Megasoma actaeon substrate help

Devinmars

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 3, 2015
Messages
7
Hello,
I'm looking for a substrate to use for Megasoma actaeon. As far as I know I need an all-natural hardwood mulch with no chemicals of any kind. I'm struggling immensely to find one. I've checked three garden stores and cannot find anything online.

I do not live anywhere near a forest, I live in the desert, If necessary I will try to find a hardwood forest to gather ingredients for a homemade compost mix, but I would really like to find a product I can buy.
Thank you ahead of time. Please let me know if I'm incorrect about something.
 

Schiem

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
27
Depending on where you are in the world, you could get some shipped from bugs in cyberspace (http://shop.bugsincyberspace.com/Beetle-Substrate-bic797.htm) or rhinobeetle.co.uk (https://rhinobeetle.co.uk/index.php/shop/store-frontpage/all-products/larva-mix-1-detail), both of those products should work.

I've also heard of people fermenting hardwood pellets that you can buy at hardware stores (typically used as a fuel to a smoker/grill), the brand that's always mentioned is Traeger. The beetle forum has a few threads about how to do it (http://beetleforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=2911). Fermenting it yourself does take a few months though.

Best of luck!
 

Devinmars

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 3, 2015
Messages
7
Depending on where you are in the world, you could get some shipped from bugs in cyberspace (http://shop.bugsincyberspace.com/Beetle-Substrate-bic797.htm) or rhinobeetle.co.uk (https://rhinobeetle.co.uk/index.php/shop/store-frontpage/all-products/larva-mix-1-detail), both of those products should work.

I've also heard of people fermenting hardwood pellets that you can buy at hardware stores (typically used as a fuel to a smoker/grill), the brand that's always mentioned is Traeger. The beetle forum has a few threads about how to do it (http://beetleforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=2911). Fermenting it yourself does take a few months though.

Best of luck!
Thank you SO much I really appreciate your help!
 

Ranitomeya

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 11, 2012
Messages
255
Hardwood mulch used for landscaping is not decomposed, it's just macerated wood fibers. It isn't broken down enough to be nutritious for rhinoceros beetles. If it were, it'd defeat the purpose as it would need to be too frequently replaced and it would be nutritious enough that it wouldn't stop weeds from growing. You should be looking for compost or making your own. You could just go out into the woods and collect old hardwood leaf litter and wood that's rotten to the point where it can be crumbled apart in your hands. Just make sure to heat treat it before using to avoid feeding your larvae to unseen predaceous invertebrates or entomopathogenic fungus or exposing them to microbes they aren't able to survive with.
 
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