BDFB tips?

[Jennymegg]

After two panicked posts I thought it was time to post one not under duress! I’ve had a lifelong fascination with bugs but only recently acquired my beetles. After one tragic hiccup things seem to be going great. They haven’t been very receptive to fruits or veggies but they LOVE tiny dried shrimp. Any tips for beginners would be fantastic, I want to make sure my little buds have the best life I can give them. As an aside, I’m thrilled to have found Arachnoboards, I knew I couldn’t be the only bug loving person out there!

 

[pannaking22]

Welcome! Dry proteins seem to be well accepted. I've used dry cat food in the past and they would run around with it. Same with oats. If you have any other non-beetle inverts that pass you can throw them to the beetles for a snack. I'd do that with dead roaches every now and then.

 

[Jennymegg]

I did put two pieces of dry cat food in there, I can’t tell if they’ve really eaten any of it or if they’re just playing with it. I always find the pieces moved but haven’t actually seen them move it, which I’m dying to!

 

[BepopCola]

Mine love dried shrimp also! They're always moving bits of bark and coco-fiber around and leaving them in designated spots in thier tank.

How are you giving them water?
I've been offering slices of carrot or spray a corner of the cage with water so they can drink, they dry so quickly though.
I tried a very shallow water dish but they'd always get in it and "die".
I'm thinking of trying water beads.

 

[Jennymegg]

Carrot slices or tiny bits of apple. They never seem to eat much of it. There’s a little elevated part in their enclosure that’s plastic and has a shallow dip in it, I spritz a bit of water in there occasionally. Have you ever given yours the little jelly cups? I’ve heard mixed reviews and haven’t tried it yet.
Where do you get the bark? Outside or a pet store? I’ve been wanting to put some in but I’m so worried about another one catching a parasite I’ve been scared to!

 

[BepopCola]

Have you ever given yours the little jelly cups? I’ve heard mixed reviews and haven’t tried it yet.

I do use those. I leave one in there for them and they pick it them but they never finish them.

Where do you get the bark? Outside or a pet store? I’ve been wanting to put some in but I’m so worried about another one catching a parasite I’ve been scared to!

I use both. For the outside wood, I've been soaking it for a day then freezing it for a week. Other people bake it.
They like climbing the larger pieces but they move smaller pieces out of the way.

 

[InvertebrateGuild]

For my community beetle tank (eleodes spp., BDFBs and SDFBs, and wooly darklings) I offer fish food pellets, throughly washed fruits and veggies (nothing too acidic), and the occasional freshly killed feeder insect. Jelly cups work too, and I recommend them for a mold-free source of moisture. These guys don't need a water dish or their tank sprayed down, as their hard shell protects them from moisture loss in their natural desert habitat. When wet, the light blue coating they have will come off, leaving them charcoal gray for a while until they secrete additional coating, usually within a few weeks they will be blue again. Other than that, just offer somewhere they can hide, as they tend to gather in dark, tight spaces during the early morning. Feel free to ask any other questions you might have. Best of luck!

 

[davehuth]

Mine get by fine with only moist fruits/veggies as their water source. I put in a small piece of apple, carrot, turnip, squash, etc. every 7 days or so and they gather around it for a day or so. Then they seem content to nibble at dry proteins and grains. They'll climb angled pieces of sticks and bark, i love watching them for hours. Good luck!

 

[Jennymegg]

Thanks to everyone who replied! I gathered up some bits of bark and twigs, soaked them in water, and stuck them in the freezer. Can’t wait to put them in next week and watch them explore!

 

[Jennymegg]

One more question! How often should I change out their substrate?

 

[InvertebrateGuild]

One more question! How often should I change out their substrate?

Depends on the size of your enclosure and how many beetles you have, but likely not more than 2 or 3 times a year, and only the top half or so of the substrate. Unless you're keeping them in something really small, like a small critter keeper, waste will build up very slowly.