Desert Beetle/Death Feigning Beetle Diet/Moisture

[feelahthetigress]

I have a desert beetle setup (had for about 3 months now). It contains 4 Blue Death Feigning Beetles, 3 Black Death Feigning Beetles, 2 Wooly Beetles, 1 Smooth Death Feigning Beetle, and a small fuzzy round one (Edrotes ventricosus). They are doing great (seem to be) and are active, even during the day (not constantly, but I do frequently see them out and about). I'm keeping the enclosure warm with an incandescent bulb in a small nearby lamp, and I've measured the temperature as varying between 75-80 F. Thus, it's pretty warm in there (hopefully not too warm).

https://imgur.com/a/MOqvg

Now, herein lies my question: how much moisture do they need? I water the succulents in there occasionally with a bit of water (and boy do the beetles not like getting wet!), but the beetles don't seem drawn to this water at all (and the sand/coir mix I'm using as substrate does not hold much moisture at all).

I've heard that they get most of their necessary moisture from food, but the problem I'm having is that they don't want to eat anything fresh! I've tried apple, lettuce, carrot, and a bit of bell pepper and they won't eat any of it. I even tried leaving it in their for a few days (until it shriveled) without any other foods but they just stubbornly waited me out until I caved in and put in their preferred regular food. The things they like eating most are dried veggies/fruit/bug mix (from a package of bearded lizard food), but those are already dried so they don't really contain much moisture. I did get them to eat a tiny bit of mango and a tiny bit of orange once, but that's about it. I'm concerned they are not getting enough moisture/variety in their diet. Should I keep shoving fresh food into their stubborn little beetle-faces until they eat some?

 

[chanda]

Mine eat romaine lettuce, carrot, and sweet potato slices willingly and will sometimes nibble zucchini. (They prefer the skin of the zucchini but don't like the middle part as much.) I also spritz the cage once a week or so (whether they like it or not).

 

[feelahthetigress]

Mine eat romaine lettuce, carrot, and sweet potato slices willingly and will sometimes nibble zucchini. (They prefer the skin of the zucchini but don't like the middle part as much.) I also spritz the cage once a week or so (whether they like it or not).

How'd you get them to eat that stuff? Or did they just eat it when you put it in? Mine are being incredibly stubborn...

 

[chanda]

Well, sometimes you have to coax them...

"Open wide! Here comes the airplane! Vrooom! Vroooooom!"

Not really. I may have resorted to that for my kids on occasion, but for the beetles, I just throw it in there and they eat it.

 

[feelahthetigress]

Hmm...maybe I just need to keep trying!

 

[draconisj4]

I have a desert set up since August with most of the same beetles you have plus a few other species. I have seen the blues eat apples and I keep a moist corner covered with a curved piece of cork bark for larvae. This winter I have seen the blues and all the other beetles hang out there on occasion because the air is so dry because of heating. I also keep a shallow water dish with gravel in it to prevent the small ones drowning and I have seen most of the beetles drink from it. Never hurts to give them the option.