# Breeding Waxworms. Help Needed



## Mikeyboy1992 (Aug 22, 2012)

Hey guys. I decided to start trying to breed waxworms myself to try and save a little bit of money and also to see if i could actually do it. So I followed steps I found on a website and it worked. I managed to get loads of little baby waxworms which I was really excited about. However when they got to a certain size they all tharted spinnin cucoons and emerging as moths. They did this because I was leaving them in there hoping they would reach a half decent size. I was wondering if there was anything I could do to make them a bit bigger/fatter, kind of like the size you buy in the pet stores. Any ideas?


----------



## Paul112 (Apr 6, 2007)

What kind of food mix are you using?

I managed to breed them using weetabix, runny honey and a splash of glycine, and sitting the tub on top of a warm viv. It might be that you're getting the food mix a little unsuitable if they're pupating before they're a good size.

Best,
Paul


----------



## Mikeyboy1992 (Aug 22, 2012)

I used that method, and put them ontop of the boiler in my room, then I moved them onto one of the vivs near the lamp so they could get warm and they still started pupating. I made the mixture so that I could squeeze it into a ball but it still crumbled when I put it down. I also put some calcium dust in. I was wondering if there was anything I could do to get them to grow fatter and bigger


----------



## vukic (Apr 9, 2010)

interesting thread... be interesting to see some answers...
i started one with the same "recipe" which was fine, but i had to move and a lot had to go... so i never saw their "full" size...


----------



## BoomBeat (Jan 1, 2011)

I have the exact same problem! The mixture i used was ALL BRAN and Honey. I ordered some waxies online and managed to have hundreds of baby waxies too! Now they are spinning silk cocoons which i think they do before they pupate! My problem is also they that are only about 50% of the size the ones i bought online had!! 

Maybe the substrate we have is not nutritious enough?


----------



## vukic (Apr 9, 2010)

Thinking about it... Maybe cooler temps may work?? Slows the life cycle so the grow?? I don't know, just a theory... Or Could be that their fed steroids!! Lol.. 

Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Mikeyboy1992 (Aug 22, 2012)

I thought that but I dont have a clue as to what else I could put in there for them to eat. I was planning of just taking them all out, feeding them all to my dragons and them starting again with cooler conditions. Hopefully that will slow them down a bit.


----------



## vukic (Apr 9, 2010)

Maybe... I vaguely remember reading a thread somewhere on breeding wax worms, and I think they said they didn't grow as large as shop bought one's.... I think... Lol... Might have been on.here a few years.ago... Or.YouTube, not.sure.... Have you tried google?? 

Sent from my LT18i using Tapatalk 2


----------



## SnakeBreeder (Mar 11, 2007)

I found keeping mine in the dark kept them as grubs longer.
Hope this helps.


----------



## BoomBeat (Jan 1, 2011)

It's a good idea, try keeping them in cooler temps. This should keep them as grubs for a longer time , maybe giving them more time to eat?


----------



## Mikeyboy1992 (Aug 22, 2012)

Yeah il give that a try. Cheers guys


----------

