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How to Care for Your Bugs

General Guidelines

  • Keep all insects in a cool, dark place.

  • Never place containers in direct sunlight.

  • Check regularly to ensure they still have a moisture source (such as carrots or other vegetables).

Superworms & Dubia Roaches

  • Typically require little maintenance.
  • Provide carrots or small vegetable chunks as a water/moisture source if needed.
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Hornworms


Housing

  • Keep the container upside down on a ventilated surface so feces fall away from the food.

  • Ensure the container can still breathe.

  • Do not remove hornworms from their food container. Without food, they will die.

Feeding

  • Hornworms arrive with a food source.

  • If they run out of food, you can add carrot shreds or other vegetable scraps.

  • We recommend feeding hornworms to your pet within the first week to avoid them overgrowing.

Growth & Temperature

  • Hornworms grow quickly in warm conditions (around 80°F).

  • If they’re too small, keep them warmer — they’ll reach size within a few days.

  • If they’re growing too fast, keep them cooler:

    • A wine fridge, drafty room, or near an AC vent works well.

    • Normal refrigerators are too cold. Some customers have success with butter drawers, but this is at your own risk.

Cleaning

  • Every couple of days, open the container over a trash can and shake out feces build-up.

  • Do not remove the worms themselves — only the waste.

Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL)


Temperature & Storage

  • BSFL have the same temperature needs as hornworms.

  • Keep them cool to extend their shelf life:

    • A wine fridge, drafty room, or near an AC vent is ideal.

    • Avoid normal refrigerators (too cold).

Feeding

  • Before offering BSFL to your pet, it’s best to warm them up slightly.

  • This makes them move around more so your reptile can recognize them as food.

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Explanation of how we used the source. This source provides clear guidance on the importance of diet diversity. It should also include a bit about the source. Mark Mitchell is a well known researcher and has published 200 book chapters.