26/08/2024
Check out this super cool morph that was born in my Periccae colony! It's been isolated and I'm hoping the trait is inheritable since a line of these would be amazing.
EVERYTHING BUT CRICKETS! The Ontario Invert Farm is Canada's top pick for alt feeders and invert pets
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I am private and closed facility,
Visits to the facility are by appointment only and must be made and confirmed beforehand.
Check out this super cool morph that was born in my Periccae colony! It's been isolated and I'm hoping the trait is inheritable since a line of these would be amazing.
The second gen of the Luna moths have started to eclose! Hoping to see at least one female emerge from one of the three remaining cocoons but if not this guy will be released in a couple nights so he can go find his own mate.
Typically giant silk moths only last for little over a week - they lack functional mouth parts and sadly end up starving to death. Before that happens their entire focus is dedicated to mating and creating the next generation.
While their existence is brief, the beauty of these moths makes the effort of rearing them worthwhile. I will announce if and when ova become available.
;moth
One of the new darkling species I'm working with. "Diaperis maculata" is probably one of the more colourful species from that family of beetles.
Still testing their use as a CUC and in a bioactive system, but just thought I'd share a couple pics regardless since they are such pretty little beetles.
A new variety of pruinosus I've been working on are 'Cookies & Cream' which are a select cross of Oreo Crumbles and Creamsicle pruinosus. The result is a beautiful tricolour isopod that is my favourite morph of the species yet! I can't wait to see them once they've been refined in a few generations
My grapevine beetle colony is thriving and pairing regularly.
This beetle is gorgeous and grows to a decent size, although sadly it is fairly short-lived as an adult.
Easy to rear and breed in captivity, the only "demanding" part of their care is that the adults require leaves of Virginia creeper or grape for food. Thankfully these food plants grow all over Ontario and easy to propagate.
I expect to have grubs available for sale by fall.
The OIF is now offering FREE isopods, springtails, and other cleanup crew species with the purchase of DISCOID or SURINAM starter colonies.
Purchase of DISCOIDS will be accompanied by pruinosus 'party mix', tropical pink springtails, and buffalo worms.
If SURINAMS are bought they will be sent along with dwarf white isopods and small silver springtails.
Check out ontarioinvertfarm.com to see these and the other great deals & extras we have available.
The Luna moths (Actias luna) hatched last week and are growing at an incredible pace! All caterpillars which have hatched at the OIF are being raised on black walnut, with already has given much better results than was seen when birch was the given host.
This species is able to reach pupation in just one month, and given the size of their final instar, this means these caterpillars have massive weight and size gains over that relatively short period of time.
What is perhaps even more impressive is that since they don't feed as adults these caterpillars have to not only eat enough to support that level of growth but also store enough energy to sustain their adult lifespan.
This means they will end up going through an enormous amount of food, particularly in the last couple instars, and generate a particularly large amount of frass. Ninty percent of the life of a butterfly farmer boils down to - get food for caterpillars and cleaning frass out cages. It's all worth it for seeing those winged jewels at the end!
AVAILABLE NOW - LUNA MOTH EGGS
These are on sale until JUNE 14th.
PM for prices and to place an order.
Good news - the Luna cocoons I have are now eclosing and I am hoping to see eggs by the end of the week. Once the eggs are laid they will be available for less than 14 days, so keep your eye out for a post announcing their availability if you're interested in rearing these beautiful moths.
Get ready to be wowed by our exciting new product lineup! We've added a bunch of cool stock and useful items to our website, so be sure to check them out at ontarioinvertfarm.com. Whether you're looking for something specific or just browsing, our updated selection is sure to impress!
Welcome to Ontario Invert Farm, your one-stop online pet supply store for all things invertebrate! Discover a world of unique and fascinating critters.
Introducing our latest products! Decorations like DRAGON STONE, soil additives like KELP MEAL, and new isopod stock including PANDA KING, GLACIER, and RED PANDA. Visit ontarioinvertfarm.com for more information!
Not inverts but two new additions to the product testing and quality assurance teams at the OIF; a Bynoe's Gecko, so far unnamed, and a female crested gecko named Phoebe.
