I've recently gotten a gift from a close friend of mine, a male larva of Dynastes tityus. What I'm wondering, I don't really know how big these animals need to be accommodated. How big do the terrariums need to be, and what is the best soil to use?
Dynastes tityus accommodations
- Thread starter dethklok
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I have 5 larvae in an oblong plastic container w/ a few small holes drilled in each long side. It's one of those 99 cent, 14"x6" grip lock boxes. The only maintainance I've done with it is adding more mulch & misting if it looks dry. They are getting large and I'm adding mulch weekly now as they've turned the former mulch into hundreds of larval poo pellets. If you have access to oak rot, you're in business.
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i use a 50/50 mixture of top soil and compost manure. feed baked rotted wood and leaves and dog food. keep a couple grubs per gallon container. hardy grubs, but can take a year or two to reach adult stage.
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Hello,
you need a 32 oz cup and lots of rotten wood and rotten leafmulch. replace poop pellets as need it or use a sterile show box full of wood leafmulch for one or two grubs, change food as need it.
if it is a male I am asuming it is L2 so get ready to wait about 12-18 months before he matures. You will need a lot of wood and leafmulch to feed these guy.
Top soil and compost might not offer the right nutrition so the grub might take longer to puppate or just died.
They are strictly wood eaters, you can also add some leafmulch at 60:40 ratio 60% wood (rotten) 40% leafmulch.
if you add dog food only add 3-4 pellets every 2-3 days or until gets eaten, I would look for the soft pellets work better and the grub eats them faster.
You can buy wood from Aaron Pauling as well as oak leaves or you can buy some prepared wood/leafmuclh from me.
I will recomend you to get the following books
For the Love of Rhinoceros and Stag Beetles - 2nd Edition by Jonathan Lai
great book, you must get this if you can.
purchase here
http://www.bioquip.com/search/DispProduct.asp?pid=9698
or
http://www.angelfire.com/oh3/elytraandantenna/
The Complete Guide to Rearing the Eastern Hercules Beetle by Orin Mcmonigle
great book too.
purchase here
http://www.angelfire.com/oh3/elytraandantenna/
regards
francisco
you need a 32 oz cup and lots of rotten wood and rotten leafmulch. replace poop pellets as need it or use a sterile show box full of wood leafmulch for one or two grubs, change food as need it.
if it is a male I am asuming it is L2 so get ready to wait about 12-18 months before he matures. You will need a lot of wood and leafmulch to feed these guy.
Top soil and compost might not offer the right nutrition so the grub might take longer to puppate or just died.
They are strictly wood eaters, you can also add some leafmulch at 60:40 ratio 60% wood (rotten) 40% leafmulch.
if you add dog food only add 3-4 pellets every 2-3 days or until gets eaten, I would look for the soft pellets work better and the grub eats them faster.
You can buy wood from Aaron Pauling as well as oak leaves or you can buy some prepared wood/leafmuclh from me.
I will recomend you to get the following books
For the Love of Rhinoceros and Stag Beetles - 2nd Edition by Jonathan Lai
great book, you must get this if you can.
purchase here
http://www.bioquip.com/search/DispProduct.asp?pid=9698
or
http://www.angelfire.com/oh3/elytraandantenna/
The Complete Guide to Rearing the Eastern Hercules Beetle by Orin Mcmonigle
great book too.
purchase here
http://www.angelfire.com/oh3/elytraandantenna/
regards
francisco
savagehenry
Arachnopeon
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- Jun 10, 2008
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Where did you get your larvae? I've been looking for a source....
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- Sep 12, 2002
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- 2,553
How about adults?