New Velvet Worms!

[velvetundergrowth]

Managed to snap two of the Velvets feasting on a cricket last night!

 

[velvetundergrowth]

Bit of a sad update guys. It seems the smallest Velvet Worm - the one who accidentally spent a week hidden inside an orchid pot - has passed away.
I'm afraid I may have let the springtail in population in the enclosure grow too numerous. Yesterday before work I noticed the smallest Velvet Worm lying on some moss, out in the open in broad daylight. The poor thing was patchy in color and covered in raw looking spots. It also barely reacted to any agitation around it and the back half of it's body wasn't responding at all. The poor thing was CRAWLING with springtails.

I separated it from the rest of the colony and placed it in a dark place in a small container of damp moss but it sadly didn't make it through the night. I awoke to find the poor creature stiff as a nail and slightly shrivelled.

As for the other individuals, they have been moved I to an almost identical but springtail-less enclosure. They all ate the 3 full-sized, pre-killed crickets I gave them last night so trying to remain optimistic.

I have to say I'm pretty crushed that I let this happen. While the rest of the clan seem perfectly fine I'm extremely nervous now that something else may happen to negatively affect the health of the Onychophorans. Let's hope this was an isolated occurance....

 

[schmiggle]

Bit of a sad update guys. It seems the smallest Velvet Worm - the one who accidentally spent a week hidden inside an orchid pot - has passed away.
I'm afraid I may have let the springtail in population in the enclosure grow too numerous. Yesterday before work I noticed the smallest Velvet Worm lying on some moss, out in the open in broad daylight. The poor thing was patchy in color and covered in raw looking spots. It also barely reacted to any agitation around it and the back half of it's body wasn't responding at all. The poor thing was CRAWLING with springtails.

I separated it from the rest of the colony and placed it in a dark place in a small container of damp moss but it sadly didn't make it through the night. I awoke to find the poor creature stiff as a nail and slightly shrivelled.

As for the other individuals, they have been moved I to an almost identical but springtail-less enclosure. They all ate the 3 full-sized, pre-killed crickets I gave them last night so trying to remain optimistic.

I have to say I'm pretty crushed that I let this happen. While the rest of the clan seem perfectly fine I'm extremely nervous now that something else may happen to negatively affect the health of the Onychophorans. Let's hope this was an isolated occurance....

I bet you're ok. I will say that springtails don't attack live animals, so the problem was likely something else; however, that guy had already been really stressed, so I'm willing to bet it's not as much of a problem.

 

[AbraxasComplex]

The only problem I've had with springtails is the "pin" species that pops up. Those love protein. The silver and white are usually fine, but I think they can be a nuisance to the velvet worms and perhaps irritate their skin. Those springtails sound like they were just opportunistic feeding wise. It's good though that you transfered them just in case.

 

[velvetundergrowth]

UPDATE:

The Velvets seem to be doing fine now. Taking food as normal but no sign of offspring yet.

 

[XxSicknessxX]

@velvetundergrowth How’s the colony coming along?