Escapee!!! C. elegans

[forrestpengra]

LOL... I was just looking through my slings feeding a few etc.. and I was looking at the C. elegans enclosure 1x1x2.4" Michaels cube and couldn't find it anywhere. Do keep in mind that it's only a 1/4". I dug around and couldn't find it.

I had just put in a few airholes a few days before that was 1/16". Sure enough, it made its way out of the holes. I found it about 6" from its enclosure. Good thing I have them all in a hot box/incubator.

Lesson learned, airhole must be microscopic...

it might only be 1/4" in size but you can already see the heart on it's booty.

 

[matthias]

don't bother with air holes at that size. just give them lot's of "head room" and don't over water.
Open the lid once a week or so and they are fine.

 

[forrestpengra]

don't bother with air holes at that size. just give them lot's of "head room" and don't over water.
Open the lid once a week or so and they are fine.

Yep, that was going to be my COA. I was more shocked that not only did it get out but that it made its way quite a ways from its enclosure, give its relative size in relation to its movements.

I actually find it hillarious. I've had numerous T's and slings since 1999 and this is really my first true escapee, not counting rehousing complications (i.e. P. irminia are tricky little buggers!!!).

 

[The Spider Faery]

C. elegans sling escapee

I use pinholes for ventilation in my cyriocosmus sp.'s vial lid when they're super tiny.

I was more shocked that not only did it get out but that it made its way quite a ways from its enclosure

They're sprinters and marathon runners when they escape. I've never had one get out of its vial/enclosure, but when I transfer, they like to bolt and keep running until they feel out of danger (I think) or until they can't go any further.

 

[Arachnoholic420]

Close one forrest.... what i usually do is just slice a few lines on the the lid with a surgical blade... not big hole or gaps just slits enough for air flow...

 

[Teal]

I was just about to post my own thread on this..! I have a little C. elegans escapee too.. they are all in a hot box, but I have yet to find mine

Glad yours showed up!

 

[Mack&Cass]

That sounds like exactly what happened with our 1/2" Holothele sp. NDS...luckily we found him in our closet a few days later.

And I love how C. elegans have their adult colors when they're 1/4". Nothing can beat that, haha. Glad you found your little guy.

Cass

 

[forrestpengra]

The small ones are so much more tricky to deal with!! Teal I hope you find your little one!

I am often just amazed by how resillient they are despite their size. This little guy came to me at like 1/8". At that size they are hard to see let alone keep track of!

 

[Spyder 1.0]

Same thing happened with one of mine. Tricky little buggers.

 

[Teal]

Thanks forrest! I'm really happy I didn't move the other one out of the vial it's in, and into the same type of enclosure I made for the escapee.. or else I might have lost them both!

I've checked high and low in the hot case.. no sign of the little one

 

[Ms.X]

Jairi, I hate to even think about this, but could it be possible that your escapee found it's way into another enclosure via a route similar to the one which it took to escape? I hope you find the little monster

 

[Teal]

Ms.X - that's the first thing that crossed my mind, actually... but, I've never seen the C. elegans climbing the plastic in their enclosures. The little one got loose because it looks like she built the dirt all the way up to the top and then climbed out. Her little enclosure was on top of another one... but without any vent holes on top. I just don't have the slightest clue! Thanks for the hope though.. would be nice if little Nala showed up!

 

[Shell]

Ms.X - that's the first thing that crossed my mind, actually... but, I've never seen the C. elegans climbing the plastic in their enclosures. The little one got loose because it looks like she built the dirt all the way up to the top and then climbed out. Her little enclosure was on top of another one... but without any vent holes on top. I just don't have the slightest clue! Thanks for the hope though.. would be nice if little Nala showed up!

Out of the 3 little ones I just got, I have noticed 2 of them climbing the side of their little deli cups, however not all the way to the top. I can't imagine having to look for an escapee, they are just sooo tiny! Good luck