Help, I found about ten caterpillars on my tomatoe plants. I removed them all today
They've made holes in the leaves so I took em off. My mom says to throw them away but I don't want to. I want to keep them and keep my plants. What I've done is put them all in a container with a few tomatoes and chile plants. What should I do if I want to keep them and my plants?

You can raise them in the container if you give them food daily until they are fully grown.
These moth pupates in the soil so when they get big you should put a good layer of soil in the container so they can go in and pupate. Here is a link;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M...

Gilby, do you know what type of caterpillars they are? Are they the typical "hornworms? Can you post a photo (or at least a good description of them) ?

Gilby, I wonder if you've most likely found the "tomato worm" (aka corn earworm) which is far different from a tomato hornworm. Hornworms tend to defoliate a plant by eating the whole leaf and petioles, not putting holes in them. Tomato worms will also eat leaves as well as bore into the fruit, sometimes "hole by hole".

"What should I do if I want to keep them and my plants?"
I'd do as Josephine suggested, keep them alive and feed them in a container (jar, old aquarium, etc) to keep the worms alive and watch their life stages develop. It's a pretty interesting sight to see!

Shoe (off to eat a tomato sandwish, minus the worms!) :>)

Shoe must be a vegetarian tonight. No worms in the sammy.

Hah! Greene, I had chicken-on-the-grill tonight for my protein! It's much more tasty and filling than worms!

Shoe (who asks ya'll not to mention eating worms to my favorite pet earthworm, "Wiggly Giggly", who is always so happy he/she seems to smile at both ends.)