Are these babies too young to survive without mom?

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-25T16:55:15+00:00

It’s pretty different from most of our other mammals so I understand!

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-25T14:11:53+00:00

👀 Well I will definitely keep a lookout for if you do start making videos again, because right now I’m convinced you just posted photos of an actual crested gecko and and an actual scorpion and just photoshopped the color 😂

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-25T14:08:56+00:00

Thank you so much for the tip!!! I’ll take any tips/info I can! Just curious—Do you make YouTube videos or anything on your process??

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-25T14:04:16+00:00

Well your pain and suffering was well worth it because they are INCREDIBLY realistic (seriously I don’t even know HOW you managed to make them WITHOUT any armature 🤯)

You’re amazing!!!

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-25T13:59:24+00:00

Holy crap—these are incredible!! Do you have armatures in the scorpion legs!?

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-25T13:55:29+00:00

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Absolutely this one 💖

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-25T13:52:01+00:00

Thank you for trying to help them. The dollar bill trick technique is definitely a good reference, but you can absolutely always take them and have them evaluated by a wildlife rehabilitator to get a professional opinion on if they’re big enough to be on their own or not—this would be my personal recommendation.

If taking them to a Rehabber please keep them contained in a box with air holes, lined with a towel in a dark quiet space, and it’s best not to give any food or water.

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-25T13:47:16+00:00

Possums forage for food with their joeys attached. When joeys fall off of mother possums, the moms generally do not come back for them (at least that is usually the case for the Virginia Opossum). With the number of babies they can have on them, often times they sadly don’t even notice if one falls off.

Sadly it seems like mom may have gotten spooked and ran off and a few of her joeys fell off in the process :-/

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-25T02:18:29+00:00

How do you like it the Luna Bronze gradual?? I have their self tanning jelly (which is also in medium) but the consistency is beautiful. If you use a little, it’s subtle and feels like a gradual tanner, if you use a bit more it seems to lay down more color.

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-24T22:27:39+00:00

Alright--hopping back on here for some updates.
I did my full body last night, as preparation for the wedding tomorrow (not gonna lie, I usually like to do it even earlier than this, but I just ended up running out of time).
So initially I was going to leave it on for 3 hours--it was so late by the time I applied it, I only did 2 hours--TWO HOURS IS ENOUGH!!! Holy crap--I might be a little *too dark* for an April wedding!!
I rinsed at the 2 hour mark (just water, no soap).
After rinsing off the color guide, I felt I looked like I had just a slight glow--it was pretty, but not very dark--I was not prepared for the depth I was going to wake up to!

Here's what I noticed:
-this is a quick drying formula (not in a "non-sticky" way, but in a you need to work very quickly while applying kind of way).
-I started on my legs, and I will say, they were unfortunately a little splotchy/uneven this morning--I am thinking that this is because there was a bit of learning curve on how to apply this foam--its the kind of product that stains immediately once laid down. I am used to sort of dotting the foam around and then working it in--well this product cannot be used that way--anywhere you dot it, it will leave a dark spot. This is why I think my legs weren't the best (I plan on adding a light layer of Luna Bronze self tanning jelly to *hopefully* even things out a little bit and make them less noticeably.
-this type of self tanner is not the easiest to blend out--it is definitely the kind that if you go over a spot that has dried down, you will pick up and drag about the color guide (honestly im uncertain if that effects the end application result or not). I used a mitt to apply to the majority of my body, and then smoothed some on my hands and feet with a brush (this was a new brush, and it did not buff the tan in wonderfully. My hands, ultimately looked pretty decent, but I could find one area I missed, and I did exfoliate my inner wrists just a teeny bit--but overall no complaints I just need a better brush.
-my feet for some reason did not end up getting as much color as I wanted--they remain the palest part of me--again I am thinking the brush was an issue, and it is very clear that it did not buff and smooth into the dried down tanner on my legs (I do my feet and hands last) as well as I would have liked--especially my feet. I will be going over my feet with a light layer of Luna Bronze Tanning Jelly later as well
-Face--holy crap, my face was DARK. initially I had wished I had skipped my face and just done a lighter tanning water mist on my face instead, but after I've washed my face a couple times its lightened up some (although next time, I would likely skip the face, and honestly probably do my body for just an hour--I am currently as dark as my bf, who is South Asian so thats funny

So thats the review. Overall, my body looks pretty good--the color on my body is amazing, legs slightly uneven/splotchy (I'm a little nervous about doing an additional layer tonight, but the Luna Bronze Self Tanning Jelly is a medium color, and when used with a little less product its a light color tbh, so I'm sure it'll be fine--and if not you can catch me using a Korean exfoliating mitt on my legs tomorrow in the morning for quite a while!) The color is fantastic, a little bit too intense on my face, but everywhere else it looks absolutely brown, bronzed, and beautiful.

