Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Are the gypsy moths/caterpillars safe for lizards? I got 2 cocoons full of eggs and some larger ones have also hatched and are on the cocoons.
I know birds eat them, I thought it may be a treat for some of my lizards??????

lele do you know?
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PHEve / Eve

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The following is a post notice from the company I order silkworms from concearning gypsy moths. They are beung targeted here in Southern ontario, so I urge you to check what is going on in your areas aswell. Below is a copy of the message that was posted.
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The city of Mississauga, [Ontario, in Canada] is facing an infestation of Gypsy moths this summer and to attempt to control this, they have decided to conduct a targeted aerial spray program. The pesticide they are using is Btk (Bacillus thuringensis subspecies kurstaki). The Mississauga website has this description of Btk.

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CANADIAN CHAMELEONS

I read all about the bacterium used. I understand that it is toxic to the caterpillars digestive track, BUT they have to eat it first.

So I'm wondering since they have not hatched yet but a few, And I already have the cocoons, then they have not come into contact with anything.

I also would think they would begin to spray them with this bacterium AFTER they emerge since they must eat it.

So I would think since they are eggs and the coccoons are in my care, then when they hatch they should be healthy??????
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PHEve / Eve

Contact PHEve

Eve,

like tent caterpillars (both forest and eastern) gypsy moth cats has hairs that may irritate the cham's mouth, esophagus, etc. Some cats have setae (hairs) that would not likely hurt, but the gypsy and tent have a lot and become airborne. So regardless of any virus or bacteria that may be killing the caterpillars (not a bad thing) will not hurt your cham directly, those little hairs, will. The adult moths are great as feeders providing there has been no local spraying going on.

lele
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
1.1 Side-blotched lizards - Ana and Stan for now
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skippy
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh, Died 4/21/06
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha, donated to science 4/4/06
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

Okay, so if I hatch these guys out how or what conditions do I need fo rthem to turn into moths? I have thousands of eggs in these cocoons ????

Or would ya just disgard the cocoons?
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PHEve / Eve

Contact PHEve

they are not worth trying (or the risk of escape) to rear, feed, pupate and bring to adult stage and are very detrimental to hardwood trees (as you probably know). I just meant that collecting them at lights around July/August. The females do not fly, but the males do and are relatively "meaty."
Female lighter color

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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
1.1 Side-blotched lizards - Ana and Stan for now
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skippy
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh, Died 4/21/06
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha, donated to science 4/4/06
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

APPRECIATE IT !
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PHEve / Eve

Contact PHEve

Are the gypsie moths you guys are talking about the ones that leave those huge silk nuseries on the ends of trees that the caterpillars eat their way out of when they are large enough?

jeff

Jeff,

the species that make "tents" in the crotches of branches or near the tips are Eastern and Forest Tent caterpillars and the Fall webworm. If you live in the northeast you have seen them all.

Actually, the ones that create tents do leave the safety of their nest to feed at night and remain safe (safety in numbers) during the daylight hours. Unfortunately, they are lousy housekeepers and don't cleanup what is left behind. Here in NH the webworms leave ugly, silkie masses hanging from the cherry (and other) trees.
tent caterpillars

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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
1.1 Side-blotched lizards - Ana and Stan for now
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skippy
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh, Died 4/21/06
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha, donated to science 4/4/06
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

I know lots of places that do not use insecticide to get rid of these, usually just removing the infested limb and tossing it. Assuming no insecticide, could i use these as an occational treat for charlie?

if yes, what precautions should i follow?

jeff

jeff - the original question of this thread was if these are safe - they are not. They have fine hairs that can become airborne, thus irritate the cham if it breathes them in and their mouth throat, etc. when eaten. this goes for both the tent caterpillars, gypsy cats and the webworms. Some cats have stinging spines (these are not stinging but an irritant) and others just have "safe" hair, but I would only recommend feeding smooth cats. bumps and humps are OK but no hair - that said, it is assuming you know what species it is: Monarch, swallowtail and some other common caterpillars are toxic. Catch some medium size moths at lights for treats, the majority of them are OK (I think we just discussed that - may have been with someone else... :-o

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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
1.1 Side-blotched lizards - Ana and Stan for now
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skippy
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh, Died 4/21/06
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha, donated to science 4/4/06
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet

ok, so avoid caterpillars altogether to be safe. Are their any moths and butterflys i should avoid? Delaware has an interesting mix and they swarm near the butterfly plants outside.

Jeff

yeah, to be on the safe side, unless you want to take pics and have them id'd you can just leave them out all together. That said...there is one that you can safely feed and are real pests - army and cutworms - ICK.. they are gross, soft bodied, Charlie'd love 'em

When it comes to butterflies and moths you might be asking the wrong person. I would never feed a butterfly to any of my animals and will not feed any of the wild silk moths (luna, cecropia, polyphemus, buck moth etc.) either because I raise them. I will only feed medium to small moths I gather at the porch light.

General rule, as I have said, always stay away form black/orange/yellow/red combinations. It is nature's rule of thumb to warn predator. NEVER feed a monarch butterfly or larvae, lightning bug, milkweed beetle, etc. Some of these are mimics and are not toxic, but unless you know exactly what you have...

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Chameleon Help & Resource Info
1.0 Nosy Be Panther Chameleon - Cyrus
0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
1.1 Side-blotched lizards - Ana and Stan for now
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skippy
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh, Died 4/21/06
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha, donated to science 4/4/06
?.? Pinktoe Tarantula - no name yet