C. gracilis (need some advice)

Reitz

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 12, 2003
Messages
339
Suprisingly, my C. gracilis just had babies. I say suprisingly because she didn't look that fat to begin with. This is the first time I've had a Centruroides give birth. Under other conditions I'd just leave the babies with the mom like I do for my other scorps, but unfortunately I'm going home in a few weeks (a four hour drive), then I'm moving to NYC (3 hours from there). All that driving would probably stress out the mom, and I'd like to avoid losing as many as possible. I assume that their first molt will be somewhere between 5 and 7 days from now. Do you think I could safely remove them from her back in 10 days? That way I could pack them up nice and snug for the car ride, and control feeding/heat/humidity once I change locations. Does that sound good to everyone?

Also, since this is a reletivly short lived species (about 3 yrs, correct?), do they molt more often then the longer lived species? When should I plan on introducing food to the tank? I'd usually wait a week, but I thought that perhaps since they live shorter the might live 'faster,' and need the food sooner. Any thoughts?

Thanks for all the help,
Chris
 

chau0046

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 17, 2003
Messages
477
Hey Chris!

Well i`ll tell you what i went through,K?

I woke up one morning and checked on my female and her back was just crawling with little guys about forty(but some were still born). She was up side down on a rock and most of them had fallen off. I them removed all of them and the mother and placed them in a small critter keeper lined with paper towel and a half coconut shell as a hide. I placed all the young under the shell with the mother. She ate all the stills and a couple of the live ones also. Throughout the night more climbed up her back and i eventualy started placing the ones that weren`t on her , myself.
The ones i put on her back , most of them fell off and died anyhow (but it was worth the try)throughout the week. At seven days exactly the moulted and I placed a dead cricket in the cage and it was eaten the next day .4-5 five days later they were climbing on and off her back and i seperated them individualy. they are now eating great every three days on half smushed little bigger than pinhead crickets. i placed them in the same kind of mini deli cups that Dave did for his H. Spin`s, lined with paper towel. Worked great for me! these little guys are now ready to go to a new home(So whoever was interested... Get ahold of me )
There about 3/4 - 1".

Good luck and These guys are known to double clutch. My female is huge again,hehehehehehe!!!!!

Mat
 

Reitz

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 12, 2003
Messages
339
Thanks. So far all of them have made to her back. I have no idea if she ate any, as she birthed them in a matter of about 5 hours.

I can't get a good count--I think there are somewhere between 15-20. They're really big though, larger than what I've seen of C. gracilis babies, so I'm guessing she's going to drop again (just like Bill's B. jacksoni did, a few big ones first, a few more little one's later). We'll see. If that's the case though I hope she can hold off for a few weeks.

From what you're saying they were ready to be seperated after about 10 days, correct?

Also, 1) when was the first time you fed the mother after the birth (I'm wondering if I should feed her sooner than I do my jungle scorps), and 2) how old are they now and how many molts have they gone through?

Thanks for the info. Good luck finding homes!

Chris
 

chau0046

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 17, 2003
Messages
477
1- She ate a dead cricket 3 days after birth, Before that she was eating a crickets every day sometimes two(and I`ve seen her eat 4 in one day)

2- She popped on the night of the 16th in april so there about a month old and are out groing there little sauce containers. I feel they need larger enclosers and hope that canabalism should not be a problem anymore. There very fast and active. Also not shy. I`m awaiting there second moult, wich i`m guessing will be soon hopefully and that is the Official date they`ll be ready for sale. I also think I`m gonna have more soon and opening all the cups daily is a job as it is . I hope they`ll be a larger count this time and am keeping 3 of my young for my community. They`ll will be housed in a small cork top glass sphere
that my juvi Ven. Suntiger is in. Everything is gonna be upgraded again.(heheh)

Mat
 
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