Assassin bug questions

cantthinkofone

Arachnodemon
Joined
Apr 27, 2012
Messages
702
Hello,
My friend and i want to start a small colony of these as he heard they can live together. the only questions we have are
1. if we use a sterilite tub will they climb it
2. do they need mates for babies?
3. if no for 2 how many babies are we talking?
Thanks!:biggrin:
 

Wlapkiewicz

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 26, 2010
Messages
36
By assassin bugs you mean white spotted or red spotted assassin bugs (Platymeris sp.) right?

1) For their enclosure I would use a shoe box with about 2 inches of coconut fiber along with peaces of cork or bark for them to claim up. Always keep substrate moist or eggs will not hatch.
2) If you have a female she doesn't need a mate. Just like a stick insects they can reproduce by parthenogenesis.
3) Expect at least 1-3 eggs per day.
 

catfishrod69

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 1, 2010
Messages
4,401
If you are talking about white spot assassins,

1. They cant climb smooth glass or plastic
2. They will reproduce both sexually and by parthenogenesis
3. I was hatching out 150 nymphs every spring.

I keep mine in a kritter keeper for now. Will be moving them into a tall exo terra with plenty of places to climb. I suggest keeping the substrate bone dry. This way, every so often you can gather all the eggs, and incubate them yourself. All you need is a deli cup with panthose hot-glued in the top for a vent, and moist coco fiber. But the nymphs cannot be kept together until they completely mature into adults. Then they can be put in with the main colony. Thats why i do this. Every day, the ones that hatch out in the incubator, i seperate into their own little cup. Then i raise them all seperately until they have their ultimate molt.
 
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