Breeding solfugid(Rhagodes sp.)

[Liquifin]

I have some questions and I'm sorry if I ask too many questions @attenboroughii . How often or how many times a week do you offer food or prey to your solifugae? Also how long can they go without food? I've been told that some solifugae don't eat well in captivity and I've been told some solifugae are skinny or thin year-round. The reason I'm asking these questions is because I was recently offered some solifugae, but solifugae is not something I am experienced or confident on taking care of. Since solifugae are something I have little knowledge or experience on. My expertise and knowledge is with tarantulas, so solifugae is something new to me. I was told these are Galeodes sp. but I'm not too sure what species they are exactly. But if you can help answer some of my questions, I would be truly grateful. I'm sorry if I'm bothering you and for asking too many questions.

 

[attenboroughii]

I have some questions and I'm sorry if I ask too many questions @attenboroughii . How often or how many times a week do you offer food or prey to your solifugae? Also how long can they go without food? I've been told that some solifugae don't eat well in captivity and I've been told some solifugae are skinny or thin year-round. The reason I'm asking these questions is because I was recently offered some solifugae, but solifugae is not something I am experienced or confident on taking care of. Since solifugae are something I have little knowledge or experience on. My expertise and knowledge is with tarantulas, so solifugae is something new to me. I was told these are Galeodes sp. but I'm not too sure what species they are exactly. But if you can help answer some of my questions, I would be truly grateful. I'm sorry if I'm bothering you and for asking too many questions.

Feed solifugae as much as they will eat. When they stop eating, stop feeding.
Dormant subadults may not die even if they have not eaten for two years.

Solifugae grow by switching between active and dormant phases several times during the year.
They always molt at the end of the dormant season. After molting, they become active again.
Solifugae only feed during the active season, but they shift to the dormant season with the passage of time.
Therefore, juveniles that do not feed sufficiently during the active period remain emaciated.

I complete feeding within two weeks for juveniles that have entered the active phase, and within three weeks for subadults.

 

[Liquifin]

Feed solifugae as much as they will eat. When they stop eating, stop feeding.
Dormant subadults may not die even if they have not eaten for two years.

Solifugae grow by switching between active and dormant phases several times during the year.
They always molt at the end of the dormant season. After molting, they become active again.
Solifugae only feed during the active season, but they shift to the dormant season with the passage of time.
Therefore, juveniles that do not feed sufficiently during the active period remain emaciated.

I complete feeding within two weeks for juveniles that have entered the active phase, and within three weeks for subadults.

Thank you very much for the information. Your contributions and information is truly helpful. I cannot express how helpful your information has been for the entire hobby.

Solifugae grow by switching between active and dormant phases several times during the year.

I forgot to ask this question. Are dormancy periods related to how you keep them in terms of temperature? Or do solifugae go into dormancy whenever they are ready?

 

[attenboroughii]

Thank you very much for the information. Your contributions and information is truly helpful. I cannot express how helpful your information has been for the entire hobby.


I forgot to ask this question. Are dormancy periods related to how you keep them in terms of temperature? Or do solifugae go into dormancy whenever they are ready?

From spring to early fall, they are kept at a constant temperature of 28°C or higher and are active and dormant.
However, when reared at a constant temperature all year round, some individuals will have an abnormally prolonged dormant period. In some cases, they stop growing for years.

I have only recently come to understand that keeping solifugae at lower temperatures during late fall and winter allows them to molt more smoothly the following year.

The remaining life span of solifugae is determined after they reach adulthood. Therefore, life span is related to the frequency of molting, and individuals that molt less frequently due to constant temperature rearing may live much longer than wild individuals.

Surprisingly, solifugae do not live longer because they hibernate, but because they are not allowed to hibernate.

 

[Wolfram1]

Their biological clock may be tied to the seasons, if so that would make a lot of sense for an animal that has to make the most of their short periods of activity.

If i understood you correctly, the main difference in this case is, that if they don't get triggers like "Winter is here" or "Winter is over", their inactive/dormant periods are prolonged and they keep trying to hold out as long as possible.

 

[attenboroughii]

View attachment hiyoke5555.mp4

















Feeding baby Galeodes that have become active.
Food is chopped millworms.


Feed these juveniles until they are as full as the baby Ragodes.
When the babies have eaten enough food, they begin to molt.


Large for the 1st instar.

View attachment hiyoke20220619.mp4

















By the way, I had received some baby paragaleodes from a friend.


The 1st instar juveniles of paragaleodes are very small and difficult to feed.
Their food is chopped millworms.
Basically, the same management can be used to keep yellow Solifugae.
They should be kept hot and dry and only slightly humid during molting.


1st instar of pre-molt.


2nd instar juvenile.


A full stomach 2nd instar juvenile.

 

[Jonathan6303]

Hi @attenboroughii was just wondering how your solifugae project is going

 

[attenboroughii]

It is now fall and there are fewer Solifugae molting.
My breeding environment is a little cooler for keeping Egyptian yellow Solifugae , or perhaps the molting frequency is lower.


