How do you hold on to & carefulness for 'pet' caterpillars until they turn into butterflies?

My son & I 'captured' 3 caterpillars that were devouring my pansies. We kept them surrounded by a jar w/ sticks to climb on, & fresh petunia buds & blossoms every day, surrounded by hopes to keep them until they turned into butterflies. I figure that it would be easy because we already know what they ate, right. At first, it was fine, they ate well brought-up, etc. But 2 of them have died & the other one doesn't drink anymore. He just constantly climbs & burrows around close to he's looking for something. What are we doing wrong?


Answers:    Sounds like your remaining caterpillar may be looking for a stout twig-and-leaf combo [leaf for shelter, twig for attaching to] to start spinning himself into a cocoon. In the undomesticated, they'll stick themselves motionless for a bit on a twig or wherever and after spin out some gossamer-like strands and voila, a little white-gray lump on a twig is what they become. Left alone until their inner clock say "Now!" eventually a butterfly emerges to great approval, huzzahs, etc. Were I you, I'd take your caterpillar vertebrae out to from whence he came and consent to him get on near it...in his own environment, he might necessitate a different sort of twig than his keeper might select for him.
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