Well, initially I didn't want to post about this project in too much detail until I got some good shots of the adults but that is proving hard, so I am going to just post this few photos of the hatchlings, set-ups, etc.
Purchased 4.4 of the recent imported WC animals that came in this spring in an attempt to get a few some CB offspring established. I have always been fascinating in keeping Gonatodes since catching a few species in Ecuador back in 2008 and I wanted to try something a little different for me (mostly snake keeper). This group is a join-project between myself and a two individuals I used to work with.
Anyway, I keep them in 10 gallon vertical cages with plenty of cork bark and live plants to provide hiding places. I am using 13w florescent bulbs for a photo-period and some heat (12:12). Keep them in the 77-84F range during the summer as its cooled a little recently.
My first egg was laid on the weekend of August 3rd (while I was out of town), which hatched on the weekend of 22-sept-2012 (again, while out of town). I couldn't remove the egg from the enclosure due to placement (high up on cork bark) so I just removed the adult male when the egg hatched.
Egg:
Hatchling:
My second egg was laid on the 8th of August (I was in town for this one) and hatched on the 30th of September (again, I was in town for this one), thus 53 days of incubation at about 76-78F. I incubated this egg in a seperate set-up (could easily remove the egg, laid in leaf litter and soil). Incubation time was about the same for egg #1.
Egg:
Incubation set-up:
Morning after hatching while in incubation set-up:
Second hatchling, not even a day old:
The third egg was laid on the 14th of September and I am estimating a hatching date of October the 6th if this egg says consistent with #1 and #2.
Unfortunately, I did have some issues. One of my females came in with mild 'red bugs' and died within a couple weeks of getting them. I chalked it up to them being WC and figured I did all I could - and this could still be the case. But after the first female laid egg #1, she died about a week later. Then, the female that laid egg #2 died about a week later. Anyway, I was slightly confused as both seemed to be eating and doing great. Well, after I noticed egg #3 I started feeding that female everyday, huge amounts of bean beetles and fruit flies. I plan to work some small crickets into the mix soon. Anyway,she is still doing really well and has grown a lot and put back all the weight she lost from laying her egg. I am starting to cool them down so they can save resources for next season (will separate the pair next month). I really don't want to push anything with them.
When I first got them I did a group fecal. One sample that consisted for several fecals, not all the individuals were accounted for in that fecal but most. They turned out to be really clear/clean fecals. I haven't noticed any 'red bugs' since that first female that had them died when I first got them 4 pairs.
Anyway, that is the story with this project. I don't have any good shots of the adults as they are super easy to spook, hatchlings seem to tolerate a lot more attention. The week old is quite curious and only seems to run off when I open the cage.
Anyone else working with this species or group, interested in swapping information, thanks! There really isn't that much on the internet about this group; at least available in English that is!
Hope you enjoyed!
