Reptile & Amphibian Forums

elephantus non capet murum

and I can't figure out why. Awhile ago, there were not any FF in there...only larvae...then, I was waiting, waiting, waiting for them to hatch out. Finally, they did and I had 4 vials with a pretty good amount of FF in each. I noticed today that lots have died in the vials. What's up with that? They've only been flies in there for about a week...I'm just stumped. I have them in the vials, room temperature...with only the foam plug in there for more air.

I need to get a culture kit so that I can get some of my own started...by the time those get going, these will all be gone or dead.

Thanks!!!
Kristen
-----
0.2 pygmy leaf

Fill a gallon jar about a third full of ripe bananas, apples whatever, add some repvit if you want, fill the rest of the jar with a tree branch with leaves on it or half an egg carton or cardboard panel etc. Set the jar in your kitchen or outside for a while until the fruitflys swarm it. Put a screen lid or cloth with a rubber band on it and there you go. Keep a few or three of these jars going in case one gets a fungus that kills them all. I would set them on a warm tv or somewhere they can stay warmer than 75. They are free and easy and are rampant in the wild, unless you live in the frozen north.

Hi Kristen,

FF don't live all that long as "individuals" and I know with the little guys you don't need tons of them around but if you keep beginning new cultures you can always keep some going. They will also die off quicker if crowded. What I did when I got too many was to just dump a bunch into a cup with some dust, fruit and other stuff to keep them going and it gut-loaded them as well.
Alanvines suggestion is good, too but with your FL weather it may mold quickly.

You don't have to order a whole kit, Timberline sells it alone and is enough for 90 cultures! I actually have 4 going b/c they all came out after my trio died, plus they hadn't eaten any for awhile. (See my new above post about whose eating them now...)

lele

>>and I can't figure out why. Awhile ago, there were not any FF in there...only larvae...then, I was waiting, waiting, waiting for them to hatch out. Finally, they did and I had 4 vials with a pretty good amount of FF in each. I noticed today that lots have died in the vials. What's up with that? They've only been flies in there for about a week...I'm just stumped. I have them in the vials, room temperature...with only the foam plug in there for more air.
>>
>>I need to get a culture kit so that I can get some of my own started...by the time those get going, these will all be gone or dead.
>>
>>Thanks!!!
>>Kristen
>>-----
>>0.2 pygmy leaf
FF dry culture