Hornworms are known to be a highly nutritious supplement for reptile pets or any other animal that struggles with their water intake. These beautiful insects get their name from the large horn that is visibly clear on the end of their tails. The horn is either red or black and protects them against predatory species. What makes these insects remarkable is the fact that they feed nonstop throughout the night and day. Going back to our topic of discussion, here is how you can raise hornworms at home without having to encounter any issues whatsoever.
- Housing
First things first, you need to know how you can house hornworms before going any further. Fortunately, a site such as Topflightdubia will always prove beneficial whenever you want to raise hornworms. The good news is that hornworms arrive in a plastic cup when you order them. However, there is only a little bit of substrate that covers the bottom of the cup. Even though the larvae can still survive in this container for a couple of days, it is better to separate them into different individual containers as soon as possible. This action is aimed at making sure they do not have to compete for food thus keeping them healthy.
Once you separate them, you will have to place each one of them into a pre-made artificial diet. It would be better for you to feed them primarily dry food. However, you can also go for kitchen scraps, but you should change them on a regular basis since they tend to rot very quickly.
- Maintaining and Culturing
When taking care of your hornworms, you need to make sure there is enough lighting if they are to remain happy and healthy at all times. As for the temperature, maintain it at 81 degrees Fahrenheit, and at no time should it exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Extremely high temperature is going to kill them. Remember to feed them once in a day using the artificial feed and they will remain nutritious for your lizard or turtle pet.
Note: Hornworms are agricultural pest species and they should never be released under any circumstance. If you happen to have unwanted organisms, then you can simply place them in a container and freeze them for 48 hours. As for the eggs, they can either be frozen or placed in alcohol after which you can dispose them off in a regular solid waste.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, some of the things you need to know before you can start raising hornworms. If you are still finding hard, then you can consider checking out topflightdubia.com. Here you will come across every piece of information you need regarding hornworms including how to take good care of them. Through this action, you are going to have a continuous supply of nutritious insect feeder for your reptile pet. Be sure to follow everything to the letter if you are to keep the hornworms healthy.