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Monarch Cats hanging in J position - how long to a chrysalis?

14 years ago

I'm new to fostering Monarch Cats and I've gotten myself into a pickle. There are four cats who appear to be ready to pupate. Out of four, two are hanging in a J formation this morning. This behavior occurred overnight. The other two are just being very still up near the lid.

Might someone have an opinion as to the length of time before the chrysalis is formed and I can safely move the lid?

I have two slightly younger cats still feeding and I need to add food but I'm nervous about lifting the lid, even with being extremely careful during the process, and distrubing the cats hanging from the lid. Note to self: don't get yourself in this situation again!

Mary

Featured Answer

tracey_nj6

14 years ago

Two containers? I give it two years before you have a Rubbermaid container filled with loads of smaller containers for your babies. Welcome to the world of butterfly rearing, you'll love it here ;)

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Comments (6)

fighting8r
14 years ago
In my experience, usually around 24 hours, sometimes more like 36, although as you know often this happens when nobody is around so we don't know. But if you really have to move the lid to feed the others, if you do it slowly and carefully the j's will be ok. (remember out in the wild they'd be getting all kinds of jostling by wind, critters, etc.) I've certainly had to (gently) move an object with a J on it on many occasions, and they usually are fine.
Just watch if they are really close to the edge of the lid and their silk could be on the lid AND the container side.
weed30 St. Louis
14 years ago
They will be fine. I have to open my containers often to clean and add food, and the chrysalids and cats hanging in J's have never had a problem. I use plastic aquariums. One has a hinged lid, the other has a totally removable lid. The ones hanging in a J will curl up very tightly during the process, but aren't harmed. The ones on the removable lid end up laying on their sides since I have to put the lid down to do the cleaning/feeding.
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Mary Leek
Original Author
14 years ago
My thanks to fighting8r and weed30 for your welcome replies.

I have two containers the same size so very gently moved the lid with the cats to the other container, which then allowed me to clean and attend to the younger cats. All of them seem to be settled in and content now. Thank you so much for your assistance.

Mary
Ashley Usher Coleman
3 years ago
These are my first five swallowtails and I'm obsessed. Lol. I came home the other day midday from work to move one to a separate container because hubs said it was "wandering." I have one another who is in it's final days of it's feeding frenzy and didn't want it to knock my j forming one around. Lol. I also already have one in Chrysalis and three more in different stages. I started two weeks ago and am already crazy obsessed. "Sorry boss, I'll be right back. My caterpillars need me!" Lol!!
HU-746387968
last year
I have several baby catr 5 or 6 large fat caterpllars 1 j and 3 chrysalis! first time having all of thi.. i don have a container they are on plants in our patio.. 3 caterpillars went on the mesh wall of the patio! will they be looking to hand? should i leave them there? the j is hanging from a leaf, not a chrysalis yet! one of our chrysalis was eaten! maybe by one of the caterpillars.. i am worrying about doing the best for all of them

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