I've never heard that not eating their skin could cause them to become a deformed butterfly, and I SERIOUSLY doubt there's any truth to it. I've never done a study, but it doesn't seem logical that it would have any negative consequences It's probably one of those things people concoct like, if you touch a baby bird, their parents will reject it. Equally untrue.

Sherry

Thanks...I guess maybe I worry too much. She did eat all the skin previously, so it's probably OK. Maybe she just thought she was done, or got bored with it or something. :)

Whenever I have had BST cats in containers outdoors on my potting
Shed I have observed the small to med stages eating their sheds.
(Note: I have also noticed Anole lizards in the wild pulling off pieces
Of shed skin from their bodies ;they ate it.)
Maybe this is just the Norm.

DD

Wow, didn't know that about birds. Cool to know. Alright.

Apparently this was only the beginning of somewhat head-scratching behavior from this particular cat. I'm thinking she's either eccentric or doesn't quite have this whole "caterpillar thing" figured out. She's currently settling down to pupate on the stick I gave her (I half expected her to reject it in favor of some odd location, but after exploring it for seemingly forever, she finally took to it), and I don't know how pupation is going to turn out.

I think she's giving me some gray hairs, this one. . ;)

Sorry for the double post, but it looks like you were right! She just flew off a little while ago, a beautiful, perfect female. Her name was Françoise. (No pictures though, sorry!)

Now I just need the other one to eclose too. :)