Heterochaeta occidentalis

[DinehCaveman]

L3 H. occidentalis molted yesterday 9-19

 

[gripen]

Looks very nice. How long are they?

 

[sally]

That is adorable

 

[Paradoxica]

Yay! I just gave mine their first HF's, they took 'em down without a problem.

 

[DinehCaveman]

Looks very nice. How long are they?

this one is 1.5" from head(eyes) to abdomen tip

 

[bobericc]

Delis will work for chaeta until they are ready for bb.

Once they graduate to this prey item you should expand their surrounding. Keep in mind heterocheta can reach 6 inches and the main issue with them is mismolts due to small housing. (Hitting the floor of the enclosure during a molt) goodluck with your chaetas!

 

[DinehCaveman]

Housing is not a problem I have 16" x 12" and 24" x 16" net cages. I just don't like them running over, climbing, striking at each other when in earlier instars. Makes me nervous. They'll be in the net cages at L4. I really like their pine needle looking legs.

 

[hibiscusmile]

Nice baby!

 

[Sticky]

Are you going to breed them? Im sure there are plenty here that would love to buy ooths! Maybe help them be more common in culture.

 

[DinehCaveman]

I'm planning on breeding when/if they mature, that's still a few months away.

 

[Argusdad]

A recently shed L3 H. occidentalis, minus a leg, enjoys a live pollen coated BBF dinner. Images were captured with an iphone 4.

 

[Sticky]

Thats a big baby to eat a BB! I hope you get many adults.

 

[DinehCaveman]

My first chaeta to molt to L4. I believe it is a male, all my chaetas look to be males.

 

[SilentDeviL]

lol can't wait till i get my

 

[melano]

I think it's too early to determinate male and female... Or I'm just too old and I have to wear glasses :'(

 

[Paradoxica]

I found it pretty much impossible to tell the sex of my H. Orientalis until Sub Adult, and even then it was a really subtle difference.

 

[DinehCaveman]

this chaeta made it to L5 today.

Cant upload picture.

 

[mykey14]

I used to have 2 huge chaeta sp.'s. They were both massive females about 5 or 6 inches long fully matured. Whats the difference between chaeta sp. and this chaeta? Also, I heard that the sp.'s are rare now? Why is that?

Cute pictures btw, I love how perky the little ones look when they stand straight up.

 

[DinehCaveman]

I resized the pic. this chaeta is 2.25" head to tip of abdomen. These guys have serious add when the camera is around.