the cool stages and I teach how to breed them. Please subscribe and thanks for the comment!!🌺
@@pamwhite9139 Repashy with any specific vegetable or leaf?
If you google best greens for hornworms there is a list you can feed them. Do not give them tomato plants as the plant itself may cause a problem in the belly of your reptile. Do a bit of research on this - its good to know.
I personally use the repashy food alone but i know many who use the list of veggies online.
💕 thanks for showing your set up. That was a cool idea with the metal and silicone straws 😊
I want to build a butterfly and moth habitat. Those screen cages are too expensive. So I was thinking of buying a trellised raised bed on wheels, and like flex seal the screen meshing to it. Then plant all the host plants in the deep bed, and add earthworms. I don’t intend to clean the fras. Won’t it compost naturally in the deep bed? What do you think 🤔
Have a blessed day 💕
Great idea! You will also benefit from getting some isopods they eat poop; decaying matter and keep your unit clean. You can definitely create a custom enclosure and I will look for your questions if you need help!! You can do it! Promise! Just lots of stages to guide through but you CAN DO IT!!🇺🇸🌺🇺🇸🌺🇺🇸🌺🇺🇸♥️♥️
@@pamwhite9139 thanks for the advice. I am subscribed and will keep you updated 💕
Breed them! Heck I have to kill em. Just one can eat my entire Cherry tomato plant in 2 days! 😳😤
I understand what you are saying... but hornworms bred in captivity are a bit different than those found in a garden. These are 100% inhouse bred and the ones eating garden tomato plants are often toxic to pet reptiles. It has to do with the tomato plant. I love all insects but hornworms are special. I also have my superworm colony. Videos coming on that soon.
@@pamwhite9139 ohh... ok.
Didn't know that. Thanks 👍
What is the black netting called?
I went to walmart and bought a role of window or door screening. So useful!!
We found 7 in the garden and brought them inside, is our second day and I think one is really for the next step cause is running around the container, what should I do?? Help!!
Bury in substrate which im sure you did. I have a video on the procedure good luck🙏
My roommates and I just purchased 2 hornworms to feed our geckos. We are beginners in breeding but we are trying our hardest to breed these hornworms. Any advice is appreciated and any joke is welcomed.
Well they gotta become moths first for a start! Lol
what do you feed the adult moths?
Repashy hornworm mix and a small variety of mixed greens (washed- organic ) you can find a general list online …. Keep in mind they will often change color a bit when you feed them certain things or at least that has been my experience.
No tomatoes or leaves of tomato - it will be toxic to your reptile ….. always know what ultimately your reptile can or cant ingest. Good luck keep me posted!!
Where can I buy a bunch like this?
If you mean hornworms? Try several things- Google search live hornworms for sale and see what pops up. You can also try ebay or Amazon. I know that Joshs Frogs out of Michigan usually sells live hornworms but keep in mind that most vendors must charge you shipping two day or even faster due to the heat. Live ANYTHING during extreme heat or cold temps will naturally cost more and you do not want any live feeder to suffer.
Good Luck!!
can i breed hornworms from the same culture?
Yes
Hornworms are cute
❤
I totally agree!!
What do you feed them
Hornworms can eat a variety of veggies but I stick to Repashy for hornworms- they may get dark or change color if eating mixed greens or etc but its okay doesnt hurt them. If they go limp or flat that is not the food. That happens to some….. they never seem to make it regardless but usually with good nutrition they will grow fast-- very fast.
I have 4 pupa about to hatch soon as my 3rd try 😅 where I get stuck is what to do with the eggs. Like what's the best setup for the stage between egg and big enough worms to pick up and place in a food cup
Try a container with a lid and a few small air holes. Keep semi moist … as they advance from ball to crawling tiny worm sometimes hard to see other than that horn which will look like a walking eyelash- so tiny so cute!
Some people use cups w a lid but as long as they can be warm not hot… and crawl when ready - most will be fine.
You literally can use items around the house when you have success the first time. Have food at their reach which is why they crawl -instincts kick in and they head upward.
If you check them daily and arent sure.. just send me the description of whats happening and i will walk you through it.
Good luck!! Remember dont overheat or over moisten the environment you choose - finding just the right combo will be the biggest challenge. Congrats on everything youve done to this point!!! Jasmine you can do this! Its such fun to see these itty bitty life forms grow ….. you will loose some or many and it wont be your fault just keep going and going!!
