New to the insect hobby

[Beki]

Hi, there! I'm Beki and I just got my first bug pets- two blue death feigning beetles- about a month ago.
I love how easy they are to care for, and I was just hoping to meet some other beetle lovers out there!
Anyway, has anybody kept them in hermit crab sand? It's a bit overly dusty, but it has added calcium and they seem to like it.

 

[davehuth]

Welcome Beki, I'm also new to keeping desert beetles and have a large multi-species enclosure. I mixed clean play sand and tiny pebbles, with a few dried shredded leaves mixed in and scattered around. I also give lots of supplemental foods (including dog kibble) so I'm hoping that's nutritionally complete for them. I do know they hate getting fine mud or dirt caked on their feet which is one reason I use a courser substrate. These boards are a treasure trove of information, good luck and update your progress and discoveries here.

 

[Beki]

Welcome Beki, I'm also new to keeping desert beetles and have a large multi-species enclosure. I mixed clean play sand and tiny pebbles, with a few dried shredded leaves mixed in and scattered around. I also give lots of supplemental foods (including dog kibble) so I'm hoping that's nutritionally complete for them. I do know they hate getting fine mud or dirt caked on their feet which is one reason I use a courser substrate. These boards are a treasure trove of information, good luck and update your progress and discoveries here.

Thanks! It doesn't seem to be caking on their feet, because I'm in a very dry environment, but the fine dust does seem to make them a bit lighter in color. I had them on some pebbles, but it seemed to stress them out that they couldn't dig in them. They were always scratching at them, and they seem to enjoy digging a bit in the sand. I've been feeding them carrots, apples, cheerios, and dried shrimp. They love the shrimp.

 

[NYAN]

I have heard that added calcium sand is bad for inverts.

 

[davehuth]

They love the shrimp.

I have some dried shrimp wads someone I know used to feed a turtle. I should give that a try!

 

[Beki]

I have heard that added calcium sand is bad for inverts.

Really? I wonder why that would be, and if it's true for my guys. I mean, it can't be bad for all inverts if it's made for hermit crabs, right?

 

[NYAN]

Really? I wonder why that would be, and if it's true for my guys. I mean, it can't be bad for all inverts if it's made for hermit crabs, right?

I am not sure the reason, however, I read it in the myriapods area.

 

[Greasylake]

I remember reading a while ago that too much calcium in an inverts diet could make it difficult for it to molt but I don't know if that only applied to tarantulas or not. I recently got 5 Megasoma Sleeperi grubs that have been happily munching away on the wood that's in their substrate.

 

[Ajohnson5263]

I've read several posts about calcium sand being bad for inverts, despite being made for hermit crabs, I'd switch it out for play sand.

 

[Hisserdude]

I can speak from experience that calcium sand SUCKS for inverts, I don't know exactly why, but anything I kept on that stuff either died or acted very sickly, even if it was only part of a substrate mix. I threw out all of mine, and only use normal repti-sand now. Washed play sand works well for inverts too BTW.

 

[Dennis Nedry]

It sucks for hermit crabs as well, the information pet shops give out about hermit crabs is full of misinformation and they sell products to go along with it like calcium sand. I'd ditch the calcium sand if you start noticing the beetles acting weird

 

[Ajohnson5263]

I remember reading a while ago that too much calcium in an inverts diet could make it difficult for it to molt but I don't know if that only applied to tarantulas or not. I recently got 5 Megasoma Sleeperi grubs that have been happily munching away on the wood that's in their substrate.

Did you get these from BIC? How are they doing so far? Also do you have any idea on the life span?

 

[Greasylake]

I did get my sleeperi from Paul at bugsincyberspace and so far they're doing amazing. They're constantly eating and every time I check on them they're very lively. As for the lifespan I don't really know although I believe they will mature In about a year and after that who knows how long they'll live. I plan to breed them after they mature so I can make the species just a little bit more more available to hobbyists.

 

[Greasylake]

Correction, his name isn't Paul it's Peter. I get them mixed up sometimes.

 

[Kennef]

I have heard that added calcium sand is bad for inverts.

I just went to Walmart and got them calcium substrate.. they arrive on Monday and Tuesday..

 

[NYAN]

I just went to Walmart and got them calcium substrate.. they arrive on Monday and Tuesday..

Calcium substrate is bad though. Use play sand or calcium free sand.

 

[Vladaz1]

I just joined too and wellcome

 

[Kennef]

Calcium substrate is bad though. Use play sand or calcium free sand.

Well I do have repti bark from flukers. If that is bad too can what else can I use that can be commonly found in a typical home?

 

[Kennef]

I just joined too and wellcome

Thank you

 

[NYAN]

What are you trying to keep? Bark is bad for burrowing species and pretty much most terrestrial invertebrates. Some barks contain woods that are toxic to inverts also.