Silkworms are one of the gentlest, healthiest feeders you can offer. They're soft-bodied, easy to digest, high in moisture, and low in fat, which makes them a favourite for everyday feeding and for tempting a fussy eater. The catch is that they're particular about food and temperature, so here's how to keep them in good shape.
What are silkworms?
Silkworms come from the silk moth and are raised on a diet of mulberry. As a feeder they're prized for being soft, hydrating, and easily digestible, a gentle option that's kind on a reptile's gut. They're moderate in protein and low in fat, and most reptiles take to them readily.
They're a great fit for bearded dragons, leopard geckos, chameleons, anoles, and many other reptiles and amphibians.
A gentle, healthy feeder (but dust them)
Silkworms are low in calcium, so dust them with a calcium supplement before feeding rather than relying on them for it. Offered that way, they're a soft, hydrating addition to a varied diet.
How you'll receive them
Silkworms are approximately 1″ to 2″ and come on a piece of egg carton in a bag. They come with only a small amount of food, so they're best when you'll feed them off within a day or two, or when you're topping up alongside your own silkworm food.
Need a different size or quantity? Email us at info@nutrigrubs.ca and we'll let you know what we have available.
How to keep them alive
Silkworms are a little particular, but the rules are simple.
Keep them at room temperature. Never refrigerate them. Cold harms silkworms, so the fridge is not an option.
They eat only mulberry leaves or silkworm food. Nothing else will do. Your silkworms come with just a small amount of food, so plan to feed them off within 24 to 48 hours of arrival, or keep them going with our pre-made silkworm food.
Change their food every 1 to 2 days. Fresh food keeps them healthy and prevents mould. If you're holding them on food, swap it out on that schedule.
A note on lifespan. Silkworms are a delicate feeder. We guarantee your silkworms arrive alive, but we can't guarantee how long each one lives once it's in your care; that comes down to how they're kept and how quickly they're fed off.
A quick word on freshness
Feeders are only as good as they are fresh. Fresher silkworms are plumper, more active, and more readily eaten, so order what you'll use and feed them off while they're at their best.
The short version
Silkworms are a soft, hydrating, easily digestible feeder that most reptiles love, low in calcium, so dust them. Keep them at room temperature, never in the fridge, feed them only mulberry or silkworm food, and change that food every 1 to 2 days. They come with just a little food, so feed them off within a day or two or keep them going with our silkworm food.
Ready to try them? Shop our silkworms and silkworm food.