The crestie Phoebe is a retired breeder from that, if I recall correctly, is 7 years old. Since this species can easily reach between 15 and 20, she still has quite a few good years ahead of her.
She is settling into her new home nicely and has a great temperament as is typical for these geckos.
The Bynoe's gecko was bought from a friend who works with the species. I'd never even heard about these lizards until he introduced me to them - neat little geckos, which are pathenogenetic, just like the surinam roaches, and lay fertile eggs without having to mate.
A unique little Australian herptile that I look forward to seeing little baby versions of running about the tank in the future. Next expo naming contest right here, so start thinking of some good ones!
Happy to welcome these two to my little zoo at the OIF!
Probably my favourite tarantula at the OIF is the Mexican rust-leg (Brachypelma boehmei), "Precious." She is almost a decade old now (9 yo), and with luck should last another decade.
When she was in premolt, her behavior had me a bit alarmed; weak, little movement, no interest in prey, and very non-responsive overall. Thankfully, this behavior lasted only a couple of days before I found she had flipped to her back to begin the molting process. After shedding her skin, it took her another two days to harden off enough to perk up and start moving around.
She now has that beautiful, bright, post-molt glow and is moving around as normal. For ages, this girl had a patch of hair missing from being pet a bit roughly a few times - with this molt, she once again has a full set of hairs (unlike her handler, lol)
FEBRUARY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Hope everyone has had a good 2024 so far and that you're all doing well.
To start, we have new species available: lesser waxworms and lavender springtails. The lesser waxworms are full sized and close to pupation and are competitively priced. They are a feeder with high fat content and better used as treats rather than main features of an animals diet.
Lavender springtails are now also available. These are a new species in the hobby, are perfectly suited to tropical terrarium, and would make an excellent component of a bioactive tank.
There is a pause in shipping while we wait for new heat packs arrive. Any orders requiring heat packs will be held back for the time being until more arrive. None-living items or anything cold tolerant will still ship as normal.
Shipping days this month are;
12th & 13th
19th & 20th
26th & 27th
The MONDAY for orders outside of Ontario, TUESDAY for orders inside the province. Contact us if you would like to arrange alternative days or delay sending.
Finally, I wanted to announce that the OIF is going to the Toronto Reptile Expo and the Montreal Invertebrate Expo next month. I will be bringing my usual and also time will also have slings available for sale. Hope to see you there!
Everybody take care and have a good weekend.
Cheers,
Jordan
New arrivals at the OIF, these are Ceratophysella Sp. "Lilac Springtails" which are native to Thailand. The pictures don't do them justice, and in person, the lilac colouration is a lot more apparent. Reportedly, this species breeds quickly and so I'm hoping to have them available no later than April.
*sorry for the low quality pictures
Want a kid friendly, low-maintenance, and long-lived invertebrate pet? The OIF might have just what you're looking for.
Come by and see if an AMERICAN GIANT MILLIPEDE might be a good fit for your next animal companion.
This species are the only GIANT MILLIPEDE species legally permitted in Canada. Pretty sizable with striking colouration, these beasts get to almost 4" in length and can live beyond 10 years.
Available in small, medium, and large sizes. VISIT OUR TABLE AT THE EXPO FOR THESE OR ANY OF THE OTHER NEAT INVERTS WE CARRY.
Reptile & Plant Expo
Sometimes I forget that not everyone has my level of procrastination and in fact many people purchase tickets in advance. Given that, it didn't seem fair to leave the draw until only 2 days before. The draw for naming the two female whipscorpions is being moved forward to this coming SUNDAY 21st and the winner announced by Monday.
ANY LAST MINUTE ENTRIES MUST BE SUBMITTED by SATURDAY 9:00 pm. Three simple steps is your chance to win two FREE TICKETS to the Reptile & Plant Expo coming up Jan 28th.
1) Follow and like the OIF on social media
2) Share the original contest post
3) Give the 2 female whipscorpions names!
Follow those steps and that will get you a number for the Sunday draw. With luck not only will you name two of our new display inverts but WIN TWO TICKETS TO THE SHOW!
STAY TUNED FOR MORE EXCITING EXPO AND INVERT NEWS.
