Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: Quick & Easy Cat Cage, 1 by junebug74

junebug74 wrote:
Deb, your posts have been soooo helpful. And thank you for the pictures! Right now I have three little cats hanging in the J position--two are fine where they are, but I'll have to move the third after it forms the chrysalis & hardens for 48 hours. I've never done that before, so I'm a little nervous! (It's hanging on the underside of a leaf that will likely wilt long before the butterfly is ready to come out.)

Also, there is a fourth in that mesh cage, but I suspect he's not going to make it. He was eating yesterday, but on three occasions I saw a dark green drop drip from near his head, like he had a tummy ache and couldn't keep his milkweed down. He's just clinging to a branch, still, when he should be wandering around looking for a place to form the "J." Has this happened to anyone else? What do you think is wrong with him? I've been cleaning the frass and newly-cut milkweed diligently. Beyond the green leakage, he looks very healthy! I'll give him another day or two, and then I'll probably isolate him, just in case what he has may infect the chrysalis gang. (If that's possible.)

I have another 4 in a different container that just entered the 5th instar. High hopes for them, too! :-)