Its kind of expensive to keep my heater on during the winter here, so Id like to reduce that cost, if possible, but the health of my beetle is more important. Adult beetles are usually found in the deciduous forest during summer. It is crucial to let the beetles complete their dormant period naturally. stag beetle, (family Lucanidae), also called pinching bug, any of some 900 species of beetles (insect order Coleoptera) in which the mandibles (jaws) are greatly developed in the male and resemble the antlers of a stag. But how do you know which grub is male and which is female? if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'xtraordinarypets_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_14',177,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-xtraordinarypets_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0'); Moisture moisture is very crucial for the giant stag beetles at all stages, especially the grubs and pupae. For most species, the larvae make a cocoon where they are ready to turn into a pupa before new adult beetles emerge. The grub will feed its way to the first molt in about 30 days, and the second molt in another 6-8 weeks. Glad someone posted about their care Didnt know they had such long lifespans. Where are stag beetles commonly found? Can You Keep Different Beetle Species Together? Every little gift helps us continue our work to make more articles about these wonderful creatures. The males will fight which highly shortens their lifespan or one will even kill the other. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'keepingbugs_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_8',129,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-keepingbugs_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0');For raising and keeping adult stag beetles you can use a simple layer of a substrate. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Quick question! A male giant stag beetle can grow up to 2 in length. Change the substrate after it is consumed. If you are keeping them indoors, a cool place such as under the shoe box (a common feature in Japanese houses) is recommended. As for a couple it is better to go larger. Keep the substrate moist but not wet. However, you can also easily buy flake soil at many retailers specialising in keeping exotic pets. One Japanese businessman paid a staggering price of $90,000 for a particularly large pet stag beetle back in 1999, according to a report from the Associated Press. For each additional beetle, increase another 50% to the length and width of the housing. XtraordinaryPets.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I started to develop interest in arthropods since 2007, and have been keeping them for a few years. To find out how to identify larva in this PDF guide by the PTES. Always ask for a care sheet from the seller on how to take care of the beetles. Feed the giant stag beetle with cut fruits such as a slice of banana, orange, apples, or pineapple a quarter of their body size. Fill up a 1 pt (~500 mL) container with flake soil as substrates. Stag beetles can be housed in a terrarium or plastic container with a size of at least 30cm by 30cm by 30cm high that contains a good layer of flake soil, coconut fibre or topsoil substrate. I did find some links that may be of interest to you and may help you make a decision. Cover the chamber with a lid and make it ventilated. The environment should be kept humid. As mentioned before, a substrate and moss/plants help keep the environment humid. You can start to collect the grubs 2 months after first seeing the female burrows into the flake soil. There are several distinctions between how stag beetles are cared for and how rhinoceros beetles are cared for. These little stag beetles are the perfect little Bugga Buddies! Yes, I was very surprised that kuwagatas live so much longer than kabutos in the wild. review Mushi Kichi As long as you keep the bug case clean and keep humidity down, though, then they wont get out of control. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. For ease, though, store-bought beetle-specific bedding is recommended. Keep the substrates moist (but not wet) through misting using a bottle sprayer from time to time. illustrated by Des Helmore Dont use insect screens because beetles are strong and may gnaw a way out. Do not let your beetles mate if you do not intend to breed them. As a base,put dirt or store-bought bug bedding in the casefor the beetle. Place the housing in the dark. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. I am Haomaru. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Cover and ventilate the chamber. restaurants Stag Beetles are nocturnal animals and do not require any special heating/lighting equipment. However, there are multiple colour variations of the rainbow stag beetle, as well as other stag beetle species. It can tolerate temperatures as high as 86 F (30 C) and as low as 50 F (10 C). A newly hatched grub can be placed in a 1 pt (~500 mL) container with flake soil. The risk of buying an adult beetle is that you dont really know how old the beetle is. Prior to each molt, the grubs generally stop feeding. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. You might be familiar with flake soil, which is the substrates used for many beetle grubs. How much of a concern are they? When you change the substrate for the first time, transfer the grub into a bigger container: 2 qt (~2L) container for male and 1 qt (~1 L) container for female grub. Should I keep trying correct or is he dying? Beetles have little storm claws on their feet and tidily grip onto any surface. Make sure you keep the substrate moist at all times but do not add too much water to the extent that the soil becomes soaking wet as it may kill the grub. He's beautiful!! You can either buy flake soil or make your own flake soil following my recipe here. As the name suggests it is a cup with liquid fruit jelly that can be fed on almost any beetle. You could add plants and moss to the enclosure. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Stag beetles are extremely popular pets in Japan. Remember to check out our recommended books to learn more about keeping giant stag beetle. Again, I dont know how safe those methods are for kabutomushi or humans. They use it to warm up and bask under the light (more on that in the next section). Copyright 2023 Keeping Bugs. Make sure that it cant potentially be damaged for example by a ceiling fan or be lost by an open window. If you are getting the beetle from local store, look for sign of injury or lost limbs.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'xtraordinarypets_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_8',169,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-xtraordinarypets_com-medrectangle-3-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'xtraordinarypets_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_9',169,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-xtraordinarypets_com-medrectangle-3-0_1');.medrectangle-3-multi-169{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:15px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:15px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;min-width:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. The housing should be ventilated and placed away from direct sunlight. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Make sure that it will keep the air inside reasonably humid. However, dont worry it does not affect the price you pay for the product. You should be able to hold them easily. One month after you removed the female beetle, you can search for the grubs in the rotten wood and flake soil, and move them into a separate container. All rights reserved. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Giant Stag Beetle Giant stag beetles are one of the largest beetles in the US. Please reload the CAPTCHA. Stag beetles do rather well at room temperature. Try to feed the amount that is eaten so you dont spill too much and have to throw it away. The housing of beetles is quite simple. They prefer20 to 25 degrees Celsius(68 degrees to 77 degrees Fahrenheit). I put him up the right way and he keeps turning himself on his back and looks in pain?! Keep the environment moist through misting using a bottle sprayer from time to time.