K-9-Dog wrote:
Awwwww you're such a great pipecleaner parent! <33
//jots down Romain Lettuce for my shopping list// I think you're my go to person for advice when it comes to raising woolybears!
Since Wooly bears need to hibernate, what signs do I need to keep an eye out for that it's time to move them to a colder environment? Or should they remain in a cold environment at all times? My home has an indoor porch that doesn't get heated, so it gets cold out there.
Thank you c: I do love them!
That's a good question, since mine are kept indoors and are found in the earlier months of spring to summer, they only sorta hibernate. I would say though for mine, they stop eating. Biggest telltale for me is you leave food out, and only a few little poops are found. At least with the larger crowd xD. It can also be a sign of molting but, if your little PC (if you want I can fully call him Pipe Cleaner xD) is a good 2-3 inches long when stretched out, likelihood is it's not a molting, more of a settling down. They also might become restless. Some of mine, they just seem to go straight for the right place, others walk around the cage like something crawled up their butt and it's chasing them xD!
I will say this though, for my area, we have parasitic flies. So, I can also recall some signs of, things aren't going well. Unfortunately, I also have not found away to get rid of the fly larvae without it already having done damage to the poor pipe cleaners to the point they don't make it. ;-;. If this should happen to little PC I am sorry. The basic sign is the poor thing is very restless, and like molting or wanting to cocoon, they wont eat. They will attempt to try but, wont get more than a bite. They also tend to arch their front half up -if you happen to see this and can look at the under side, see if you see a creamy looking blob. That would be the killer inside. Also when they arch up they almost move side to side and will do this a few times, stop (either for a few minutes or a bit) and repeat.
What makes it hard is by the time these symptoms occur, the larvae is already large enough it wants to leave the host. I've tried in vain to kill the icky thing inside and nurse the little pipe cleaner back to health. But, the damage is done and they don't make it.
Still I hope you and little Pipe Cleaner have a good turkey day tomorrow! Though for any hungry caterpillar everyday is thanksgiving boy do they just stuff themselves silly xD!
Happy Turkey Day to all today/tomorrow!
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! And so sorry if I am ever late replying for advice or thank yous, etc. I get lost in ALL the tabs I have open. I have yet to count the amount, but with all the petsites I play it's easy to, get side tracked xD;. I really wish they would make little fuzzy caterpillar plushies or something for pets to wear. *Has a few plushie caterpillars in RL*