Will Damon species scavenge dead prey?

Code Monkey

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I've got two D. variegatus young that I got from Art last month. I'm not sure how much they need to eat, but having no experience with these guys I'm loathe to kill them and have been trying to keep a steady supply of 1st instar B. dubia nymphs and termite workers in their cages for them. The problem is that they burrow if not found relatively quickly and the D. varigatus tend to run and hide when I'm adding prey so I'm not sure how much they're catching and how much is under the corkbark.

I've been considering splitting open a roach and putting it in there but wondered if anyone knew in advance if they'll scavenge off of a dead prey item like that.
 

Code Monkey

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Originally posted by phoenixxavierre
What size are these?
Hey, Paul. Body length is about 5/8" and 3/4" for the two of them. I'd give you leg span but I don't even know where to begin :)
 

phoenixxavierre

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Yes, they're definitely leggy! lol!

I've discovered a few things while keeping them as a colony. They are cannabilistic and will eventually eat their young and each other. I started a colony with 8 adults and am now down to 2. The colony lived together for nearly a year and were full grown when they came in, and I located bodies along with molts on the floor of the container. I'm guessing that most of the adults died from old age. I left the adult bodies in there to see if they would "disappear" and they did. The children have fed off of one another along with the adults feeding on young. (The cannabilism I am guessing by the number of young that have disappeared over time) I'm now down to three young (unless they are hiding, which is a good possibility). If they can eat one another, I imagine they can take crickets their own size and smaller. I've raised mine on crickets of 1/8" size to 3/4" size. The adults I feed full grown crickets. They have quite the appetites, too! But they are flighty and don't like disturbances.

Nothing like a whipscorp with undamaged appendages! Those long feelers are awesome! And while flighty and quick they are very handleable.

All I can suggest on the scavenging question is to add a roach and watch what happens! and let us know if you spy any feeding on the kill! ;) I haven't seen it myself, however, it wouldn't surprise me if they would.

Sorry I can't be of more help. I was curious what size they are so I could suggest a particular size cricket. I imagine baby roaches would work too or any other insect smaller than they are that doesn't excrete formic acid or some other nasty defense mechanism.

Peace,

Paul
 

Code Monkey

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Yeah, I've heard mixed results on keeping them together which is why these are housed separately. I guess I'll just go ahead and try dead prey and see what happens.
 

phoenixxavierre

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I've noticed there's usually one or two ornery ones in the group that go around starting territorial disputes. I've never seen them cannabilize so I'm not certain on that, it's just guessing.

Please do let us know if they take the prekilled prey!

Peace,

Paul
 

looseyfur

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you know feeding them is one of the only reasons I havent kept these. I have had alot of oppertunitys to purchase them... I would love to have this mystery sloved I will continue to watch this thread for answers .. good luck chip.

loosey
 

LaRiz

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Originally posted by Code Monkey
Will Damon species scavenge dead prey?
It may depend upon on how fresh of a kill it is.
The fresher, the better obviously.
I've raised this species since it was first imported a few years ago. I still maintain a female that has twice reproduced. She came in "gravid" the first time, and the second I "hooked" her up with a male.
All that I've kept, including very early instar babies, readily accepted recently crushed and snapped crix. I'm sure they'd take a crushed roach as well.

Edit: I forgot to mention that these whips will take very large live prey items in comparison to their size. My babies easily took 1/2" crickets.
john
 

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Code Monkey

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John, big thanks for the feedback. I'm going to try some diced up roaches and see if they disappear.
 

aftershock

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I've never had one of these. How old do they get? Activity level? Are they fast?
 
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