Waxmoth

[crazy cuban]

Has anyone tried using waxmoth as an alternative live food source. The larvae is like a mealworm except it lacks that hard outer shell. And the moths are not huge in size either so its easy for the birds to have a go at them. They also produce a web-like substance that ive given birds to make nests out of.
I tried them with my cordons and RFPFs and they seem to love them especially the cordons.
Just curious if anyone else uses this live food source.

[finches247]

Yes I breed some waxmoth larvae for finches and notice Cordons,Cutthroats and Parrot Finches particularly like them.

[roma9009]

Yer finches will take them, as long as they aren't to big

[crazy cuban]

Hi Henry,
How do you breed your waxmoth?

[finches247]

My First colony I have been breeding have been kept in Aquarium with a Fly mesh top so there draught free must be kept dry at all times.Now changed to using a fly box for them now.

Feeding
Water is supplied in container with lid and thin rope that draws water up.Sugar is supplied for energy changed every few days.Lamb or calf Milk powder is also supplied for calcium in dry form in small dish.Bran is there food and they also lay eggs in bran so I have 3 dishes of bran supplied at all times 1 dish for replacements,2 dishes for feeding finches.2 Dishes are replaced every few days.They then go in dry warmish place and wait until eggs hatch into worms when they are moving I feed to Finches.Just repeat and should be successful.Temperature is kept at dry draught free can be kept with lighting or don't need lighting.I feed out a small handful to each aviary.

Some others raise on honey,sugar,glucose,water and bran.But I use my way that seems to work.

Also feed out with maggots,mealworms and whiteworms

[SamDavis]

crazycuban - where did you get them? I wouldn't mind giving them a go but I didn't think they were available in Aus.

finches247 - a few questions. Do they need heat just like maggots/flies? How many days is the lifecycle?

Cheers,
Sam

(A bit off topic, but I'm going to order some silkworms to try next time I get an order of mealworms from biosupplies).

[Craig52]

[quote="finches247"]My First colony I have been breeding have been kept in Aquarium with a Fly mesh top so there draught free must be kept dry at all times.Now changed to using a fly box for them now.



Also feed out with maggots,mealworms and whiteworms


Gee Henry,your birds are spoilt Craig

[finches247]

At room temperature they hatch with no light.Complete entire life cycle In about 6 to 7 weeks.Hatch fast then change to larvae then go into cacoon and burrow in bran then turn to Moths at around 2nd week.There mainly used for my pet leopard geckoes but excess waxmoth larvae to finches.

[roma9009]

Yer don't know if they are over here. I used to own a petshop in the uk, used to get them in in small containers mainly for lizards, but they steralize them so they transform to moths but don't reproduce.

[Craig52]

I don't think we are allowed to have them here,it's something to do with them invading bee hives from memory Craig