Keep me posted ok?
@@pamwhite9139 Thank you! I just bought an exoterra screen house because I didn't like the butterfly pop up one. I'm watching your videos again for inspiration. I feel like it might be a bit harder to harvest the eggs, but it'll look so much nicer!
I'm just hoping I have enough of them hatch at the same time. 2 have turned super dark since yesterday so I think there close, but the other 2 might be a couple days off 😅 and then there's a few about a week out. My first attempt I messed up at the egg stage, my second I ended up with 2 moths but they hatched several days apart and didn't produce eggs 😅 I might order another round of hornworms just in case
I will do a video about this tonight or tomorrow for you!
@@pamwhite9139 I would love that! I wish I could share a picture of what I set up so far. The only step I'm worried about now is just hoping they hatch at the same time. All 4 buried themselves within the same 24 hour period, but only 2 look on the verge of hatching
How do you determine sex of the moth.
Great question! Its not easy since they dont really show sexual dimorphism. Sex is predetermined as a hornworm obviously but you truly cant tell very easily until they begin mating. I used to think the smaller ones were males but they proved me wrong more than once.
What do they eat? I was interested bc I bought babys
Hornworms eat a firm pudding type of food. I get repashy hornworm. Not in petstores but its the stuff you see in the cup (not their poop pellets) when you buy them at petsmart or petco etc etc
You can find recipes online to make your own food. Its a bit difficult but its out there! Good luck if you decide to breed!
Ok will do
How many hawkmoths can you have in one cage. How many female and how many males?
I truly cant wait to hear your updates!! I have had as many as 11-16 easily in my 4 x 2 x 2. They are easy to live with and never have i seen them hurt one another. Their goal is to try to fly and mate and you never know which two will hook up. Males will hook up with many (no shocker there ha ha ha)
@@pamwhite9139 my kids are very excited as well. After they bury themselves how long till they become a moth? Does the moth enclosure need soil? My hornworm are in a big bin like yours and the poop falls down to a lid and I dump it easily. I had a separate bin with soil and I put them in it and they all digged down 🤯 I'm going to use the mask but should I also keep real plants in the moth cage as well? Do I need lighting or could I use our natural heating from outside.
@@Dredre8790 do you throw the poop away? Seems to me like it's an excellent fertilizer for whatever kind of plant they've been eating.
@@robertschmidt9296 no I toss it in the garden.
@@Dredre8790 good place for it.
Can you feed the moths to the reptiles?
Excellent question! I actually have a 4 yr old south african female bullfrog.
She allows me to let them develop in her enclosure. When they spring up as a big moth…. She wont eat them.
I dont think feeding them to your reptiles will hurt your reptile but I have not tried it yet. Let me know if you do.
@@pamwhite9139 ok thanks for the info
Someone else said if they eat tomatoes they become toxic but wouldn't it be if they ate tomato leaves? Since the leaves are toxic.
I lost a few toads that way years ago. I literally let them gobble any part of the plant. My toads became ill and died. I personally wont feed them tomato or leaves etc. Too risky for me. I agree with you. 🌺👍
@@pamwhite9139 Wow that was quick! Thanks! I'm just raising one for fun because the animals I tried to feed it to didn't want it. I don't want to risk transferring germs from one animal to another. So I have a pet caterpillar. Lol 😂
They are cute!
Those hornworms you breed and those on tomato plants, I read somewhere that they are not the same kind? Correct or what? If they are not the same kind, they should rename it different, even though they look alike.
You are correct they are not the same. More like 3rd cousins.
Mittens is lucky haha I would love to ride on you every morning 😉
What if the peanut butter looking stuff made from
When you buy some at a petstore you will see poop in pellet form and food - same color. Usually its a sorry mess and although it appears they have food- often its all poop and the hornworm is trapped until someone buys it and gets it out of there!
I use repashy hornworm food. You can find ebay sellers and you can buy other places online. Some people make their own from scratch based on recipes online.
I tried and could never get it right so i find purchasing Repashy Hornworm is a time saver for me personally.
Great question funny it does look like peanut butter..... but not anything related to PB....
Ps i love the name Soggy potatos! There must be a great story behind it!!