2nd instar Galeodes.

 

[spideyspinneret78]

View attachment 425035

















Feeding baby Galeodes that have become active.
Food is chopped millworms.

View attachment 425036
Feed these juveniles until they are as full as the baby Ragodes.
When the babies have eaten enough food, they begin to molt.

View attachment 425037
Large for the 1st instar.

View attachment 425038

















By the way, I had received some baby paragaleodes from a friend.

View attachment 425039
The 1st instar juveniles of paragaleodes are very small and difficult to feed.
Their food is chopped millworms.
Basically, the same management can be used to keep yellow Solifugae.
They should be kept hot and dry and only slightly humid during molting.

View attachment 425040
1st instar of pre-molt.

View attachment 425041
2nd instar juvenile.

View attachment 425042
A full stomach 2nd instar juvenile.

This is just AMAZING to see. Thank you for sharing.

 

[JohnDapiaoen]

This amazing information! If I may ask, how do you keep them warm in the winter?

 

[attenboroughii]

This amazing information! If I may ask, how do you keep them warm in the winter?

Air conditioning keeps temperature at 82℉(28°C).
The Rhagodes grow in this temperature range all year round.
The yellow Solifugae, on the other hand, are not going to be kept warm because lowering the controlled temperature in the winter will likely encourage molting.

 

[Wolf135]

Can they eat pre killed food as slings or does it need to be alive for them to eat?

 

[attenboroughii]

Can they eat pre killed food as slings or does it need to be alive for them to eat?

They are voracious scavengers and will sometimes eat food that smells rotten.
They also prey on live food, but may be frightened by food that is too large or too vigorous.

 

[Wolf135]

They are voracious scavengers and will sometimes eat food that smells rotten.
They also prey on live food, but may be frightened by food that is too large or too vigorous.

Thanks, I woke up this morning and its pre killed red runner was gone along with a plump camel spider.

 

[RodG]

View attachment 425035

















Feeding baby Galeodes that have become active.
Food is chopped millworms.

View attachment 425036
Feed these juveniles until they are as full as the baby Ragodes.
When the babies have eaten enough food, they begin to molt.

View attachment 425037
Large for the 1st instar.

View attachment 425038

















By the way, I had received some baby paragaleodes from a friend.

View attachment 425039
The 1st instar juveniles of paragaleodes are very small and difficult to feed.
Their food is chopped millworms.
Basically, the same management can be used to keep yellow Solifugae.
They should be kept hot and dry and only slightly humid during molting.

View attachment 425040
1st instar of pre-molt.

View attachment 425041
2nd instar juvenile.

View attachment 425042
A full stomach 2nd instar juvenile.

Fantastic thread!!! Thanks for sharing!

 

[attenboroughii]

Hi, all.
Spring is here and most of the Lagodes born in the summer of 2021 are now larger than 5th instar. Maybe some individuals will breed this year.


Galeodes were kept at 28°C(82.4℉) last summer, but I think the temperature was still too low. The majority of individuals did not molt and passed the winter as first instar. This time, I kept them without heating for about 2 months during the winter. The temperature was not lower than 10℃(50℉).


The other day I warmed them up to 32°C(89.6℉) and they all went into a pre-molt state at the same time. The response was very good and this happened within 4 days. The end of long-term dormancy is related to the increase in temperature.

 

[schmiggle]

View attachment 441711
Hi, all.
Spring is here and most of the Lagodes born in the summer of 2021 are now larger than 5th instar. Maybe some individuals will breed this year.


Galeodes were kept at 28°C(82.4℉) last summer, but I think the temperature was still too low. The majority of individuals did not molt and passed the winter as first instar. This time, I kept them without heating for about 2 months during the winter. The temperature was not lower than 10℃(50℉).
View attachment 441712
View attachment 441713
The other day I warmed them up to 32°C(89.6℉) and they all went into a pre-molt state at the same time. The response was very good and this happened within 4 days. The end of long-term dormancy is related to the increase in temperature.

Looking great as usual!

 

[NWZnwz]

Hello！
How to determine whether the galeodes are in active time or in dormancy.
thank you very much

 

[attenboroughii]

Hello！
How to determine whether the galeodes are in active time or in dormancy.
thank you very much

Hello.
galeodes are basically dormant.
The active season lasts only a few weeks after molting.
During the dormant period, galeodes are slow and do not feed, so they are easy to identify.
The galeodes that arrive in stores this season are in the active stage.

 

[NWZnwz]

Thx!
I got the juvenile galeodes from egypt several days ago, it hasn't began to eat yet and it is not active after digging a small hole. I've asked other people who also got the galeodes at the same time as me, theirs also don't eat. I think these solifuges
have already entered the dominant period. What I really worried is whether it can molt
successfully(lol)