Newbie at raising cats.

Lily, the cocoon looks perfect!

Where'd you get the hamper/cage?

Fly_girl;
I've got the cage at Wally World. In the pet section. It's for cat/dog up to 50 lbs. There are bigger cagesfor up to twice that size. It's light weight and just perfect to sit on my coffee table which is raise high enough to get some filtered light from the window. I'm so happy my very 1st Tersa is honky dory! :-)

Thanks Lily, I'm going to get one!

It's just about perfect. I hope I won't be sleep walking to this spare room at night to check on my Tersa. lol

Looks perfect Kim!!! Great job!


debnes

Thank you, don't forget you're my mentor on this adventure. Many, many thanks.
Kim

Just a note to keep you updated with my Tersa. Here it's. Sleeping beauty hasn't awaken yet. :-)

Looks like it will be somewhere between Saturday and Sunday night 13-14th of Oct. Start looking around the 13th after midnight.

Congrats getting this far! Doing great!

debnes

Ditto, thanks debnes.

It moved! The thing did move! Look at the pic. of yesterday's and today's. There is activity. :-)

Wow, this is exciting! Keep that camera handy!!

Thanks Thea;
This early morning, I've noticed its tail curled up onto the air once again. Then now it curled back down to the ground! I'm getting closer and closer to witnessing this baby ecloses!

I'm so thrilled, I couldn't just keep it to myself. Look! It once again has 'repositioned' inside its shelter. Note; the tail is now points upward. 8))

I'm going to be a Tersa's Moma soooooooon....
The time table is great, maybe I can stay up and watch it ecloses over the weekend!

Very exciting!!!
How warm is it there Kim? I have a feeling that if the nights are too cool, it could take longer to eclose... Maybe you'd want to keep it in a warm place the next couple nights. Just a thought.

debnes

This is such an interesting thread, thank you all for sharing your information. C

Debnes; it's kept constant at 74-76F. It repositioned itself roughly once or twice a day. Maybe we're just a day or two away?

Cathy;
You're just about as fascinated with this Tersa as I'm. lol, here is another pic. that was taken earlier during the day.

Every morning I'll check this sleeping beauty out while I enjoy my cup of Java. Here it's, still moves up/down couple times a day, but no further development.
Oct. 1st when it first pupated. (Its water broke that day). :0)

The pupa will be noticeably darker the night before ... check right before bed for this, then you might get to watch..


debnes

I'll be checking on its color changes. Thank you Debnes.

I think the temp. def. has something to do with the delay of its eclosure? It's still hypernating. Should I take it to my garage where temp. will be a little varies with the outside temp. at night?

The warmest place possible ... 80+ if possible.

debnes

Ok, debnes. I'll bump the temp. up a little. This morning it remains no changes.

Hi everyone, as debnes suggested, to watch for the cacoon turning darker; Here it's it's quite dark!

Awesome!!! Maybe tonight??

I can't wait, feel like a new grandma!

LOL,
I'm excited myself. I probably will stay up tonite to watch this baby. Of course, I'll have the camera handy.

Lookin' good Kim!!

Standing by~~~~~

debnes

I've got water boiling and clean towels.....

Cathy; I hope we don't have to cut the umbillical cord. lol.

Good job moth momma! Won't be long now.

Yooohooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!
Here she/he is! I couldn't stay up very late to witness the eclosure. But sure enough, here is my Tersa! I'll be back and post her pic. after I release her onto the garden. She must be ready.....be right back.

Are you ready? Hummm, this moth in action should be spectacular (a source of suprises and amazement to many gardeners) when it flies about your flowers. But, I think it's not ready to leave yet? I took her outdoor, leave the zipper-door open in hope that it will find the way out soon.

Congratulations! what a nice way to start my day, thank you for sharing this along the way. C

Thank you,
I just now realized that this moth is more active at night....it hasn't left its shelter yet. :-)

WOW, Miz Lily, how exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think she'll find her way out when she's ready, maybe she will wait until it's dark. What a tremendous experience you've had!! It's so neat to be able to follow right along in this forum. I'm very envious of you having a new baby! I had 23 black swallowtails eclose, but I still have a bunch of chrysalides that don't look like they're ever going to eclose, and I feel so sad for them. My last eclosure was 10/03 and I was hoping for more to follow. It's such an exciting thing, isn't it!!! You did great, many congratulations mama!!!!!!

Thank you, Thea; It's one increadible experience. I'm so glad that I could share with DGers that may remotely be interested in these beauties. Currently I've a handful of G.F. cats. to watch them pupate outdoor. It's delightful to see mother nature's at work. :-) Oh, while I was out in the garden, I heard a bull frog who was calling for its mate. Ever heard a bull frog's singing? It's eeeries. It raised my furbabies' hair and caused them to run for the hunt. lol.

Just one more closer look at the Tersa Moth. Isn't she a cuties pie?

Awesome!! Congrats & good job!!