Another reptile expo is coming up, so you know what that means: another naming contest! This time, I need names for the two recently acquired female whipscorpions.
Like last time the Rules:
1) Share this post on your Insta or FB feed
2) Follow the Ontario Invert Farm on either FB or Insta (or both!)
3) Give these two beauties' names
Complete those 3 simple steps to be entered in a draw for two tickets to the January 28th Reptile Expo in Mississauga. Entrants will be given a number under the names submitted. The draw will be done in two weeks on the 26th and winner notified then.
Please make sure you do all three steps to be eligible for the prize!
Happy New Year!
Reflecting on this past year, the OIF hit some real milestones; a full year of attending expos, some fantastic new species joined our lineup, and lots more. There are some big plans for this year, and I'm excited to see the Invert Farm continue to grow and see where it goes.
I wanted to give a shout-out to all those who supported the OIF, whether it was as patrons or even simply by following us on FB or Insta: THANK YOU! The OIF wouldn't be where it is without you.
Hope everyone has had a good start to their 2024 and continues on the up and up. Cheers!
A quick video of one of the jumping spiders at the OIF taking down a black soldier fly. The way these spiders hunt their prey is always neat to watch
Hope to see you all there!
🌿🦎 Save the date for the first Reptile and Plant Expo of 2024!
Join us on January 21 for a day filled with excitement and discovery. We're thrilled to welcome back hobby enthusiasts, introduce new exhibitors, and kick off the year with a passion for reptiles and plants.
Don't miss this opportunity to engage with dedicated breeders and plant lovers—mark your calendars now! 🌱✨
🐸Reptile and Plant Expo
🗓️January 21, 2024
❄️Hall 1
📍The International Centre
Stay tuned for ticket details!
Due to a error unfortunately I didn't receive any tickets to give to anyone. This meant the latest naming contest had no winner - my most sincere apologies to all those who took the time to enter!!
It also meant my little red-knee tarantula went to expo nameless. While I was there a name was decided through popular vote of attendants.
The name of the young T is....*drum roll*...."Nope"! Nope is a wonderful tarantula and has a great temperament, and I look forward to her joining me for many shows to come.
Thanks to all who entered the contest, sorry for that no winner was determined from the entries. I am offering anyone who entered 10% off their purchase if they chose to buy anything from the OIF before we pause winter shipping during the Christmas rush.
The Ontario Invert Farm will be vending at the upcoming Canadian Reptile Expo taking place Sunday the 26th at the International Conference Center in Mississauga. I am pleased to announce another naming contest to win a pair of tickets to the expo!
Rules are similar to last time; follow the Ontario Invert Farm FB page or on Insta, repost/share the contest on your wall or feed, and suggest a name for the pictured animal.
I had a couple other people whose numbers were drawn before the actual winner last time, and while they had submitted great names when I checked to see if the second step listed above was done...it wasn't....disqualified for two free tickets over failing to simply do a single step (for that contest I didn't require anyone follow the page). It was a dumb way for them to lose a contest - DON'T LET THAT BE YOU!!!
One more time, the rules for the contest;
1) Follow the page on whatever social media you enter the contest through (or both if you're feeling ambitious).
2) Share this contest post on your feed/wall
3) Propose a name for the spider pictured.
This time I need help naming the young Mexican red-knee tarantula pictured. Today was her first time out at a show as an ambassador spider at the Canadian Pet Expo. Although she still will be getting bigger, she was extremely well behaved and I look forward to her joining me for many shows to come.
Unlike last time there will be no numbers be assigned to entrants - when you share add the proposed name to the re-post or comment below on this post. The best name will be picked and that person will win two tickets. If multiple people pick the same name the first person to have posted it will be chosen.
These are a brand new line of discoids at the OIF, coming from a local breeder who takes great pride and care in how he raises his insects. The genetics of this variety aren't fully known so I will be selling them as high-quality hybrids. While that means they will be less expensive than the purebreds, these roaches are still high quality feeders and a great choice for those on a budget. Inquire with us about the YORK line for more
A look at one of the grindal worm starters available now at the OIF. Not the best camera work, but what do you expect from a simple bug farmer? I'm no Spielberg, but I do raise some solid grindal cultures. It's not much but it's an honest living.
