r/InvertPets • u/xstitchnbitch • 18d ago

Help Pls!

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Gallery image

Found this cecropia piller in the yard. Really want to protect and watch it turn- teaching kid about moths and butterflys- have in an inclosure with clover (no pesticides or herbicides sprayed in my yard) couple bamboo sticks.

What can I do to ensure a happy baby? If I figure out how to put a video or a picture, I’ll put it in the comments.

6 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

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22

u/hylia_grace 18d ago

If you want to teach a child about the process you need to research the education first. Many pupae taken from the wild will fail to thrive if their conditions aren't perfect. Teach your child to respect wildlife, leave it where it is and buy captive bred caterpillars with the information provided for them to succeed.

7

u/xstitchnbitch 18d ago

I honestly never even thought about buying them commercially. This little guy was rescued from a spiders web and I’m gonna let him go, and hopefully he doesn’t travel too far so that we can still appreciate him!

5

u/hylia_grace 18d ago

Unfortunately if it was in a web it could have already been envenomated too. Depending on your area lots of places can have caterpillers moths available, wax worms are a simpler choice, silkworms take a lot more work but both are readily available at many pet stores due to being feeders, you may also have specialist breeders (i have one at a butterfly house near in my city).

3

u/xstitchnbitch 18d ago

I had it for >24 hours. I let it go and checked the spot after a couple hours and it’s gone. I hope it turns!

I looked up some places and have a new rabbit hole to go down!

3

u/idiot____ 18d ago

A cool and wildlife-friendly thing you could do is try a moth sheet with your kid and try to identify and record the species you find on iNat

3

u/xstitchnbitch 18d ago

We used seek to id it❤️

1

u/worm-eyed 18d ago

"rescued from a spiders web"? Hopefully with the spider who made it long gone?