Beetle jelly for desert beetles (preservation)

[Darcie]

Hello, I own 3 desert beetles (1 blue death feigning beetle and 2 smooth death feigning beetles). I recently bought them Zoo Med beetle jelly cups (nectar, brown sugar and banana flavors) and I have some questions about feeding them it and preserving it.

1. Should I put the entire cup in the sand for them to eat from whenever they want? Is it good for them to have access to it at all times?

2. Does it dry up quickly?

3. If I do take it out after they've finished eating some, how do I preserve it? Should I put tin foil on the lid and leave it near their tank (in a 70-75°F room) or put it in a refrigerator?

4. How often should they have the jelly? I'm aware it's mostly sugar, is it ok to give them a clump of the jelly every time I give them their regular food? (Fruits or vegetables, dried bugs and cat kibble)

Thanks in advance to anyone who responds, I just want to make sure I'm taking care of the beetles themselves as well as prolonging the usage of the jelly.

 

[HooahArmy]

Hey there! I helped a invert vendor with some death feigning beetles recently and this is what I've heard on feeding and caring for them when they gave me a couple and some beetle jelly to take home:

1. If you don't have that many big beetles, you can slice a bit of the jelly and place it on a dish, keeping the rest fresh in the fridge. The beetles are always munching away, so to have food access at all times is a good idea, yet perhaps not the jelly. Having fresh fruits and veggies as your main staple as you are already doing is also a good idea to keep up, but keeping sugary jelly around may keep them from eating healthier options.
2. Depending on your climate, yes it can. If your home or enclosure is dry, the stuff can be a pellet in a few days, yet drying does not impact the nutritional value, only leaves the beetles with less access to moisture.
3/4. You can store what you don't use in a lidded container in the fridge. Remove the jelly if you see it covered in mold, poop, or is becoming a questionable color or has a smell. It should also be alright to offer the jelly as a treat or if you are at a lack of other foods, but the stuff can be expensive and will never compare to good ol' natural foods!

I hope this helps, yet I'm curious to hear what other folks on this forum have to say too!

 

[Darcie]

Hey there! I helped a invert vendor with some death feigning beetles recently and this is what I've heard on feeding and caring for them when they gave me a couple and some beetle jelly to take home:

1. If you don't have that many big beetles, you can slice a bit of the jelly and place it on a dish, keeping the rest fresh in the fridge. The beetles are always munching away, so to have food access at all times is a good idea, yet perhaps not the jelly. Having fresh fruits and veggies as your main staple as you are already doing is also a good idea to keep up, but keeping sugary jelly around may keep them from eating healthier options.
2. Depending on your climate, yes it can. If your home or enclosure is dry, the stuff can be a pellet in a few days, yet drying does not impact the nutritional value, only leaves the beetles with less access to moisture.
3/4. You can store what you don't use in a lidded container in the fridge. Remove the jelly if you see it covered in mold, poop, or is becoming a questionable color or has a smell. It should also be alright to offer the jelly as a treat or if you are at a lack of other foods, but the stuff can be expensive and will never compare to good ol' natural foods!

I hope this helps, yet I'm curious to hear what other folks on this forum have to say too!

Thank you, I appreciate the help and info!!