So It's the third day after the first moth, a male, hatched and I have tried to feed him. It is a struggle for sure. I almost lost him twice, once when he flew away and the other when the cat almost ate him. I watched a couple videos on how to hand feed them to make sure I was doing it right. He keeps slipping out of my hands as I try to unfurl his proboscis. I am afraid of hurting him or all of his scales rubbing off. I didn't get to feed him this morning because I was busy with personal matters. So I tried to feed him at night and I think that is my mistake. Will he be easier to feed in the morning?
Hand feeding A. atropos
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Hi Sonya,
I don't have experience with this species, but when I had my hyles lineata adults, I spoke with another breeder and he suggested
honey water with a few fake flowers in it.
I ended up using hummingbird electro-nectar, not regular hummingbird food,( because it's mostly sugar) and some verbena
flowers tossed on top, it did work and they fed on it, I suppose even sugar water and Gatorade would work, or water and maple
syrup, the real stuff.
I know when I fed swallowtails this season, I rubbed scales off, it seemed unavoidable, and I lost one trying it outdoors for some reason...
even indoors I had to get out the net sometimes, and I also had a couple lineata fly out of their enclosure, I'm sure there is a dead dried moth
in here somewhere. Maybe some sort of enclosure with an opening at the bottom that you can put your hands in, would help, we all know
they usually fly up, and towards a window. -
Use 50% honey solution. Better to warm solution up to +30-40C.
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