A few questions about raising an eggsack

RezonantVoid

Hollow Knight
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Jan 7, 2018
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I had a quick look through the forums and didnt find quite what im looking for.

I believe i have successfully paired 2 P.Rubisetas, and while i'm not going to 100% confirm i have an eggsack on the way i'd like a bit of info on what to expect should it happen.

1- I have read several times on here and some websites that if you pull an eggsack you have to open it up and put the eggs in an incubator? Where would i aquire one of these?
2- Is an incubator really even necessary? I have bred trapdoors and just left the sac with the mother and everything went fine and i just seperated all the slings after they hatched no biggie. If the T is being kept not only in natural conditions but just a few hours away away from where it is found in the wild, what's to say an incubator is really needed?
3- What would be a good estimate on when she will lay the sack? I'm fully aware that this time varies on a species level but im sure there is still a rough timeframe i should keep in mind.
4- Is the best minimum time to pull the sack 21 days? I also read reports on "turning the eggs" but i didnt think such would be necessary after a certain point.

This species is very hard to come by in Australia and cost me over $500 just for the 2 adults, so im really hoping to give the very best care to the potential slings i can. Thx for any help.
 

cold blood

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You can let it hatch with mom...but then you need to gather all the little ones after...which is a pain. Most pull sacs specifically to avoid this...its much easier to deal with them, seperate them and monitor them in an incubator.

You dont buy an incubator, they can be made cheaply....lots of vids showing many methods.

How long before pulling the sac depends on the species....fast growers can be pulled at 3 weeks, slower growers you could be pulling at 50 days....most are good to be pulled at around 30 days though....ideally i like to pull when they are EWLs or 1i....but some pull sacs really quickly to avoid them being eaten...but then you have more work turning the sac or slower progression to 1i even.
 

antinous

Pamphopharaoh
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Also, just a tip, but I'd pull the water dish out. There have been instances where the females will put the egg sac into them.
 

RezonantVoid

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@cold blood thank you, ill definitely look into it! my plan was just a plastic container with moist substrate and lots of ventilation, it's summer here and the av. temperature is about 27-33*c (80-91 F), and i was planning on just taking advantage of that. and yea, Phlogius are pretty fast growers, some can reach over 2" DLS in 6-7 months, so ill try for 30 days.

@Phormic28 thanks for the insight, she is my only T with a dish so ill beware!
 

cold blood

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@cold blood thank you, ill definitely look into it! my plan was just a plastic container with moist substrate and lots of ventilation, it's summer here and the av. temperature is about 27-33*c (80-91 F), and i was planning on just taking advantage of that. and yea, Phlogius are pretty fast growers, some can reach over 2" DLS in 6-7 months, so ill try for 30 days.

@Phormic28 thanks for the insight, she is my only T with a dish so ill beware!
Generally you won't be using substrate with your incubator. Ventilate a larger container (but not too much). Cover the bottom with damp paper towels. In the middle, put a deli cup, covered with fabric, like pantyhose, fill that cup halfway with water and put the eggs/EWLs/first instar right on top of that.......its really pretty simple.

Some, like @14pokies have great luck with an even simpler method using del cups and coffee filters. Again, its just coffee filter over a water source at the bottom, no substrate.

Maintaining is just a matter of spritzing down the paper towels when they start to dry....but I don't believe you would even do that with the coffee filter method.
 

Teal

Arachnoemperor
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Jan 11, 2009
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Personally, I am a fan of letting egg sacs hatch with mom and then collecting the slings.

If you are worried about the sac being eaten (since the pair was a pricey investment), you have been given great advice for simple, effective incubator set ups! I have, in the past, used the "deli with damp paper towels" method.
 
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