These are Giant Blue Springtails (Tetrodontophora bielanensis), the largest springtails in Europe. These beasts are a whooping 7mm in length! Chuckle and roll your eyes if you will, they were pretty sizable for springtails.
Might have noticed the past tense in that last sentence - sadly they didn't breed for me and the colony ended up dieing out. They were so temperature sensitive they had to be kept in the fridge! A very unique and beautiful species, I may attempt to keep them again in the future.
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Carolina locusts have all been moved out to a mesh cage at this stage. Thankfully, they appear to have no interest in chewing through the mesh...at least not yet, anyway. They are being given dry Timothy hay as their main diet, and being fed garden weeds as a source of moisture. This species definitely enjoys the sun and will push each other out of spots to secure the ideal place to sunbath and enjoy the warmth. No breeding or eggs noted just yet, hopefully that changes soon. #ontarioinvertfarm #oorthoptera #carolinalocust #captivebreeding #feedergrasshopper #insectsofinstagram #feeders
Blue baboon tarantulas (Monocentropus balfourI) probably one of my favourite tarantulas in my collection at the moment, I absolutely love how communal this species is. For the longest time I'd only see one or two, but I guess moving them to a new location was enough disturbance to get them out of their shared burrow. I counted six out of eight spiders, and now they've grown I should start considering upgrading their habitat in the near future. This is an old world species unlike any other. Dispite being a baboon tarantula this species is good natured enough I transferred all eight spiders by hand to their current enclosure without a single issue. As you can see from their close clustering they don't mind the presence of others and I have never even noted a squabble. Looking forward to having this species breed for me and eventually having a whole tank packed with balfs! #bluebaboontarantula #ontarioinvertfarm #invertsofinstagram #tarantulas #captivebred #balfouri #Monocentropus #communaltarantula
Wish I had recorded some video when I had nine of them, but hindsight is 20:20. This is what's left of my rosy maple moth caterpillars, which is sad because these guys are both cute as caterpillars AND absolutely adorable as moths. Of the three I think it's wildly optimistic to hope for a pair, but with any luck I'll get at least one female and hopefully can call a wild male in. It'd be nice to keep this species going in my collection and offer it for sale, but I suppose time will tell. More to follow...
UPDATE: the trial for comparing growth rates between discoid varieties started on June 28th. I take a look at how things are going now they're past the first 1/3 period of growth. #ontarioinvertfarm #insectsofinstagram #invertebratesofinstagram #captiverearing #discoidroaches
Our Luna moths have now all spun their cocoons and are currently pupating. Since this is the summer generation the adults should eclose in 2 to 3 weeks, mate, and produce one more generation before the fall. #ontarioinvertfarm #insectsofinstagram #lepidoptera #captiverearing #captivebred #invertebratesofinstagram #lunamoth #actiasluna
My grapevine beetle colony is thriving and pairing regularly. This beetle is gorgeous and grows to a decent size, although sadly it is fairly short-lived as an adult. Easy to rear and breed in captivity, the only "demanding" part of their care is that the adults require leaves of Virginia creeper or grape for food. Thankfully these food plants grow all over Ontario and easy to propagate. I expect to have grubs available for sale by fall.
