A
alan
Guest
Working on the theory that my Neurergus kaiseri did not breed last year because they were not cooled down enough, mine have spent the last five weeks in a well ventilated plastic box, with a layer of compost, corkbark and a small water dish approximately one inch deep. Temperatures have ranged from 10C to 0C overnight. They have remained "active" (in as far as kaiseri can ever be said to be active) during this time, visiting the water dish each night, and, so far as I can tell from their bellies, feeding.
With temperatures dropping and snow forecast, my nerve cracked this morning and I went to move them to a slightly warmer, frost-free location. My heart stopped when I saw that the water dish was frozen – with the kaiseri in the shallow layer of water beneath the ice. And then, they moved.
I immediately removed them and moved the box to the alternative location. They seem to be OK, but undoubtedly would not have lasted the day as the water would have frozen solid. Time will tell whether there is any lasting harm, and if they breed this season (but there's a few more weeks of winter for them first)!
With temperatures dropping and snow forecast, my nerve cracked this morning and I went to move them to a slightly warmer, frost-free location. My heart stopped when I saw that the water dish was frozen – with the kaiseri in the shallow layer of water beneath the ice. And then, they moved.
I immediately removed them and moved the box to the alternative location. They seem to be OK, but undoubtedly would not have lasted the day as the water would have frozen solid. Time will tell whether there is any lasting harm, and if they breed this season (but there's a few more weeks of winter for them first)!
