Damon Diadema Breeding: Can they "try again"?

[Xenohunt]

Hello

I have a pair (duh) and they really like each other. I saw them do the ritual and hang out together for 4 days then noticed the spermetaphore. It has been a week and I see nothing under the female.

What would you do in that situation to make the male drop another one? I currently think I will separate the female for a few days then put her back in the male enclosure. Or possibly wait for a female molt?

- I know they are mature.
- I know they are indeed the same species.
- I know they both like each other. (lol)
- I know the female is due for a molt.
- I know the breeding was attempted, not sure if the female even got the sperm at all.

Any tips or links would be nice on my 'issue'

Thanks,

Travis Hunt

 

[chanda]

I just leave my male in there with the female and they keep at it. I think I counted 7 spermatophores with my most recent pairing (though she didn't accept the last couple) and now she's got a belly full of eggs - but I didn't notice the eggs until a number of weeks after the first mating. I gave them extra shelter and hides and just left them alone - didn't want to stress them by poking and prodding and trying to lift her skirts to peek and see if she had eggs or not. I waited until she was out and already at a good angle for me to get a look. They've been together for the past few months. They aren't terribly aggressive toward one another, so it's not like mantises where the male has to be pulled right away after mating or he'll end up as lunch. I'll pull the female after the babies hatch and put them into one of my nursery cages, then pull her again once the babies leave her back so she doesn't snack on them. Once she's had the babies I'll put her in her own cage until after her next molt, and move the male on to a different female.

If the female really is due for a molt, though, it might be better to wait until after she's done, because if she molts while she has eggs, you'll lose the whole batch.

You can tell if the spermatophore has been accepted or not by looking at it - if it's been accepted, the top part will look sort of like a letter "Y" with nothing between the arms. If she hasn't accepted it, then you'll see the sperm packet still at the top of the spermatophore and it will look more like... a lollipop, sort of?

 

[Xenohunt]

I just leave my male in there with the female and they keep at it. I think I counted 7 spermatophores with my most recent pairing (though she didn't accept the last couple) and now she's got a belly full of eggs - but I didn't notice the eggs until a number of weeks after the first mating. I gave them extra shelter and hides and just left them alone - didn't want to stress them by poking and prodding and trying to lift her skirts to peek and see if she had eggs or not. I waited until she was out and already at a good angle for me to get a look. They've been together for the past few months. They aren't terribly aggressive toward one another, so it's not like mantises where the male has to be pulled right away after mating or he'll end up as lunch. I'll pull the female after the babies hatch and put them into one of my nursery cages, then pull her again once the babies leave her back so she doesn't snack on them. Once she's had the babies I'll put her in her own cage until after her next molt, and move the male on to a different female.

If the female really is due for a molt, though, it might be better to wait until after she's done, because if she molts while she has eggs, you'll lose the whole batch.

You can tell if the spermatophore has been accepted or not by looking at it - if it's been accepted, the top part will look sort of like a letter "Y" with nothing between the arms. If she hasn't accepted it, then you'll see the sperm packet still at the top of the spermatophore and it will look more like... a lollipop, sort of?

Thanks for the timely reply. I heard it took one day to notice eggs. I did see a y shape. Ugh. This is good and bad news. But I really thank you for the response

 

[chanda]

Thanks for the timely reply. I heard it took one day to notice eggs. I did see a y shape. Ugh. This is good and bad news. But I really thank you for the response

Just be patient and give them time. It's better to let them do their thing and not stress them out.
Good luck!

 

[aphono]

How do you tell if they're going to molt?

 

[schmiggle]

How do you tell if they're going to molt?

If they aren't as active, aren't eating, and their abdomen is swollen, and all of these have been going on for at least a week or two.