A check in with the Luna moth caterpillars! It is almost unbelievable how much size these caterpillars have gained in less than a month. Growing to that size, at that speed, requires a lot of food, especially towards the end. The massive food intake is not only to support their rapid growth but also to store away energy for when they become adults. This is vital since these insects don't eat once I've reached that final stage, (they don't even have functional mouths) so gaining as much energy as possible at this point is the name of the game! Of course, a huge food intake also means the inevitable large amount of waste and these insects produce a ton of it. As I might have mentioned previously, when rearing Lepidoptera there are two tasks the keeper is dedicated to: feeding the caterpillars and cleaning their poop. About 90% of rearing Leo's boils down to those two things. The living jewels that emerge at the end are what make it a labor of love, even if they're only with us briefly. #ontarioinvertfarm #insectsofinstagram #lepidoptera #lunamoth #captivebred #captiverearing #insectrearing #saturniidae
Just look at the diversity of insects feeding on the nectar of these Shasta daisies! It was a nice day to watch so many species at the same patch of flowers. #shastadaisy #pollenatorgarden #pollenpants #bees #soldierbeetle #hoverfly #ontarioinvertfarm #insectsofinstagram #invertebratesofinstagram #diptera #hymenoptera #Coleoptera #odonata
FEEDER GRASSHOPPERS This is a brief look at one of the species of grasshopper being reared at the OIF with the goal of establishing a line of feeders. These Carolina locust are doing well, in part because (as mentioned in the video) this year the humidity has been kept as low as possible. This species is commonly encountered in Ontario, and are sometimes called "road dusters" and they prefer to inhabit hot, dry, and open areas. Dispite the hopes expressed in the video don't think I'm able to trigger their 'migratory phase' at this level of density. However, with future generations I plan to get the density even higher and see if it can trigger some morphological change to these insects. One of the other characteristics I'd like to see if I can select for are insects which won't require diapause before hatching. This would hopefully create a feeder which could be bred continuously, making its use as a feeder much more practical. When kept at 30°C in the lab this grasshopper can reach adulthood in as little as 26 days and readily accepts a huge range of grasses and weeds as food. There is a lot of potential with this species and I'm looking forward to seeing where this project goes. #Dissosteiracarolina #carolinalocust #roadduster #ontarioinvertfarm #captivebreeding #feedergrasshopper #grasshopper #livefeeders
WHY USE BEETLES? This cottontail skull illustrates exactly why. See all that network of very fine bone structure around the nasal passage? That's what is called the fenestrated (or windowed) rostrum, quite distinct in rabbits and hares. When one boils and picks the meat off the skull, rather than cleaning with use of insects, fine structures like that usually end up destroyed in the process. There are also very fine bones in the nose and ears which most often suffer the same fate. In addition to ruining the structure of the skull, the boiling process sees fat dissolve in the water and go into the bone. This gives the skull a yellow appearance and requires bleaching to correct. This is why using dermestids to clean skulls and skeletons is the preferred method and why it is one employed by museums and taxidermists alike. Want to clean your specimen like the pros? The OIF can help get you started. Visit ontarioinvertfarm.com today
A look at the silkworm broods currently being reared at the OIF; China black and pink silk. Both are growing well and have been moved to open trays. Once they gain a bit more size we will be moving them to a new, specially built home I'm excited to show off. A NOTE ON FEEDING: When feeding silkworms, or any caterpillars for that matter, it is important to provide fresh but dry leaves (ie if collected in rainy weather pat them dry with a towel). The caterpillars gain all needed water from the moisture content of the leaves themselves and do not need to be sprayed with additional water. Water left on the leaves can expose caterpillars to bacteria which can ultimately lead to their demise, so not only is feeding them wet leaves unnecessary but it can also be deadly. #ontarioinvertfarm #insectsofinstagram #silkworm #bombyxmori #invertebratesofinstagram #domesticsilkworn #northernsilk #lepidoptera
Another year for silkworms and it's nice to see a high hatch rate and fantastic growth on the varieties brought out so far. The two taken out of diapause first were 'China black' and 'pink silk', first and second photo respectively. Moving adds another layer of complexity to the whole bug operation but since the caterpillar stage is completed in roughly a month we will still have plenty of time to bring out another variety and take advantage of the abundant mulberry that grows in the area. More to follow as we expand our rearing and a fantastic project that was completed for us that we can't wait to share. #silkworm #northernsilk #ontarioinvertfarm #domesticsilkworn #insectsofinstagram #inverts #silk
One of the projects the OIF is working on this year is exploring some experimental feeders to assess their potential use and ease of rearing. A prime candidate is the Pacific Dampwood Termite (Zootermopsis cf. angusticollis). As their name indicates the species use decaying, wet wood as their food and nesting site, so even if they escape containment they pose no threat to the structural lumber of dwellings (provided there isn't water damage). The OIF will be trialing this and other potential species for use as novel feeders, so stay tuned for updates on this and other new species we'll be working with this season.
