# Is coconut husk substrate okay for Dynastes Granti larvae?



## Bumberclark (Aug 22, 2012)

I'm looking into buying a pair of Dynastes Granti larvae, but before I can house them I need to obtain the proper substrate. Unfortunately I live in an area practically devoid of the hardwood trees that are suggested for making this substrate, so I've been trying to find some online. I've searched in vain as I can only seem to find reptile substrate made from coniferous trees which I have heard are poisonous to Dynastes larvae. 

I did manage to locate some substrate made from ground coconut husk, but I have no idea whether or not this will provide proper nutrition for the larvae. 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## GiantVinegaroon (Aug 22, 2012)

I've been doing a lot of reading up on Dynastes larvae rearing since I got some viable eggs from my female tityus, and it seems to me that a 1 to one to one ratio of rotting wood, rotting leaves, and compost is the best substrate to house the larvae.  My eggs are currently resting on some coconut fiber but I am soon going to add rotting wood and hardwood leaves for when they hatch, then soon transfer them.


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## web eviction (Aug 22, 2012)

I am also receiving some larvae today or tomarrow and was wondering about the sub? I've done a lot of research and think I got it down.... My property is covered in oak trees so I went out found many rotting branches (the kind you can crumble with your hands) and below most all the trees there is about 3 To 4 inches of rotting leaves old black rotted ones and the ground below that is loaded with years of rotted branches and leaves so I collected a bunch of all of it mulched it all up together pretty fine now my question is will this work for them? 
I baked it all and then froze it for about 3 days....


Also sorry for the thread hijack and bumberclark if this is a good mix maybe I can set you up with some


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## catfishrod69 (Aug 22, 2012)

I just recieved 2 mating pair of D. granti in the mail just minutes ago. These are my first Dynastes, so ill be watching this thread too.

---------- Post added 08-22-2012 at 04:43 PM ----------

Here is what i recieved today.

Reactions: Like 2


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## web eviction (Aug 22, 2012)

Nice! Those are awesome John !! I need to get some, waiting for larvae to grow will take a long while haha
Id really like to get dynastes tityus too if any one knows where or has some!!


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## catfishrod69 (Aug 22, 2012)

Thanks alot. Yeah waiting for the larvae to grow will not be fun. Well i am going to NC in two weeks, hoping to find myself some tityus. Will be looking around lamp poles at night. Might try rooting through some rotting wood for grubs. If it comes to it, post a wanted ad also.


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## Bumberclark (Aug 24, 2012)

web eviction said:


> Also sorry for the thread hijack and bumberclark if this is a good mix maybe I can set you up with some


That would be fantastic, if it ends up working out.

---------- Post added 08-24-2012 at 01:29 AM ----------




web eviction said:


> my question is will this work for them?


and from everything I've read that sounds like a perfect mix. My main problem is that I cant seen to find the right sort of wood.


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## web eviction (Aug 24, 2012)

Well I received them this morning and as soon as I placed them in the mix they immediately began munching and burrowing down but it's still only day one but I think it's gonna be a great mix! I also found an 18 foot rotted maple log at the edge of my property so I got tons of hard wood lol

I'm also expecting an adult pair saturday...


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## Elytra and Antenna (Aug 24, 2012)

Bumberclark said:


> I'm looking into buying a pair of Dynastes Granti larvae, but before I can house them I need to obtain the proper substrate. Unfortunately I live in an area practically devoid of the hardwood trees that are suggested for making this substrate, so I've been trying to find some online. I've searched in vain as I can only seem to find reptile substrate made from coniferous trees which I have heard are poisonous to Dynastes larvae.
> 
> I did manage to locate some substrate made from ground coconut husk, but I have no idea whether or not this will provide proper nutrition for the larvae.
> 
> Any help would be greatly appreciated.


 If you feed larvae coconut husk they will starve to death. BIC sells substrate or you might find someone on BF if you post a request.


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## jebbewocky (Sep 3, 2012)

I know some folks through another site who use composted Traeger wood pellets, but you have to buy large amounts.


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## BiologicalJewels (Sep 4, 2012)

If you buy the Traeger pellets I would suggest to start with the 100% oak, hydrate them, mix them up with natural decayed oak wood (preferably with fungus mycellium), and decayed oak leaves.
Allow the decaying process to take place (1-8 months depending on the amount of the batch), turn the batch two weeks after you've started it, then once a week or so. You may add flour to the mix in order to increase the micro organism growth, but do it in small amounts. 

So, in short, this is not a process that should be done after you've gotten the larvae (unless you are preparing for future generations).


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