# Velvet worm breeding success update



## lychas (Dec 7, 2007)

well it was about 2months ago my velvet worms produced young, there are about 15-20 bubs and all looking good. No deaths have been seen as of yet.


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## Choobaine (Dec 8, 2007)

and those are some awesome little creatures to have. Well done you!


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## lychas (Dec 8, 2007)

i cant seem to fnd any reports on captive born offspring. I would assume its not overly rare for WC fems to give birth in captivity but the real chalenge will be to get these guys to adulthood and get 100% captive bred young.


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## ArachnoYak (Dec 8, 2007)

*Amazing.*

I've been looking for those everywhere.  Just love the way in which they use silk to capture their prey.  Any pics?


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## lychas (Dec 10, 2007)

will put some up when i get round to it. Young are very small and i dont have the greatest camera but will do my best


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## bistrobob85 (Dec 10, 2007)

No way, that rocks!!!! What peripatus ssp is it?!?! Congratulations... PICS, PLEASE!!!! 

 phil.


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## ShawnH (Dec 10, 2007)

Wow thats a great accomplishment :clap:


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## lychas (Dec 11, 2007)

unfortunatly havent been able to get an id as yet. Its a small(about 6cm) blue australian species. Being in aus i cant get exotics. Will upload pics tonight.


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## lychas (Dec 11, 2007)

this is a link to older pics, will get new ones tonight.
http://s157.photobucket.com/albums/t46/hornet_2007/velvet worms/


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## KyuZo (Dec 11, 2007)

Cool, i didn't think that they can get that big.  i thought that they are very small.  what temperature are you keep them in?


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## lychas (Dec 11, 2007)

keep them at room temp and suprsingly they are going well. its gets to about 30c where i keep them at the moment.


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## KyuZo (Dec 11, 2007)

that means that you have a tropical species?  i remember reading something about them coming from a cold climate area, so you need to put them in the fridge.  
anyway, what is the colder temperatures that they can tolerate?  
It gets as hot as 38 C here where i am from.


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## lychas (Dec 11, 2007)

no, not a tropical species, they were collected in a temperate climate that gets heavy snowfall in winter.


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## KyuZo (Dec 11, 2007)

well, they are very unique in their way of hunting as i have seen in a video.  I hope that eventually they'll be available in the hobby as i would love to get some.


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## lychas (Dec 11, 2007)

yes they are very unique animals. Hope these guys go well


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## lychas (Dec 11, 2007)

here are pics of bubs http://s157.photobucket.com/albums/t46/hornet_2007/velvet worm breeding/


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## Farom (Dec 11, 2007)

These things are so freaking awesome...will you be sending any of these off to any breeders in the states?  
Would be great to see these get established in the hobby.


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## lychas (Dec 11, 2007)

if i can get 2nd gen captive bred offsrping oneday i will then legaly be able to get permits send some over to the states.


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## KyuZo (Dec 11, 2007)

I just saw the pictures and i have a few questions for ya...
is it just me or are they sticking pretty close to their mom? 
is she hunting for them?  or do they hunt on their own?
and how fast are they growing?  
thanks


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## Justyn (Dec 11, 2007)

You can send second generation animals to the states, just inverts, or does this apply to herps too?


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## lychas (Dec 12, 2007)

herps it is completly illegal for private keepers to export. Zoo's can deal with overseas zoo's and possibly seel to private keepers, i have no idea bout US laws so not sure on that 1


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## Black Widow88 (Dec 12, 2007)

Awwwwwwwwwwww! Congrats to you and the new mommy! Hope everything goes well with all of you! They're so cute! I love these and would like to keep some some day.

Keep us posted!

Black Widow88


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## KyuZo (Dec 12, 2007)

lychas, i posted some questions, i was wondering if you saw it.


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## lychas (Dec 12, 2007)

sorry mate, i'll answer them now. They do tend to climb over the adults quite a bit, while i havent witnessed it i have read thatthe adults will make a kill and let the babies feast of the soft tissue inside. So far growth is pretty slow.


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## KyuZo (Dec 12, 2007)

thanks mate (we don't use that here in the U.S.), but a new way of saying things is definitely fun!!  
anyway, keep us posted and put me down for some when you have them available


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## Steven Gielis (Mar 14, 2008)

Sorry for posting in an old topic...
@lychas: Where did you collected the animals?
At least one species of Onychophora from Australia are communal. Maybe you have that species. Do you have any death specimen for identification?

I have a New Zealand species, Peripatoides novaezealandiae. They seem to be communal to. Buth that's still not investigated.


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## Black Widow88 (Mar 14, 2008)

Well for one thing I know that I love these even more then before. Do they feel like velvet or just look like they're made of it? And also I've been wondering what they are since they're not true worms nor insects.

Can someone tell me pretty please? Thankies!  I love them.

Black Widow88


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## lukatsi (Mar 14, 2008)

They are in their own phylum(so on the same level as arthropods), called Onychophora. They were thought to be the missing link between arthropods and annelids but they are not(i dont't know their exact place...). I dont't know how they feel, but I'll receive 4 of them soon


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## Black Widow88 (Mar 14, 2008)

Cool! Let me know how they feel as soon as you get them. And I knew about the missing link thing because it's in one of my books but I wasn't sure about the rest of the info.

Now I know. Thank you. Wonder how many species they're are? I love them as I said before.

Black Widow88


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## lukatsi (Mar 15, 2008)

I've read somewhere there are about a hundred species or so.
Here's a useful link on them: http://www.austmus.gov.au/factsheets/velvet_worms.htm
The Wikipedia entry is also very good.

And do they eat isopods(it would be very practical)?


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## Black Widow88 (Mar 15, 2008)

That's awesome! Never knew that they tackled their prey like that! I love them even more now if that's possible.

Black Widow88


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