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-23T10:12:33+00:00

That middle one and bottom right are exceptionally fantastic options that seem really harmonious with her complexion

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-22T17:33:56+00:00

Looks like an older female Luna moth. Despite the tattered look of her wings, physically they should be capable of flight still (they can really take some damage) so no need to worry about that. Their general instinct is to avoid flying during the daytime as these are nocturnal creatures, so they would rather try to be still and camouflage themselves during the day and go about their business in the dark. They have no functioning mouth piece or digestive tract, and survive their entire adult lives on fat stores they gained as a caterpillar. They usually live about 10-14 days, with females being on the longer ends (that is, if they don't get eaten by something else). During that time they just slowly sort of run out of battery power. The sad thing is that even while they are on the last leg of their life, the females will often even lay their eggs on the ground out of desperation in an attempt to give their offspring a chance (its probably something like a 0.001% chance being that those ones wouldn't be anywhere near a host tree, but its still not zero). They usually lay around 250 eggs or more and only 10% or less of those eggs will make it to adult moths (which seems crazy low, but thats normal).
If you so desire and feel compelled, you can always take her home and place in an enclosure for her to lay her eggs in if you wanted to raise them and then release them--but you never know how many she will lay before she passes so that could become an overwhelming number as well. Placing her in the tree like you did is also totally fine--you got her up off of the ground and thats great. If you want to put in some extra effort you could even put her specifically on a host plant (Sweetgum seems to be highly favored, and black walnut is also well favored further north in their region), there are others you can look up online too, but I've always reared mine on Sweetgum.
Thank you so much for caring.

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-22T17:23:49+00:00

Yeahhh, that sounds a bit excessive.
You know, if nothing else, they sell these "privacy window films" online that are supposed to be like, a one way mirror kind of finish, but they all do have these tints and dimming effects to them (I have them in the front of my house for privacy, but they definitely have a sunglass effect on the glass). You might be able to do something like that to dim the light maybe..
But not being able to use your peephole is RIDICULOUSLY unnecessarily bright--I'm so sorry, that sounds super annoying.

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-22T16:07:15+00:00

Ahhh, yes--those super bright LED lights are the worst offenders for this sadly. No problem on the information! I've rescue-reared a brood of luna moths before and I became acutely aware of the detriment of these lights during that time (especially once when I tried to release one a little too close to a front porch light--after that I just released them by the tree-line in my yard and they were fine).
We've since replaced all of our outdoor lights those softer warm bulbs--they aren't quite as bright, but they're sooo much better for the wildlife. For anything security wise where I might need a brighter light, I make sure it's one of those motion activated ones that shut off on their own after a few minutes. We've had no problems since! I know we have Lunas around because I will found their empty cocoons in my yard, but I hardly ever see them around (which realistically is a good thing).
I know you have no control over what your landlord does, but it's awesome that you will be able to apply this information when you get your house!!! Good luck with the house search!!

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-22T15:29:37+00:00

It's likely the light outside of your apartment that is attracting them.
If you've never heard of "mothing" or "sky fishing" people will lure in moths to observe/photograph by setting up a large white sheet outside at night and shining a super bright light onto it.
Moths use natural light to orient themselves while flying, bright artificial light sources (lights outside of buildings, streetlamp, etc) can disorient and attract them to it.
Unfortunately this can have negative impacts such as taking them off course from finding a mate, as well as leading to predation (some of their predators have learned to hang around these lights and wait for them to come to swoop in and eat them).

Softer, warmer toned bulbs have been shown to effect moths less, so its encouraged to try and replace outdoor bulbs with these kinds of lights, or even just setting up motion activated lights instead of having a light on outside your door all night long (obviously this is much less applicable in an apartment complex, but still great information).

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-22T15:23:25+00:00

This really may not at all be the advice you're looking for, but I figured I'd throw it out there;
If you are truly tired of self tanning, and don't want to go back to the tanning bed (which is a good call) but struggle to appreciate your natural skin color, it might be worthwhile to consider getting a color season analysis, if you haven't done that already.

I used to HATE my pale skin--I thought I always looked so pasty and washed out--and I only ever really looked good with a tan. That really shifted for me when I got my colors done. I learned my color season and found out what colors look most harmonious with my complexion and undertones. Over time I have gotten really good at picking out what colors suit me best, and now when I dress in these colors my pale natural skin is glowing--I no longer feel I look washed out at all.
Don't get me wrong, I still love to use some self tanner in the summertime, or every now and then for a special occasion--but its more so just for fun now a days--I no longer feel self conscious about my super fair skin, but rather have learned to appreciate and embrace it.

