cyriocosmus elegans sling behavior

clive 82

Arachnoknight
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Sep 11, 2016
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204
I honestly couldn't tell you as I've only just started getting into dwarf species myself after a little over a year of keeping Ts (I didn't want to waste the small faunariums I use for rearing juvies so a few dwarfs seemed like a good idea), I've raised quite a few slings of larger species though.
I got 2 of these at the end of July, the 0.5cm one sealed itself away for 3 days and then moulted about a fortnight ago, the 1cm one stopped eating about a week ago but is out occasionally.
They do seem to be quite a shy species, I only see mine at night when its dark. Love the coloration & patterning of these though.
 

KyleB

Arachnopeon
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Nov 10, 2020
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I know this is a super old thread, but if anyone finds this helpful, I've had a c elegans for a few months now that was just over 1/4" or so when I got it. Its been buried with no opening for the entire time I've had it, but has molted twice I think, throwing the molts out, and consistently takes prey and retreats into its hide, leaving no trace that there is an opening or hide in there. I'm hoping it will start making some openings and web up the substrate in the cool way I've seen them do online, but in the mean time, I think its perfectly happy and healthy being buried
 

Rozwyrazowana

Arachnopeon
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Apr 16, 2020
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I know this is a super old thread, but if anyone finds this helpful, I've had a c elegans for a few months now that was just over 1/4" or so when I got it. Its been buried with no opening for the entire time I've had it, but has molted twice I think, throwing the molts out, and consistently takes prey and retreats into its hide, leaving no trace that there is an opening or hide in there. I'm hoping it will start making some openings and web up the substrate in the cool way I've seen them do online, but in the mean time, I think its perfectly happy and healthy being buried
I got C. elegans in July as a freebie, I think it was too around 1/4". Since July I saw it 3 times: once when I got it, once it came to eat a slice of a mealworm, and once during a rehouse. I think it molted 5-6 times, it never throws out full molts just legs, but in the previous cup, he kept his trash in a tunnel that I could see. I know it molted at least once in the new enclosure. I haven't seen any signs of activity in about 3 weeks and I'm getting a bit nervous. On one hand, I know it's normal on the other... still stressful.
 

CommanderBacon

Arachnobaron
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May 21, 2018
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I got C. elegans in July as a freebie, I think it was too around 1/4". Since July I saw it 3 times: once when I got it, once it came to eat a slice of a mealworm, and once during a rehouse. I think it molted 5-6 times, it never throws out full molts just legs, but in the previous cup, he kept his trash in a tunnel that I could see. I know it molted at least once in the new enclosure. I haven't seen any signs of activity in about 3 weeks and I'm getting a bit nervous. On one hand, I know it's normal on the other... still stressful.
I would never worry about a C elegans tbh. They are eating machines. They would try to eat me if they were any larger.

Mine have always burrowed against the wall so it's been easy to see them in their burrows. I keep them in drams, and that probably helps. As long as the substrate is not dry they are fine. They have never liked to be up top until they hit about an inch but I can see movement and they nom that prey so that's fine.
 

Rozwyrazowana

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Mine have always burrowed against the wall so it's been easy to see them in their burrows. I keep them in drams, and that probably helps. As long as the substrate is not dry they are fine. They have never liked to be up top until they hit about an inch but I can see movement and they nom that prey so that's fine.
It did lots of digging around 4 weeks ago, completely rearranging all available dirt, then sealed all entrances and destroyed tunnels that were against the walls about 3 weeks ago, so it seems it doesn't want to be disturbed.
 

Smotzer

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Mine have always burrowed against the wall so it's been easy to see them in their burrows.
They have never liked to be up top until they hit about an inch
Mine is about .3in and is very terrestrial, after I rehoused it out of the deli cup it came in, it did zero burrowing, instead just webbing and being out 24/7, and now on top of some bark and behind a leaf built a dirt curtain molting chamber. (Behavior I welcome, but did not expect) Attached is before and after a few days getting ready to molt. 2F824BF9-3B7B-4119-AAA0-0BFC96EEAA42.jpeg 90C834AF-6DA8-4F4B-B5FF-168AF324C4E1.jpeg
 

CommanderBacon

Arachnobaron
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Wow! Nice. Mine never did that unless they ran out of room to burrow, at which I know I need to rehouse.
 

