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Nature Hike Find

Nastyjabs

Member
3 Year Member
Messages
40
Took the kids to the park down the street today to do some exploring. We recently moved from Chicago to LA so I'm still getting used to all the different kinds of insects and animals out here...and what a better way to learn than to flip over some big rocks. Anyways flipped over a rather large rock and found this guy huddled undeneath. After doing some research I found out that it's a Jerusalem Cricket or Potato bug. Talk about cool! we don't have anything like this back home in Chicago so this was a really cool find. I know this isn't tarantula related but I figured I'd share. as of now it's living in a small critter keeper hidden away in the garage till I get the coconuts to ask the wife if ilwe can keep it. it's probably around 2-2.25" long and fat as all hell.
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Hisserdude

Well-Known Member
3 Year Member
Messages
429
Location
Idaho, USA
Very nice, it is indeed a Jerusalem cricket, Stenopelmatus sp. Very cool little critters, and pretty hard to breed. Keep it on several inches of coconut fiber and feed it dog/cat food and mealworms/roaches/crickets, these guys need lots of protein. Veggies can be offered as well but meat makes up the bulk of their diet.
 

KevTK

New Member
3 Year Member
Messages
13
Location
NY
VERY cool. When I'm in the SW I always look for interesting critters, but never find anything as like that. Nice find.
 

Nastyjabs

Member
3 Year Member
Messages
40
VERY cool. When I'm in the SW I always look for interesting critters, but never find anything as like that. Nice find.
Thanks! just recently we've been going out looking for interesting finds. I'm really hoping to run into some vinagaroons or sulpugids but we probably won't find those unless we get out at night. This guy was definitely a nice surprise!
 

Nastyjabs

Member
3 Year Member
Messages
40
Very nice, it is indeed a Jerusalem cricket, Stenopelmatus sp. Very cool little critters, and pretty hard to breed. Keep it on several inches of coconut fiber and feed it dog/cat food and mealworms/roaches/crickets, these guys need lots of protein. Veggies can be offered as well but meat makes up the bulk of their diet.
Thanks for the info, how often should I feed it? and I'll work on getting that backside photo today.
 

Bugmom

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
104
Location
Puyallup, WA
Thanks! just recently we've been going out looking for interesting finds. I'm really hoping to run into some vinagaroons or sulpugids but we probably won't find those unless we get out at night. This guy was definitely a nice surprise!
Just a word of advice/caution: Solpugids don't do well in captivity. They're best left in the wild (and I say this as someone who has many a kidnapped-from-the-wild arachnid in my house).
 

Nastyjabs

Member
3 Year Member
Messages
40
Definitely a female, perhaps even an adult since the ovipositor is darkened at the tip. Also the substrate looks pretty dry, I'd keep the enclosure much more moist and give her plenty of substrate, who knows, maybe you'll get eggs! (Sure it's unlikely but you never know! :D)
Cool thanks for clearing that up! I'll be sure to spray it down a bit...and that would be sweet to end up with an egg sac!
 

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