# Damon Diadema Breeding Journal



## HowseR21 (Nov 5, 2011)

Right guys this is going to be my unofficial breeding journal for my _Damon Diadema_. I'll start off with a bit of background. I've kept this particular species for a few years now and finally thought about breeding them.

I lost my first one to an evil little cricket early this year which totally shocked me. I'd searched ever inch of her enclosure for any uneaten food but this one little cricket evaded me. Sad to say whilst she was vulnerable this little git saw an easy meal. That's one mistake I will never make again! Took me a while before I went out and got another but this time I thought I'd dive straight into breeding and bought an adult pair.

Very excited at the prospect of breeding this incredible invertebrate so I paired them up in a nice big enclosure with plenty of hides. It was a palace for them. Strangely though several months down the line I'd seen no activity, apart from the usual feeding there was no nookie going on. Totally baffled I just assumed she didn't fancy him and vice versa.

Nope! The reason behind their inactive sex life was all down to the fact that my adult pair were actually subadults. They spent every waking second together but when I saw my female moult to adulthood I decided to play it safe and separate them.

Here's my female, about an hour or so after her moult: 











Just 5 days later and my male moulted to adulthood. They really do do everything together. Here's a picture of him about 5 minutes after he moulted:











Showing those gorgeous colours of green and white. Wish they stayed that colour all the time. Also his pedipalps were really showing their size now! Very easily distinguishable from the female.


A few more weeks passed by and having given them plenty of time for their exoskeletons to harden I decided to feed them well. Not over feed but give them a good filling meal.

Here's a couple of pictures to show my female doing her usual "surprise" attack: 























I like to call it death from above! It really is a bad life to be a cricket isn't it.


Now that they're both well fed and fully adult, It was time to put them back together and the action came thick and fast.

*Monday 17th November 2013* - I reintroduced the male to the females enclosure, within half an hour I had seen the usual tapping and "dancing." Things were looking good, here's a video link showing the action:







*Tuesday 18th November 2013* - I checked on them and straight away spotted a tell tale sign of some nookie... a spermapore. This looks as though the female has actually picked it up meaning fingers crossed, she may well be gravid. Here is that spermapore:













So..... with a bit of luck my girl might finally be on her way to being a mum. All I need to see now is some sort of egg development on her underside to confirm the mating attempt was successful.

*Wednesday 19th November 2013* - I checked her underside for egg development and to my joy found a small cluster of eggs developing on her underside. Such a result that I'm thrilled by. It's still early days but here is a picture to show you all:












Of course I will come to this thread with any and all updates but with a bit of luck in 4-5 weeks I should see a back full of baby whips :flrt:

Thank you all for taking the time to read this, I hope you found it interesting : victory:


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## Richcymru (Nov 21, 2008)

Nice thread. Very interesting. Ive just got 3 adults - 2 females and a male so I am also hoping for some young. Never kept Amblypygids before but am really enjoying keeping these.


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## HowseR21 (Nov 5, 2011)

Richcymru said:


> Nice thread. Very interesting. Ive just got 3 adults - 2 females and a male so I am also hoping for some young. Never kept Amblypygids before but am really enjoying keeping these.


Thank you, I plan to update it weekly with pictures to show the progress. As long as they're adult they will breed almost straight away. Horny little buggers I swear. I did see a spermapore laid by my male months ago but as my female was only subadult she just didn't seem interested. 2nd time Lucky I suppose.

They are absolutely stunning inverts IMO. I highly recomend them to everyone. I always get a lot of questions regarding them and am always happy to help If I can. I already have people queueing up for the offspring


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## Payne (Sep 8, 2013)

Another excellent thread, great quality pictures, and it ISN'T a tarantula POST!
I'm really interested in getting one some day, I'll keep a close eye on this


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## Adam B Jones (Jan 17, 2011)

When I first saw pictures of these creatures years ago I thought they were utterly hideous, but I think that was just because it was something new and "odd" so it frightened me a bit - I have to say, I know think they are fascinating and rather stunning creatures  Good luck!


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## HowseR21 (Nov 5, 2011)

Payne said:


> Another excellent thread, great quality pictures, and it ISN'T a tarantula POST!
> I'm really interested in getting one some day, I'll keep a close eye on this


Thankyou  I'm trying to keep it as detailed as possible with as many pictures to tell the tale. 

