Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So I just got my first order of Mulberry Farm silkworms and noticed that it said to keep them at 78 degrees. Well since I only keep my house around 68-70 I was thinking maybe on top of my computer monitor. I just checked the temp with my IR gun while the monitor had been on standby for quite a while and it was exactly 78 degrees. Would that be a safe place to keep them???

To all those that have kept silkworms...is it absolutely necessary to keep them at 78 degrees? I don't want to have to set up yet ANOTHER heat lamp in this room...it already looks like a freakin biology lab in here! LOL

To all those that have kept silkworms...is it absolutely necessary to keep them at 78 degrees? I don't want to have to set up yet ANOTHER heat lamp in this room...it already looks like a freakin biology lab in here! LOL

I don't think so. I've had silkworms before and never gave them any special treatment at all. But this time I bought 500 so I don't want to kill them in a few days. (And Mulberry farms even through in a bunch of hornworms, it'll be interesting to see them grow from about 1/2 inch to 4 inches in 8 days.)

If silkworms are kept at about 70F they will do fine. However if the temps drop below 65F it could kill them. I have found keeping them at room temperature (70F) really slows down their growth but I haven't had much die offs, and these typically were during shedding. Temps around 78F are ideal and can easily be maintained with a hooded bulb.

>>To all those that have kept silkworms...is it absolutely necessary to keep them at 78 degrees? I don't want to have to set up yet ANOTHER heat lamp in this room...it already looks like a freakin biology lab in here! LOL
>>
>>I don't think so. I've had silkworms before and never gave them any special treatment at all. But this time I bought 500 so I don't want to kill them in a few days. (And Mulberry farms even through in a bunch of hornworms, it'll be interesting to see them grow from about 1/2 inch to 4 inches in 8 days.)

I think it also depends on how big the worms are. I they are tiny (about 1/4 or smaller) you may want to keep them a little warmer. I haven't tried keeping the really small ones at room temp yet, so I'm not sure. I've had those kept no lower than 73-74 with a few die offs which is normal.

I do know if they are bigger room temp. is fine but, as stated, will slow the growth. I've had the bigger ones down to 68 during the night. I think that may be close to borderline, though.

Similar to Ldypayne I have a small clamp lamp with a 25 watt bulb on a rubbermaid container. I just cover most of the container.
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Rob