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questions about morphing

mp2952

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i'm raising 3 c. orientalis larvae and i have some questions. what are the best signs to look for to know when they will morph? will they climb out of the water on their own when they are ready? i have the water level at an inch and a half. should i lower it to make it easier for them to climb out of the water?

and do you guys think it would be ok to take them to college with me at the end of august? my mom took care of my adults last year and she will again this year, but i don't think she could handle the little ones. especially if they morphed while i was away. i would be devastated if anything happened to them. my roommate won't be a problem, but i'm worried about moving the larvae. and i also wouldn't know what to do if i came home on weekends or during the short breaks. if anyone has experience with this or any input i could use the help.
 

Ed

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If you have things for them to climb out of the water such as plants or other items then you will see when they come out of the water. Make sure to have a tight fitting lid otherwise they will scale the sides and escape. The gills will reduce, the tail will change shape and the skin will become rougher but other than the gills reducing these other signs can be hard to detect in a small larva.

Keep in mind that you will have to be able to keep them very cool in your dorm room and not all dorms have good heat controls.. often it is an all or nothing issue.

As long as the temperatures are good, and they are well fed then leaving them for several days is not a problem (provided your roommate will make sure no one messes with them...)

Ed
 

Jennewt

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How far do you need to transport them (i.e., car or plane)? A long drive wouldn't be a problem, as long as they stay cool.

After morphing, they can be kept either semi-aquatically or in a terrarium. If kept semi-aquatic, they'll need plenty of "islands" - both platforms and real or fake plants. In a dorm situation, the terrarium option may be easier, though it comes down to personal preference. But you may need to plan on taking appropriate supplies for their future setup, either way.

You do not need to lower the water level from where it is. Just add a lot of climb-out areas. Here's an example:

 

mp2952

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it's about an hour drive to my school. once they all morph i was planning on setting up a terrarium because that would be a lot easier to take care of at school. i was also planning on buying everything i need before i went to school and stocking up on all the food.

i was concerned about the awful heating too. but last year they didn't turn on the heat until after winter break. i'm hoping once i come home for break that the little guys will be ready to be reintroduced to water. then i wouldn't need to take them back to school because my mom could take care of them.

thanks, both of you, for your advice
 
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