Live Feeder Care

Black soldier fly larvae: sizes, uses and storage

Small, Medium and Large live BSFL are our feeding-grade larvae for pets. Compost-grade larvae are supplied at an earlier stage for composting and are not mature enough for use as animal feed.

Choosing Small, Medium or Large BSFL

  • Small: approximately 0.25 inches (6 mm), for hatchlings and very small pets.
  • Medium: approximately 0.5 inches (13 mm), for young and small-sized reptiles.
  • Large: approximately 0.75 inches (19 mm), for most adult reptiles.

Choose by your pet's size and feeding ability. As a general guide, choose larvae no larger than the space between your pet's eyes.

Storing live black soldier fly larvae

Keep your live BSFL in the cups they come in, with the lids on, at room temperature for use within about two weeks. For longer storage, keep them at around 55°F (13°C) for up to four weeks. This is warmer than a typical household refrigerator.

Backup feeders and salad toppings

Keep dried black soldier fly larvae on hand as backup feeders when live insects are unavailable. Sprinkle them over your pet's salad as a crunchy topping, or offer them as a treat alongside your pet's usual diet.

These are dried larvae, not live feeders. For live feeding-grade BSFL, choose our Small, Medium or Large live larvae.

Full care guides by feeder type

Follow these instructional documents to get the most out of your Live Feeder from Symton®️. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact Symton Customer Support at help@symtonbsf.com.

Black Soldier Fly Larvae (Click to view full PDF)

 

Dubia Roaches (Click to view full PDF)

dubia roaches care guide

Hornworms (Click to view full PDF)

hornworms care guide

Waxworms (Click to view full PDF)

Silkworms (Click to view full PDF)

Superworms (Click to view full PDF)

Superworms Care Sheet

Mealworms (Click to view full PDF)

Mealworms Care Sheet