Damon diadema enclosure

KevinsWither

Arachnodemon
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Jul 11, 2014
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671
I am curious about the setups for adult damon diadema. I am planning on separating them. Any photos/ideas of setups? I did hear of the plastic cereal box enclosure, might do that.
 

chanda

Arachnoking
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Jun 27, 2010
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I just keep mine in screen-topped glass enclosures with coconut fiber substrate and large, angled cork bark slabs for them to climb on. I usually loosely stack a second (smaller) cork slab against the first, to create a dark crevice for them to hide in during the daytime. I don't bother with a water dish for these guys, but just mist the cork and sides of the tank several times a week to give them drinking water and maintain humidity.

The most important thing is that they have something with a rough texture they can get a good grip on (like cork) that they can hang from when they are molting - and plenty of open space below it to extend their appendages.
 

KevinsWither

Arachnodemon
Joined
Jul 11, 2014
Messages
671
I just keep mine in screen-topped glass enclosures with coconut fiber substrate and large, angled cork bark slabs for them to climb on. I usually loosely stack a second (smaller) cork slab against the first, to create a dark crevice for them to hide in during the daytime. I don't bother with a water dish for these guys, but just mist the cork and sides of the tank several times a week to give them drinking water and maintain humidity.

The most important thing is that they have something with a rough texture they can get a good grip on (like cork) that they can hang from when they are molting - and plenty of open space below it to extend their appendages.
How many per enclosure just curious? I was thinking about separating out the females and males or just making one large enclosure and putting them all together (can do either one, just want to see what is best for them).
 

chanda

Arachnoking
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I keep my adult D. diadema separately - one per enclosure - except when I am trying to mate them.

With a mating pair, I will leave them together for a few weeks - until I've seen at least 5 or 6 spermatophores that have been deposited and emptied. (You can tell when a spermatophore has been collected because all that's left is the stalk that looks like a letter "Y." If the female does not collect the spermatorphore, it will look more like a lollipop, with the sperm packet still intact between the "arms" of the "Y.") Once I'm satisfied that there have been multiple matings, I'll separate them again.

While they don't seem to be particularly aggressive toward one another, I don't want to risk leaving the male in there when the female is carrying eggs or babies. Also, I've had a couple of males die on me during or immediately following a molt while still cohabiting with their mates. There were no signs of trauma, he was not eaten, he appeared to have successfully completed the molt - but he was lying dead/dying on the floor of the enclosure below the molt. My best guess is that during or immediately after the molt, before his new exoskeleton had completely hardened, he may have been startled or dislodged by his mate and slipped and fell.

I also separate the mother from the babies as soon as possible (after they have left her back) because otherwise the mothers will sometimes eat the babies.

I do keep the babies and juveniles communally - but with the expectation that there will be some cannibalism or other mystery deaths. I just don't have room to house a bunch of babies separately!

On the other hand, I keep my adult Paraphrynus carolynae semi-communally (a mated pair in one cage, 3 unsexed in the other - and a single juvenile by itself until it gets bigger).
 

KevinsWither

Arachnodemon
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Jul 11, 2014
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Yeah I was thinking about separating my group soon. Not sure how to house Damon diadema individually when they are juveniles. So far they are doing well in a communal enclosure, but I want to separate them to better monitor each one.
Would a deli cup perhaps work? Like with a fabric lid and maybe a cork bark piece or foam board?
 

schmiggle

Arachnoking
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Nov 3, 2013
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Would a deli cup perhaps work? Like with a fabric lid and maybe a cork bark piece or foam board?
I would use something that keeps in more humidity than I imagine a fabric lid would. Though maybe I underestimate how good fabric is at that. Amblypygi also like corners to hide in, although if you construct hides in other ways I'm sure that won't be an issue.
 

KevinsWither

Arachnodemon
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Jul 11, 2014
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671
Fabric lids work well for mantises, and they molt in them. Just curious how a deli cup for juvenile diadema work. Want to keep close tabs on them.
 

aphono

Arachnobaron
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Mar 11, 2017
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481
Fabric lids might lose humidity so quick to the point you'd need to mist them far more frequently- they need humidity to thrive. If that's not an issue, go for it. A few holes in the lid holds humidity much better.

It's nice to give them enough room to expand their whips. If your juveniles are small enough to do that in delis they will work fine. They'll get a bit cramped for them before very long though.

Cereal boxes or various food storage containers have the option of giving more climbing surface(s) plus whip room. The one gallon tall food canisters(almost crystal clear- a bonus) from Walmart with holes soldered in the lid worked great for small juveniles. As they got bigger, I lucked out on the local grocery store carrying clear rectangular clear food canisters- those proved to be the best frugal solution overall.
 

Margot J

Arachnosquire
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Feb 15, 2019
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Hi everyone! Sorry, this is a bit off-topic, but does anyone know where I can find a whip scorpion in the Damon genus for sale? I've searched all over the web and they all seem sold out.
 

aphono

Arachnobaron
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Mar 11, 2017
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481
Hi everyone! Sorry, this is a bit off-topic, but does anyone know where I can find a whip scorpion in the Damon genus for sale? I've searched all over the web and they all seem sold out.

If possible, get them locally- just about 100% of large amblypygi on the market are WC medius, even if they are labeled as diadema/"Tanzanian whip spider". Local reptile stores or reptile expos if there's one nearby. Expos in southern California where I am usually have some D. medius for sale.

Due to the whole import/sale thing, they often are stressed/dehydrated to varying degrees and some may not handle 'second shipping'(sale location to you) particularly well, especially during bad weather. That's the reason for suggesting local pick ups if possible. Perhaps try contacting those online dealers and see if they're expecting other shipments when the weather is better?

D. diademas(reliably CB) have been hard to find for years. They come from private sellers(check the classifieds on here) and usually only the little babies, not juveniles or adults. Pretty much have to depend on pure luck to find these.
 

mantisfan101

Arachnoprince
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Dec 26, 2018
Messages
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image.jpg This is my enclosure for my adult(albeit small) female. Also, agreed on the wc part, my female not only dropped her egg but broke one of her legs and hasn’t eaten anything in 2 months.
 

Margot J

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 15, 2019
Messages
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^Yes, how big of an enclosure would an adult Damon-genus whip scorpion need? I have an exo terra 8x8x12 inches and an 18x18x24. I feel like one is too small and the other is too big.
 

mantisfan101

Arachnoprince
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Dec 26, 2018
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8x8x12. It was the only size that I could find at repticon. I’ll definitely be moving her into a much bigger enclosure sometime soon.
 

Ratmosphere

Arachnoking
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Aug 23, 2015
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Might sound funny but at my work they have a snack room. In the snack room there are UTZ containers with junk food in them. When I notice they are low or getting recycled, I clean them well. I then drill air holes, add coco fiber, cork bark and fake plants. They work well in my experience. Others may say it's too small but I havent had a problem yet.

https://www.amazon.com/UTZ-Party-Mix-Barrel-Chips/dp/B0727NFNYG?th=1
 

Margot J

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 15, 2019
Messages
52
Thanks, perfect! I just wanted to make sure the big one wouldn't cause it to stress.
 

KevinsWither

Arachnodemon
Joined
Jul 11, 2014
Messages
671
I was thinking of using buckets as enclosures. I am wanting to have efficient housing.
 
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