Reptile & Amphibian Forums

anyone have a problem with unhatched coccoons? Also, the eggs are supposed to turn black then can go in the fridge. A lot of mine are turning straight to gray and hatching. I've currently got upwards of 1500 hatching freakin' silkworms!!

Got any ideas?
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Rob

Yeah! Ship em to me LOL

Sorry haven't bred any silkies yet ... but I want to

>>anyone have a problem with unhatched coccoons? Also, the eggs are supposed to turn black then can go in the fridge. A lot of mine are turning straight to gray and hatching. I've currently got upwards of 1500 hatching freakin' silkworms!!
>>
>>Got any ideas?
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>>Rob
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Lisa
www.beginnersbasics.com

Cricket FREE babies!

Can't be a silkworm post on here without me getting involved right? LOL 1500 eggs OMG!!! I'm just raising up my first batch so don't know what to tell you about your cocoons...but about the eggs... I think once you get eggs you need to cool them..maybe refrigerate them? I think this is how you delay hatching, pretty sure, but not positive.

Here's what the mulberry farms site says:
Can they be refrigerated to delay hatching? Silkworm eggs should not be refrigerated unless they are shipped using overnight mail with an ice pack and styrofaom box ($35.00) and then placed immediately into your refrigerator between 35 to 37 degrees Fahrenheit and 70 to 80% humidity.. Then they can be stored in your refrigerator for over 1 month and they will hatch about 8 to 10 days after removal.

I don't think my fridge is that cold OR that high of a humidity so I doubt I could pull it off.

Lemon color = Just laid
Dark color = Fertile
White color = Non-fertile

That is what I think the colors mean. Three days after being laid, they should turn a dark color and they are ready to go into the refrigerator. They have to be put threw a “winterization” period for most of them to hatch. I will be putting my eggs in the refer for about 2 weeks and then taking them out and seeing how many will hatch.

If they go right into hatching, maybe you should check your temp and let us know. I have been keeping mine at room temp and everything is going just fine.

I have also read that eggs can be stored in the refer for almost 5 years and still remain good. I would put them into the refrigerator as soon as they turn dark color. As for what to do with them all, send them to Lisa! lol

Steve

>>Lemon color = Just laid
>>Dark color = Fertile
>>White color = Non-fertile
>>
>> That is what I think the colors mean. Three days after being laid, they should turn a dark color and they are ready to go into the refrigerator. They have to be put threw a “winterization” period for most of them to hatch. I will be putting my eggs in the refer for about 2 weeks and then taking them out and seeing how many will hatch.
>>
>> If they go right into hatching, maybe you should check your temp and let us know. I have been keeping mine at room temp and everything is going just fine.
>>
>> I have also read that eggs can be stored in the refer for almost 5 years and still remain good. I would put them into the refrigerator as soon as they turn dark color. As for what to do with them all, send them to Lisa! lol
>>
>>Steve
>>

The first eggs I got were fine and did exactly as expected. Yellow, brown then black. I decided to hatch those and all but about 5 hatched. They were being kept in a 10gal. aquarium with a full hood and light on all day/night. Temps were at about 78 degrees.

From that point I had maybe 7 more batches of eggs and kept those in the same tank but saw no color change. I thought maybe it was the temps had dropped or the humidity fell due to the change in weather so I put them into the incubator at 84 degrees and 80% humidity. Keep in mind they were still yellow and had been for about 2 weeks. Within a week or two all of the eggs over about 2 weeks time got a small black spot on the edges of the eggs and never went to the black color but instead went straight to gray and before I knew it worms were hatching!

I got about 5 more batches and decided to put them straight into the incubator to see if that would make them change the right way. Well the same thing is happening again.

I have had a few batches that have turned brown then black like they are supposed to but those eggs were a lot bigger and more round than the eggs that went straight into hatching.

The only thing I can figure is the eggs were laid and the temps were too low with the humidity being too low as well. I'm really not sure what went on but I gotta whole lotta worms! All seem to be healthy as well but most are only 1/8"-1/4" long right now with a few early batches being 1/2".

I wish I would have taken records to see a trend which I may start doing once I don't have to care for so many little guys. I was going to put together a care sheet but have come to the conclusion I'm doing something waaay wrong so I'm holding off until I can get it figured out.

I think the humidity may be playing a factor on the coccoons not hatching as well. The moths use spit to dislove the cocoon and push through it. I think the spit was drying out too fast because I cut a bunch of the coccoons open and moths had developed and layed eggs right inside the coccoons.

I don't currently have any coccoons but will see if humidity makes a difference the next round. Even if I do give a bunch to Lisa chances are I will have plenty of breeders !!!
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Rob