Addictive little critters they are
.
For longevity, daytime activity and potential for raising offspring, the Pacific bimaculoides is our only common animal that meets all three criteria. It is hard to come by and to get the longevity the temp needs to be held around 62 (give or take 3 degrees). Unfortunately, they are also less active at these temps (which may be part of the longevity extension). They will survive at 70/72 but will only live about half as long (I had physical problems at the warmer temps but he still lived 18 months in captivity - would not keep one again at the warmer temps though). They are common in CA but it is illegal to sell them (you can catch, eat, kill and use for bait but not sell). Occasionally members have offered to catch and ship at the expense of the recipient with no other monetary considerations but the shipping is expensive and there is no arrive alive guarantee. It is the only US Pacific animal we see with any frequency.
The Indonesian aculeatus (normally from the Philippines) would be next on the daytime active list. It is small egged so no hatchlings have been raised. The capture age tends to be toward the end of their lives and 4 months is a guestimate of average keeping time.
Next common day active is the Caribbean (frequently imported from Haiti) hummelincki. Females tend to lay eggs within the first couple of weeks in captivity. This is likely to be because they are foraging more in preparation for brooding but we really don't know. Females seem to be more common than males. It is a small egg species so time with a female tends to be short. The males seem to do quite well.
Vulgaris is probably the next most day active (tending to crepuscular but will sometimes hunt in the daytime). It is also small egged but has the longest lifespan of the Caribbeans we keep (and is also the largest).
O. briareus is next in line. Not daytime active but can be coaxed into eating during the day and will often make a good supper time companion. Briareus is a large egg species so it is
possible to raise a few hatchlings but only a few opportunities have been journaled and, to date, only one success.
We have a new brood in the works and I am crossing my fingers for success.
Next is O. mercatoris. They are definitely nocturnal but can be fed as early a 9:00 and active around 11:00 if the room and tank lights are off around dark. They are probably the easiest (do not mistake this for easy) to raise and hatchlings can be kept together all their lives (the only common animal that this has shown to be feasible). The can also be inbred for at least a generation and likely do so in the wild.
Last on the list is the unidentified small Macropus (Indonesian and again often from the Philippines). Great little animal but very nocturnal and not likely to be seen except at 3:00 AM. It is also a small egg species.