I say it all the time but I really so reccomend these to anyone and everyone, they're stunning Arachnids and very easy to care for.




Adam B Jones said:


> When I first saw pictures of these creatures years ago I thought they were utterly hideous, but I think that was just because it was something new and "odd" so it frightened me a bit - I have to say, I know think they are fascinating and rather stunning creatures  Good luck!


A lot of people say errr not for me which I understand they're not everyone's cup of tea. They've been compared to the alien face huggers before. Suppose I see the resemblance. Their way of hunting it awesome. Some inverts just have a special way they hunt like the mantis who do their little head sway before lunging. These guys tap away giving them a rough location then they rely on a little bit of movement just to go yup it's in range. Then POW! Unbelievable to watch! The spikes that line their pedipalps are amazing, I'd hate to be a cricket that's for sure 

*UPDATE: 
* I've separated them now that the male has done the deed, keeps it less stressful for my girl anyway  I'll do weekly photo updates of the egg development


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## tom495 (Mar 25, 2011)

I have recently bred this species also, my youngsters are growing up nicely at the moment :2thumb:

Best of luck with yours great idea for thread.


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## HowseR21 (Nov 5, 2011)

tom495 said:


> I have recently bred this species also, my youngsters are growing up nicely at the moment :2thumb:
> 
> Best of luck with yours great idea for thread.



Thankyou, how long was the gestation do you remember? I think it's 4/5 weeks but can't say 100%

Thankyou, I wanted to use it as a sort of journal but also to educate. Soo many people nowadays are interested in the weird and wacky so this thread should have most of the answers. Or it will when it's complete anyway. I plan on doing an update of the baby whips and housing/heating/humidity requirements etc


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## DrummyGooders (Aug 18, 2013)

Great thread! Definitely interested in getting a couple of whips myself! :2thumb:


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## HowseR21 (Nov 5, 2011)

DrummyGooders said:


> Great thread! Definitely interested in getting a couple of whips myself! :2thumb:


Thankyou, I definately would. They're very easy to care for and just amazing to watch hunt. Stalking it from above then launching at it. Majority of the time mine scoop up an arm full of substrate with their meals but they're clever. They brush out what they don't want to eat whilst still holding on to the cricket, they really are amazing


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## DrummyGooders (Aug 18, 2013)

HowseR21 said:


> Thankyou, I definately would. They're very easy to care for and just amazing to watch hunt. Stalking it from above then launching at it. Majority of the time mine scoop up an arm full of substrate with their meals but they're clever. They brush out what they don't want to eat whilst still holding on to the cricket, they really are amazing


Sounds great! Any chance you could save me a couple?


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## tom495 (Mar 25, 2011)

HowseR21 said:


> Thankyou, how long was the gestation do you remember? I think it's 4/5 weeks but can't say 100%
> 
> Thankyou, I wanted to use it as a sort of journal but also to educate. Soo many people nowadays are interested in the weird and wacky so this thread should have most of the answers. Or it will when it's complete anyway. I plan on doing an update of the baby whips and housing/heating/humidity requirements etc


I remember gestation being a little longer than that was around 6-7 weeks from memory with my female. Yeah definitely a good idea it will come up on google when people want info on breeding. 

How do you plan on keeping your offspring? Ive had great success raising them communally with parents. Im sure that will cause a little controversy as im sure others separate and house individually but in my case its really worked well.


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## HowseR21 (Nov 5, 2011)

tom495 said:


> I remember gestation being a little longer than that was around 6-7 weeks from memory with my female. Yeah definitely a good idea it will come up on google when people want info on breeding.
> 
> How do you plan on keeping your offspring? Ive had great success raising them communally with parents. Im sure that will cause a little controversy as im sure others separate and house individually but in my case its really worked well.


Ah cool, gives me a longer period to do updates in I suppose. Plus it might result in babies just before Christmas 

I plan on raising them communally, with mum and dad. I've got 3 scorplings at the moment that are kept separately so will be interesting to compare the behaviours


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## HowseR21 (Nov 5, 2011)

DrummyGooders said:


> Sounds great! Any chance you could save me a couple?