Smotzer

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Wow! Nice. Mine never did that unless they ran out of room to burrow, at which I know I need to rehouse.
It has room to burrow and as you can see it definetly hasnt outgrown this enclosure lol :D , and inside that chamber it has burrowed down to the bottom as well. But up until two days ago, it has shown zero interest in burrowing. Doing more webbing instead over the last month. The dirt curtain and terrestrial webbing behavior is super interesting to see out of such a little Cyriocosmus species that is usually so reclusive and burrowed 24/7, especially when small.
 

CommanderBacon

Arachnobaron
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It has room to burrow and as you can see it definetly hasnt outgrown this enclosure lol :D , and inside that chamber it has burrowed down to the bottom as well. But up until two days ago, it has shown zero interest in burrowing. Doing more webbing instead over the last month. The dirt curtain and terrestrial webbing behavior is super interesting to see out of such a little Cyriocosmus species that is usually so reclusive and burrowed 24/7, especially when small.
Yours is a freak! I have one that is out most of the time now, but it's hit 1". The tinies are always hidden.
 

Rozwyrazowana

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It has room to burrow and as you can see it definetly hasnt outgrown this enclosure lol :D , and inside that chamber it has burrowed down to the bottom as well. But up until two days ago, it has shown zero interest in burrowing. Doing more webbing instead over the last month. The dirt curtain and terrestrial webbing behavior is super interesting to see out of such a little Cyriocosmus species that is usually so reclusive and burrowed 24/7, especially when small.
I have a theory that Ts burrow less if they have a lot of hides in their enclosures. My 2 N. incei and N. chromatus slings were burrowing constantly when I kept them in small cups with little space for decorations/hides. I rehoused all of them about a month ago to bigger enclosures with lots of hides. None of them burrowed, until today. N. chromatus is in a heavy premolt and dug a burrow today. I'm thinking about rehousing C. elegans into a similar enclosure when he opens his hide. Maybe it will make him more terrestrial.
 

CommanderBacon

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I have a theory that Ts burrow less if they have a lot of hides in their enclosures. My 2 N. incei and N. chromatus slings were burrowing constantly when I kept them in small cups with little space for decorations/hides. I rehoused all of them about a month ago to bigger enclosures with lots of hides. None of them burrowed, until today. N. chromatus is in a heavy premolt and dug a burrow today. I'm thinking about rehousing C. elegans into a similar enclosure when he opens his hide. Maybe it will make him more terrestrial.
My incei were provided with significant cover and large hides. They both burrowed, but extended their burrows with web. One is out more than the other, but still has a load of web and burrow.

I don't think C elegans work like either N chromatus or N incei, though. They are fossorial and in my experience burrow several times their legspan in depth, but there are always weirdos. A friend of mine had two that were always above ground, too, but all seven I've kept have acted identically.
 

Rozwyrazowana

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I don't think C elegans work like either N chromatus or N incei, though. They are fossorial and in my experience burrow several times their legspan in depth, but there are always weirdos. A friend of mine had two that were always above ground, too, but all seven I've kept have acted identically.
I know, but I think that trying won't hurt anyone. I don't plan to give it less substrate, just more horizontal space and hides above the ground. One can hope...
 

KyleB

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Nov 10, 2020
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I got C. elegans in July as a freebie, I think it was too around 1/4". Since July I saw it 3 times: once when I got it, once it came to eat a slice of a mealworm, and once during a rehouse. I think it molted 5-6 times, it never throws out full molts just legs, but in the previous cup, he kept his trash in a tunnel that I could see. I know it molted at least once in the new enclosure. I haven't seen any signs of activity in about 3 weeks and I'm getting a bit nervous. On one hand, I know it's normal on the other... still stressful.
Yeah man this one did go about 4-5 weeks being buried and showing no signs of life, but I tried to just trust that he was ok and kept offering food. Finally he eventually took prey, and has taken prey about once a week since, though I've only actually seen it happen 2-3 times
 

Smotzer

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I'm thinking about rehousing C. elegans into a similar enclosure when he opens his hide. Maybe it will make him more terrestrial.
I think it really just comes down to as Commander said, individual weirdos, and theres really no rhyme or reason. its just atypical, and maybe I got lucky with just a very bold personality C. elegans. Lucky me :anxious:
 
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