So I just started breeding supers...

[mich]

really? Im from calgary.

Ontario

 

[mich]

LOL Thats great John .. but if you get little aliens before me I'll feel totall defeated hahaha

 

[gearbox1001]

ha ha ha well we will see hee hee I now have a grand total of 11 fat worms in isolation and a nice big plastic container ready for modification and subtrate and beatles

Im quite excited I only have one dragon but its to take the edge of the cost due to the economy, plus my family really do hate cricket's and we had a opps cricket escape the other day, well people were very angry with me (sorry wifey).

Ill update if i get any aliens of any kind

John

 

[mich]

I agree I hate crickets! I still have to buy them still for other reptiles but is WAY smaller quantities ..my dragons (I have 2) were going through 1000 every 2 weeks and a lot of them would die off. And of course they escape .. and when they do they ALWAYS go from upstairs, down 2 levels into the basement and hide behind the freaking water heater or under the freezer where I can't possible catch them and chirp all night. Supers don't escape, don't smell, don't make noise, don't die off, way more filling and FAR better then stinking crics LOL Now if I can just get them to turn to little aliens I'd be happy!!! I have 45 all divided up for about 2 and a half weeks now ..

 

[gearbox1001]

Quick question and again apologise to the Op for using this thread, but dont want to flood the forum with useless questions.

Do the beatles bite? I know they have a smell defence. I just want to know if i get any, if moving them is going to require a toilet tube and some quick movement

I don't mind being nipped, but just like to know in advance.

John

 

[mich]

ohhh I came home today to 2 aliens .. GROSS looking .. I saw pics of them online when I was reading up on breeding supers but seriously, YUCK :shock: 2 down, 43 more to go lol

I moved them to a little tote I have set up because I figured it would be easier to move them now while in the pupa stage using tongs then the actual beetles (I'm a baby, I admit it, I use tongs to handle all my feeders) but omg they twitch and squirm wildly, didn't expect that, that they'd stay motionless in their stasis form ... wrong, ewww!

 

[gearbox1001]

Nice one MIch You also answered my question in moving the aliens before they turn to bugs My intention is to move them into their 'final home' so i dont have to touch the bugs with legs too much

happy your coloney is under way

John

 

[mich]

Careful when they turn to beetles that they don't kill the ones that haven't turned yet. I am using stackable storage containers, the kind with the sliding out drawers. I put my aliens in the bottom and when they turn to beetles I'm going to bump them up into the next drawer where they will stay for 3-4 wks and hopefully lay lots of eggs. Then I'll bump them up again into the next drawer so they can start over laying more eggs. I heard is you leave the beetles with the pupa they may eat them .. same as the eggs and little worms.

I had a 3rd alien when I got home tonight. I think the problem may be my temp. They are in the closet that I keep my tote of crickets in .. at night I close the closet door so I can't hear the crickets and I wonder if myabe it's too cool in there and thats why they are transforming so slowly :?: Although most are curled up in the "c" shape after 20 some odd days I still have some worms that are still wigging around. :?

 

[jarett_harrison]

yes if the temp is too low they will take forever to change. I have about 10 aliens now. Just waiting for beetles. Im using old coffee cans (Tim Hortans mich! Best coffee on earth. too bad its super exspensive in the U.S. I get my grandfather to bring some down) and they are doing great. ( I put the pupae in these.) But im having a real problem keeping the darn sugar ants out of my worms.

 

[mich]

yes if the temp is too low they will take forever to change. I have about 10 aliens now. Just waiting for beetles. Im using old coffee cans (Tim Hortans mich! Best coffee on earth. too bad its super exspensive in the U.S. I get my grandfather to bring some down) and they are doing great. ( I put the pupae in these.) But im having a real problem keeping the darn sugar ants out of my worms.

Yeah Tims! LOL They are everywhere here!! Their ice-caps are oohh so good
I have about 20 something little aliens now out of my 45 worms, half way. I put the aliens in another container and moved the remaining worms out of the closet, think it may have been a little on the cool side in there with the door closed, crickets seem to be doing fine in there still, the heating vent is right beside the door. Weather in northern Ontario sucks already, calling snow this weekend :shock: (we need the good coffee to keep us warm!!! lol)

Every day my 6yr old asks if he can go check for more pupas hahaha I'm weeks away from beetles still but glad I finally have aliens now, I was getting concerned. I haven't heard of sugar ants before!! How do you get rid of them?

 

[jarett_harrison]

i dont know. We are calling an exterminator. They are little orange or black ants and they dont bite but get into everything.

 

[mich]

Well first stage done. Out of 45 worms I have 33 aliens, 2 or 3 worms died and the other just didn't change (or even curl up!!) so I let them out LOL The 33 I have is plenty for now. My dragons are actually eating next to nothing right now .. I assume because its late fall/early winter. I keep their temps the exact same and thought maybe they'd skip brumation since they are still young (8 months). Right now they eat less then 8 a day each, before that was easily just the first meal of the day then they'd eat more in the evening and some salad through out the day. Guess it's a good time to start the colony though, gives me a few months till spring to try and get it going!

 

[jarett_harrison]

iv got 8 beetles now. and like ten more pupae. Only had one deateh and have like four more wating to be pupae.

 

[midwestreptiles]

the larva while being in the cup mostly cause they were too small i think none of the real big guys died just kinda smaller ones they have to be stressed out to morph and oh yea dont put any food or anything while you have them seperated it will take longer for them to change the more stress the quicker they change

I have to disagree about having food in the pupate containers. In my experience i used the tackle box for my chambers and put a small layer of wheat material on the bottom and at the right temps most pupated real fast. I think they get fat on food and then are ready to pupate

 

[DragonsInKansas]

I don't use any food when i change mine, i've never had any issue. It's good to know that they'll still change with food though.