Sorry I missed your post here  I've got a few friends that are after some. Depends how many I end up with on whether or not I'll be able to save a couple for you, I'll try 

I think I saw around 9 developing eggs in the picture..... hope so anyway. 5 or 6 people have already contacted me about a scorpling or two ha. Very popular these guys.

Either way though If I can't get any of mine to you then I'll source some for you


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## DrummyGooders (Aug 18, 2013)

HowseR21 said:


> Sorry I missed your post here  I've got a few friends that are after some. Depends how many I end up with on whether or not I'll be able to save a couple for you, I'll try
> 
> I think I saw around 9 developing eggs in the picture..... hope so anyway. 5 or 6 people have already contacted me about a scorpling or two ha. Very popular these guys.
> 
> Either way though If I can't get any of mine to you then I'll source some for you


Wow thats awesome! thanks mate! 

My office has just got some new pets. 2 fantail goldfish, I suggested getting a Tarantula before. Take a guess what I want to get in here now...:lol2:


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## HowseR21 (Nov 5, 2011)

*Update!*

*UPDATE:*

*Been a couple of months since I last updated this thread but to be honest there hasn't been much to report until now.

Checking up on the inverts casually like ya do and I thought I'd see how far my female was coming along. Her abdomen looks very full and has changed shape slightly pointing down towards the tip. *











*You can just about make out an egg that has made its way out and is now sticking out under the abdomen.*












*Here's a lovely full belly of eggs! :2thumb: Just what I wanted to see*























*Now the next update should be in a few weeks time and I'm hoping to show you all a back full of baby whips!! Exciting times!!*


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## HowseR21 (Nov 5, 2011)

*2 Very proud parents at last!*

****UPDATE****

FINALLY!! After a very long and anxious wait she finally popped last night! Very pleased with the brood, haven't got an exact head count just yet but can make out at least 15 in the first photo alone 

Kept this journal so I can relate back to it for future breeding, by my calculations 17th November 2013 - 26th April 2014 = 161 days (23 weeks) to the day 

Anyway here's some photos that I know you're all dying to see; 




























LOVE the colours that they have when they're born or recently moulted. White and green, just wish they stayed like that :lol2: Either way now it'll be a week or 2 at a guess before they all moult and leave mum's back making them completely independant!

Of course I'll update this thread again to doccument when exactly they leave her back and a final head count (hopefully) :flrt:

Thankyou to all of those who have taken the time to read this journal, I hope it's been educational or interesting at least.


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## HowseR21 (Nov 5, 2011)

Well today as I was checking up on the mum I noticed that one of the babies had left her back. Started to get excited at first then soon realised he'd fallen off.

Unforunately I can't just put him back on her because she's a little defensive (understandably) and he's got no strength to hold on.

I've moved him to a small pot with a lot of sphagnum moss, nice and dark, warm and damp in the hopes that it will trigger a moult. Fingers crossed he has some strength in the reserves still : victory:

I've got everything crossed for the little guy and hope he pulls through. If he does I'll be keeping him and calling him 'Lucky' 

I'll update this thread with any progress in his condition or the rest of the brood :flrt:


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## HowseR21 (Nov 5, 2011)

07-05-14 The babies moulted from her back :flrt:

The very last one is moulting as I type so he/she should be out soon enough then I can get some photos of all the little whips.

When I checked on her earlier he back was covered in moults and a few clingers so I couldn't tell if they were all done. To play it safe I've left it 24 hours in the hope that they will all moult in that time. 

Then I plan to move the female into a separate enclosure so I can give her a nice meal, as you can imagine her abdomen looks tiny now. That will also give me a good opportunity to count them up 

Pictures to follow.... : victory:


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## HowseR21 (Nov 5, 2011)

Mum with a few of her babies  










A few of the babies on show and one who has recently moulted. Think this was the guy who I was waiting on to moult for hours. Slow moulter but looks stunning freshly moulted


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## martin3 (May 24, 2011)

Good thread, I've enjoyed following it..
Well done with the breeding,:thumb:


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## HowseR21 (Nov 5, 2011)

martin3 said:


> Good thread, I've enjoyed following it..
> Well done with the breeding,:thumb:


Thankyou :2thumb:

I'm chuffed with how things have gone. Was a lot longer than I'd initially anticipated but good things come to those who wait I suppose : victory:


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