2024 may end up being the Year of the Isopod for the OIF! We are seeing a bunch of new species come into the collection at the Farm and working on some neat projects with selective breeding and refining potential morphs. I will be going into more detail in future posts on these projects and giving more detailed species profiles but I wanted to just give a quick overview of some of the cool species that have arrived. More to follow soon! #isopodsofinstagram #isopodsforsale #isopod #gestroiisopod #magicpotionisopod #armadillidium #bioactive #ontarioinvertfarm #invertebratesofinstagram #inverts #albinoisopod #orangekoiisopods
New additions to the OIF! The first two pictures are of the Chaco Golden Knee Tarantulas (Grammostola pulchripes). These spiders are known for being super docile, extremely tough & hardy, and also for getting to huge size (legspan of females usually falls between 6.5 and 7.5 inches). The blue slings are Antilles pinktoe tarantulas (Caribena versicolor). These beautiful spiders start life off blue in colour, and once they become adults are stunning greens and reds. An arboreal species they require good ventilation and an enclosure that is taller than it is wide. They have a reputation for being fairly docile but a tad skittish with a tendency to jump. The final species pictured is one I've been after for quite some time; Socotra Island Blue Baboon (Monocentropus balfouri). Known as "the most communal tarantula is the hobby," these guys hail from a small island off the coast of Africa, where they evolved living in close quarters with one another. Although they haven't been observed living communally in the wild, in captivity, they have been witnessed even sharing prey between them! Don't let the "baboon" in their name give you the wrong idea - these spiders are actually quite mellow. I was able to coax each one into my hand and let them crawl into their new habitat without any issues. I plan to do really follow this group closely and show the colony development as it progresses. All eight specimens were placed together in the same plexiglass cube with lots of anchor points - the females are known to be extensive webbers so it will be neat to see how their cage looks in a few months. While I will hold onto a few, I plan to have most of the gammas and versicolor available in the coming weeks. The balfs will be a breeding project, and their only their offspring will be made available in the future. I'm looking forward to seeing all these slings grow into fantastic tarantulas! #ontarioinvertfarm #balfouri #tarantulas #versicolor #versicolortarantula #pinktoetarant
The OIF's colony of Banana Bay discoids. Although it is commonly believed that hybrids don't produce offspring with the same frequency or brood size as purebred discoids, this variety has been a dud so far compared with the hybrids - exactly 0 nymphs birthed to date. Hopefully, this changes in the coming months... #discoidroaches #roachesofinstagram #insectsofinstagram #ontarioinvertfarm
Millipedes seem to love apple, though just to remind people that while produce such as apples can be given as a treat, the main food of millipedes is the substrate they're kept on. This means they need to be kept on bedding that has at least SOME nutritional value for them; flake soil or decayed wood should comprise most of their substrate. Dead leaves can be included as both food and cover for them to hide under as well. NEVER keep your millipedes on coco fiber! It has literally no nutritional value, and due to this, the animal will continue to eat it in a fruitless attempt to sustain itself. This can lead to gut impaction as the millipede slowly starves and always results in an early death. Both FLAKE SOIL & DECAYED WOOD are available on our website, as well as the American giant millipedes themselves. Come visit today to get yours! #millipedes #ontarioinvertfarm #Narceus #Americangiantmillipede #inverts #nativespeciesrock #invertebratesofinstagram
A short video of one of my discoid colonies eating some chick starter, which they just go nuts for, and it vanishes in minutes. In addition, there is a short PSA below: This species appreciates a greater level of protein in its diet than some other feeder roaches like surinam or dubia that are predominantly vegetarian. However, it is still important to make fruit, veggies, and grains the overwhelming majority of their diet. It has been found that when roaches are fed a diet that is too high in protein that they form uric acid in their bodies. When lizards and other animals then eat the roaches, they also ingest the uric acid, which can lead to a painful condition called gout (uric acid buildup in the joints). The levels of uric acid in your roaches and animals CAN be dropped - for the roaches, it is as simple as switching to a low protein diet. For your animals, as always, contact a vet if they appear sick or in distress. More immediately, you can try switching to non-roach feeders such as silkworms, waxworms, or other insects for a few weeks to see if your pets' condition improves. Switching to a low protein diet for your roaches will improve the health of your colony, as well as that of the animals that depend on them for food. Thanks for taking the time to read this.
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