Thank you so much for the information! A few more questions...

-I have read somewhere about there sometimes being two generations of moths in a summer. Is it too late for these to be a first generation do you think? Im just wondering if it might be possible if this guy will be a moth before this summer ends.

-Will they crawl up the sides of a plastic box? I have a great container for them but not sure what to cover it with. I want him to have enough air but not to get out.

-Will they eat anything besides tomato leaves?

Thanks again! My kids are so excited about having him. :)

Whomever put that pic on the web messed up. That is a tobacco hornworm. It does eat tomato leaves, just like a tomato hornworm. Both eat members of the nightshade family, such as ground cherry and horse-nettle. If you have a tobacco hornworm, some pet stores sell a processed food for them (I don't know whether tomato hornworms will eat it).

Decent chance the cat will crawl up the sides and out when it is ready to pupate so I would have something over the top. Don't worry too much about them having enough air. If you are changing the leaves once a day, the cat will have enough oxygen.

Since you live in Indiana, I'd say there is no way you will have a moth this year (unless you overwinter it inside, then anything is possible).

Trying to find a pic of a tomato hornworm was more challenging that I thought it would be. One of the Wikipedia pics is actually a rustic sphinx.

Here is a link that might be useful: Five-spotted hawkmoth AKA tomato hornworm

They also eat potatos, bell peppers, and eggplants.

I have a tobacco hornworms, and they are perfectly healthy, except since yesterday. they are now a bit brownish, and are not eating. They aren't moving much, and I don't know if they are shedding, or they're sick. There are two. I got them six days ago, and on the 1st-3rd day, fed them tomato leaves. 4th through 5th i gave them both tomato and potato leaves. At the end of the 5th day, i gave them romaine lettuce leaves, and woke up today, to find they were slightly brown around the head area, won't eat, and minimal movement. They twist around weirdly, and wave their butt around a bit, but that's it. All the information on taking care of tomato/tobacco hornworms said it was ok to feed them romaine lettuce. I washed the lettuce thoroughly before feeding them. Is it the stuff they may have put on the lettuce? Maybe I can't get it off and they got a slight dose of it? I'm worried, and I've been raising tobacco hornworms for years. this is the first time I have fed them lettuce. HELP JEFFREY AND BOB PLEASE! Frankie is digging around to start his coccoon, and he didn't eat any lettuce yet. PLEASE HELP MY POOR CATERPILLARS!!!!!

Unfortunately, sick caterpillars rarely recover. I'd say the best you can do is keep them in separate containers and give them the leaves you found them on.

I have tomato hornworms that have turned brown I don't like the container they are in ..can I move them to a better container

Diana, if your hornworms are at their fifth instar, approx. two inches and nice and chubby, put them somewhere with three inches of dirt! They're ready to pupate. They will star caterpillars if you don't give them something to dig in. After they are done, you can carefully dig them up and put them in a container with moist paper towels. They have to be moist, because they need to be kept wet, or they might emerge with fused limbs.

Is this a tomato hornworm? Someone I work with gave it to me because I already have a caterpillar that will eventually turn into a giant leopard moth. Here's two photo's. Then the other question would be if it is that kind, do they eat the leaves of those plants listed or the plants itself?

I had horned worms for my lizard and two turned into a cocoon it’s been a month I believe and they still haven’t hatched. this is my first time having them turn into a cacoon. And I’m confused on why they didn’t hatch yet. Idk if I should throw it away or keep them. Any advice

My hornworm has been staying still all day and barely eating. At most, I’d say he’s about and inch and a half, and from what I’ve been reading, they grow to 2-3 inches before pupating. I’m worried that there is something serious about my worm and that it is sick. Is this normal? I also only had the worm for a few days before I found it in my garden, and it has just now gotten color on its horn (the color of the horn was almost white when I first got him). I hope that this is all just a part of the process and that there is nothing wrong.

What if horn is damaged? Will worm die? Liquid came out.

Many bred worms lose their horns, it should not affect them. They do kind of poop and "pee" sometimes, unless it is actually an injury that you are seeing.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Just found one, imma try & save it