what can I say. I collected 7 specimens while in Bakersfield. It appeared most of them were of the same species, with the exception of one very different specimen (as far as color markings).
I had separated all of the specimens and I let them acclimate to their new surroundings.
They are all kept in the low 60's range of temperature, peaking at low 70's for a couple of hours during the daytime.
They had all been offered termites and crickets as food, but ony one of them ate a pre-killed cricket. (he is not the male I will talk about in this post).
One of my larger females (at least it was tentatively ID as a female) was housed in a round vial 6" height with a circumference of approximately 1 1/2".
I introduced a male at 08:22 AM today 4/30/09.
The male went directly for the female, and in what looked like a successful insertion he began "breeding".
The male used his two larger palps to hold the female against him (underside to underside).
Later I realized it wasn't a breeding insertion at all, as I was able to make out the smaller mouth parts (with pincher like ends) digging away at the female's body. He knew what he was doing as he went directly for a soft spot under a plate directly behind the female's mouth parts.
This is the reason for my confusing this feast for mating.
I watch him do this in happiness until I realized what was going on.
I have left them alone, going back only to confirm by witnessing her half eaten carcass still within his grasps as he continued to feast on her.
I need to be able to ID the rest of the group before attempting another foolish introduction.
-sigh- I liked this girl.
Oh well.
If anyone knows of good sources of information on Opiliones, or knows of people who have bred them in captivity I would be very thankful if such information was sent to me via a PM.
Thank you once again.
Oscar R.
cacoseraph
ahhhh... these would be lovely to be able to keep
i have heard an open water source is important... and i do find them near rivers and streams quite often
also, though they can scav dead bugs i think they need vegetable matter, also... but i think they eat sort of decayed stuff, mushrooms, and things like that... and that is NOT a good thing from a keeping perspective. if they do indeed eat decaying stuff in nature they could be taking advantage of the organisms eating the decaying matter and that would make them worse than the large beetle grubs as far as having to find or make highly prepared food for them
i have given up trying to keep any harvestmen, myself. if you keep trying take good notes, cuz if you succeed i would be VERY interested! (locals are all cool and some of the exotic species are just fantastic looking)
good luck
balam
An open water source would be interesting to try. the specimens that were collected were nowhere near an open water source, but they were in very moist locations.
You are the second person who has mentioned decaying plant matter.
I will have to re-adjust as far as a container (I hate to keep anything in small containers, but I figured this guys might do well) and try communal set-up as well, I have found three-four specimens clumpped together in the past.
The other option to try would be Isopods. I have a couple of millipedes co-habitating with one of them and the millipedes seem to be ok in there (not too tempting as food I would guess).
Natives are lookers as well, though I agree, I've seen some bright orange Opiliones that are exotics .
We'll just have to wait and see.
Steven
Give them everything you think they need in a 5/10 gal tank ...wild hardwood leaf matter(tons of spores, fungus, little bugs), rotten wood, resident isopods/wigs/roaches/whonot, a water source to amp the humidity, etc ...then put the enclosure outside in a shady spot...keep them there.
IMHO there will be NO WAY (forgoing lab condition like control) to raise these in the bug room.