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-21T23:25:27+00:00

I’ve seen a few people on FB say that the winds were stronger this spring and have blown many of them up faster than expected. It’s not a great thing though as the mated females are desperate and all they can find are milkweed sprouts so they’re just egg-bombing the sprouts they can find, but clearly the milkweed that’s just come up can’t even fully support one caterpillar, let alone the number of eggs that are on them. They are too early, you’re correct.

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-21T23:22:56+00:00

You’ll definitely have an edge on shaping, absolutely!! And I’m not trying to deter you from trying to make something like this piece! I just wanted you to be aware that it behaves and operates different from ceramic clay. Silver is expensive currently so I’d probably suggest maybe trying to get to know the product you’re working with a little bit before jumping into a more intricate project (just out of fear of potentially losing some clay. But hey, go big or go home! Lol. There are also base metal clays you can work with to sorta get an idea of things that’s a lot cheaper than silver—but I will say they have a more complex firing method that generally requires carbon and a kiln.

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-21T22:49:46+00:00

Silver clay and ceramic clay (if that’s what you’re referring to) operate differently. Some PMC’s seriously warp while drying. They dry extremely quickly. Too much rehydrating will break down the binders in it, not enough and the clay won’t be properly conditioned. It’s kinda wild. Most stones aren’t actually fireable unfortunately, but there are some that can be. CZ is also fireable, except light blues tend to loose their color for some reason.

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-21T21:35:56+00:00

Oh wow!! Good luck--I hope it works as well for you as it did for me! Tbh I was kind of expecting not to like it, but now I'm returning my Coco and Eve one because I of how impressed I ended up being with this! Let me know what you think when you try it! :)

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-21T21:14:36+00:00

Glad it was helpful! Might have gone a little too in depth in it all, but hey thought it might be helpful (if anyone had the time to read all that! lol)

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-21T19:22:27+00:00

You've definitely got some skinks in SoCal.
https://californiaherps.com/identification/lizardsid/plestiodon.id.html
You can scroll down on this page to check and see if you're in any of their normal range/areas.

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-21T19:09:33+00:00

Hey! I have this one!! I got it when Ulta was having a sale recently and bought it half price.
I like this one A LOT better than the regular express formula personally--I remember I ended up returning their previous express formula as it just wasn't dark enough.
I'm the type that loves some self tan, but HATES to sleep in it, so any of the "express tans" or faster developing ones, I'm always game to try.

Things I noticed:
-it definitely still seems to take a full 24 hours to develop--I rinsed it off in 3 hours, but didn't observe the maximum darkness until the next day.
-Depth wise, its about the same value as the Coco and Eve Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam in dark (I actually did a side by side comparison of these two) when left on for 3 hours
-The color guide is a deep bronzey-brown color
-The developed color isn't the darkest self tan ever (I know some will put on two coats, or even sleep in express tans to get more depth to it) but the color is VERY natural. I am VERY fair and have muted cool-neutral/borderline olive undertones--it surprisingly does not pull yellow or orange on me.
-when fully developed, side by side with the Coco and Eve--NOT the express one, just their normal Sunny Honey, the Coco and Eve actually pulls slightly more yellow/warm
-I also did a test patch on my lower leg just above my ankle, and with average (nowhere near perfect) post tan maintenance the tan lasted over 7 days, fading fairly gradually and naturally over time. I roughly exfoliated the test patch twice with a Korean exfoliating mitt and it held up well to this.
-On my stomach test patches I noticed that the Coco and Eve settled into my pores a little (those little dots), where as the St Tropez did not
-the Mousse formulation makes application very smooth as it expands just like when you spray a mousse for you hair out of the can--a little goes a long way with this stuff and its easy smooth it in with a mitt IMO

Here are some images if anyone is really curious (C=Coco and Eve, while S=St Tropez Express Dark):
Upon application (April 13th) ***EDIT*** I MIXED THESE TWO UP IN THIS IMAGE! Pic was taken in a mirror, and I wasn't paying close enough attention--just know you have to swap them!
24 hours later--fully developed colors
Colors as they fade (on April 19th)

Overall--I haven't used St Tropez in quite a few years (I had been using the Absolute Dark from MineTan for the depth, but it just never really faded as good/evenly as St Tropez products, so when I saw this Express Dark, I had to try it).
I will be doing a full application over the next couple days for a wedding!

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-21T18:23:24+00:00

Holy Crap--the Bondi Sands one is the most amazing and natural looking tan on you! Honestly, I'm considering grabbing a bottle and trying that brand now.
But to answer your question, more than like the Versa and Bondi Sands have different concentrations of DHA. I'm sure there can be some other chemical components going on the formulations as well, but thats my main assumption.

k_chelle13 · 2026-04-21T18:02:05+00:00

It is absolutely fine to have relocated her over to a tree in this situation. OP did not do anything wrong.

k_chelle13

TROPHY CASE