Blue Death Feigning Beetle Help

CJ Charlebois

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 24, 2017
Messages
4
My Hadrurus arizonensis just died the other day, which is really sad for a couple reasons. A, she was extremely well mannered, and enjoyed time being handled, even pet. B, she leaves her room mates without easy access to food. I have a pair of Asbolus verrucosus, or Blue Death Feigning Beetles, that used to feed on the cricket bits and excrement left by the desert hairy. So I was wondering if there were other species that played nice with these guys in a desert environment? I was thinking maybe a solpugid? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 

Python

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Messages
631
I'm sorry to hear about your loss but I need to tell you, your scorpion didn't enjoy being handled. It may have tolerated it, but being picked up is something that usually only predators do to scorpions and things usually go downhill for them rather quickly. Understand that any scorpion or spider does not enjoy interaction with anything but prey items. Picking them up is very stressful and never recommended by anyone. That said, you might try another H. arizonensis. Whatever you get, please don't handle it, they don't like that.
 

WeightedAbyss75

Arachnoangel
Joined
Feb 22, 2014
Messages
921
Not many other insects or arachnids, solufugids, etc. would coexist well with them. H. arizonensis are desert soecies, so most insects it will try to eat/kill, either to guard it's "territory" or to eat, since they need anything they can get in an actual desert environment. Sorry for your loss, but I hope you continue with scorps! There are great options! Also, have to agree with @Python about handling. No bueno. No necesita ;)
 

arizonablue

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 26, 2016
Messages
96
Scorps are the only thing I've ever seen kept with blues, aside from other darkling beetles. (I have a tank full of blues and other darklings and they're tons of fun to watch.) Without the scorp, the blues will happily eat beetle jellies, apple chunks, and dog kibble.
 

Jacob Ma

Arachnoknight
Joined
Feb 2, 2016
Messages
281
I keep a leopard gecko, Eublepharis macularius, with three BDFBs. So far, she hasn't eaten them, and it has been over a year since I've last introduced them into her enclosure. I thought that this is due to the coating the beetles have on their exoskeleton, as she licked and showed signs of "prey awareness" when I first introduced her, so now she just doesn't recognize them as a threat or prey and even sleeps aside them in the day. I even sprayed the beetles down and she still refused to attack the vulnerable beetles.

From what I've heard, various species of velvet ant, desert roaches, other darkling beetle species (like @arizonablue mentioned),and native banded geckos are possible candidates. Look into their ecological nature and background online for more information on compatibility for this species. If you are able to, you should really consider to continue keeping scorpions too!
 
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