Charinus acosta care

[Trevors]

Hey, I'm looking to add Charinus acosta to my collection and was looking for info on their care. The only info i could find in my searches is that they are small and parthenogenetic. If anyone has some details on adult size, temperatures and humidity needed it would be appreciated.

 

[schmiggle]

Charinus are generally small for whipspiders (~5mm body length or less for adults), and whip piders generally appreciate high humidity and room temperature or warmer (but I think not exceedingly warm). Perhaps @wizentrop has more specific information?

 

[Trevors]

Thanks for the info on size, being that small would fruit flies be a suitable feeder?
I should have added in my first post that i know the basics to tailless whipscorpion care. I was looking for care specific to this species. I have kept a D. diadema in the past. I currently keep the following inverts: 3 Scolopendra dehaani, 1 Tityus stigmurus, bunch of isopods and roaches.

 

[pannaking22]

Fruit flies are definitely the food of choice for these guys. I tried feeding mine young little Kenyan roaches and they never really took them.

They need to be kept on the warmer side. Good humidity too, especially when younger.

One thing to keep in mind about this species is that they can climb plastic, so be careful when opening and closing the enclosure.

 

[wizentrop]

Charinus seem to like small isopods as food. I would also add a lot of leaf litter in the enclosure, as they like hiding in it.

 

[Trevors]

Thanks everyone for the information given. Sounds like I'll be well prepared for them. I have been keeping dart frogs for almost 20 years. I have plenty of leaf litter and tiny feeders.
I culture 3 types of fruit flies, dwarf white isopods and springtails. I also have 3 larger local species of isopods.

 

[zchristina]

I have a C. Acosta as well, it's almost 4 months old now. I second that they will hunt isopods when they are very small. I now give mine legs from 1/8" crickets, seem to take it without issue. They start producing eggs around the 12/13 month mark from what my breeder told me. They sure are wonderful little guys! Good luck with yours.

 

[Green Mantis]

I have a C. Acosta as well, it's almost 4 months old now. I second that they will hunt isopods when they are very small. I now give mine legs from 1/8" crickets, seem to take it without issue. They start producing eggs around the 12/13 month mark from what my breeder told me. They sure are wonderful little guys! Good luck with yours.

 

[Green Mantis]

Hi zchristina.........Do you know if you have to have a male in with them, before they produce eggs? Also do you know how long it takes for the eggs to hatch, also are they cannibalistic?
Sorry for so many questions, but I am hoping to get one this spring. Thanks.

 

[Trevors]

They're parthenogenetic, meaning the population consists of females which produce offspring asexually.

 

[Green Mantis]

They're parthenogenetic, meaning the population consists of females which produce offspring asexually.

Hi Trevors, thanks for answering. Are they hard to keep? I'm trying to decide between this one and a vinegaroon. Would the vinegaroon be easier to care for?

 

[Trevors]

I have yet to acquire a C. acosta and haven't kept a vinegaroon, so don't have any personal experience with either species. The reason i decided on the C. acosta as my next purchase is because of my background raising dart frogs. I have plenty of tiny feeders which will be useful for the C. acosta. I also have lots of leaf litter which will be used as well.

 

[pannaking22]

Hi Trevors, thanks for answering. Are they hard to keep? I'm trying to decide between this one and a vinegaroon. Would the vinegaroon be easier to care for?

If you don't have experience with tiny things I'm not sure I'd recommend the Charinus. They aren't necessarily hard to keep, but they aren't a good beginner amblypygid either. Vinegaroons are very easy to care for, just give it a few inches of damp substrate that it can burrow into and it'll be pretty happy.