Anybody good with Rhino Beetles?

[Spider-Spazz]

Theres my baby! Found 'em in front of the door at kroger about to be squished by some kids!
Well, I have more questions about behavior.
I can move my finger around on the bark next to him and he'll charge over there like he's all big and bad, but he just tries to put his mouth on me.
Don't they use their horns? Or do they bite? Is he taking this as a threat, or is he thinking its mating time?
Thanks for the help

 

[Matt K]

Don't they use their horns? Or do they bite? Is he taking this as a threat, or is he thinking its mating time?
Thanks for the help

From what little I know, the horns are not used unless to battle a rival male beetle when attempting to mate with a female. They do not bite really. Neither taking it as a threat or mating time...looking for lunch is more like it. Run over and taste the new thign in the cage and see if its edible.... give it a piece of apple or banana and see what it does.

ElytraandAntennae is an expert on those things... fyi.

 

[skips]

Theres my baby! Found 'em in front of the door at kroger about to be squished by some kids!
Well, I have more questions about behavior.
I can move my finger around on the bark next to him and he'll charge over there like he's all big and bad, but he just tries to put his mouth on me.
Don't they use their horns? Or do they bite? Is he taking this as a threat, or is he thinking its mating time?
Thanks for the help

I only just acquired some of these. Dynastes tytius I believe...orin would know for sure. As far as I know they're a very timid species. It is mating season I think. I really cant see any other reason why they would even acknowledge your pressence. They really cant bite as their mouth parts are like a paint brush. They live in the wild on fallen fruit and mostly tree sap...no cutting or biting tools needed. Threat or mating...no idea.

 

[Spider-Spazz]

From what little I know, the horns are not used unless to battle a rival male beetle when attempting to mate with a female. They do not bite really. Neither taking it as a threat or mating time...looking for lunch is more like it. Run over and taste the new thign in the cage and see if its edible.... give it a piece of apple or banana and see what it does.

ElytraandAntennae is an expert on those things... fyi.

He's got food in there!

 

[Teal]

Oh! What a handsome little guy!

skips - where did you get yours?

I have been trying to find a place to get some - alive, darn it! - and I've had one helluva time!

 

[loxoscelesfear]

I started keeping these a few years back when i found a couple and males and females. It is Dynastes tityus. Have been lucky and successfully raised a couple generations of beetles. Keep an eye out for females. I keep mine in deep rubber maids w/ a 2 foot deep layer of top soil. They disappear into the soil and burrow deep. Besides apples and bananas they love maple syrup. I dilute the syrup 50/50 w/ water. Nice find!

 

[skips]

Oh! What a handsome little guy!

skips - where did you get yours?

I have been trying to find a place to get some - alive, darn it! - and I've had one helluva time!

Got them from alytraandantenna (a.k.a orin). visit www.angelfire.com/oh3/elytraandantenna/. There was a guy on insect forum.com that had tons of them for sale about a month ago. I could try to connect you if you pm me. Orin is pretty easy to deal with though. I'd see if he has any.

P.S. diluted maple syrup supposedly increases life span. If you really wanted to go fancy you could try beetle jelly. I wouldnt say it's necessary though. Some people think it increases fecundity and life span...I have no idea.

 

[skips]

BTW, I'm very jealous that you just "found" one. It took months to find mine and I had to pay for them.

 

[Spider-Spazz]

BTW, I'm very jealous that you just "found" one. It took months to find mine and I had to pay for them.

Haha, guesses are they he just came with the produce and made his way out of Kroger, it looked like he was just walking out the front door!
Either that or he flew here, haven't seen them at all in my life until then.

 

[Spider-Spazz]

P.S. diluted maple syrup supposedly increases life span.

:O
thats something i can look into!

 

[white_feather]

Does anyone know the lifespan of them?

 

[pouchedrat]

short once they're adults...........

I have a male and a female (found a year after the male), found both at my workplace, one INSIDE and one hanging out on the trashcan outside! Both only lasted a season and died, so never had a chance to try the two together, the male was long dead before the female.

I think grubs live 2 years, right?

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

It depends on whether they're wild-caught or captive bred, a few months wild, up to a year C.B. (D.tityus, not D. granti, D.granti only live a few months no matter what).

 

[loxoscelesfear]

pouchedrat I think grubs live 2 years, right?

it took my tityus grubs just over two years to make it to badass beetles. on my second batch of CB larvae now, so figure ...ohhh, 2011, they'll be adults. these things are not for the impatient