Give it some time and make sure that you have it in a comfortable environment. They will get all their necessary moisture from their fresh fruits and veggies. Do not use a dirt-based substrate. You can look for them in sandy desert areas. Cover the bottom of the habitat with about 2 inches of a sand-based substrate, and include branches, twigs, and bark to provide your beetles with hiding spaces. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Blue death feigning beetles come from a desert environment, so they are quite used to not having access to large amounts of drinking water. They can’t climb up smooth surfaces so a lid is not a necessity. You can buy a glass terrarium or plastic critter keeper from a pet store, but a plastic storage bin also works. Blue death feigning beetles do not require any extra lighting, and don’t need extra heat, as they thrive in temps of 70-85ish. Housing blue death feigning beetles is very simple. For substrate, sand, or a mix of sand and coco fiber works well. [1] X Fortunately, the beetles cannot climb smooth glass or plastic. I'm looking for another species of beetle or bug that will live peacefully with. I recommend buying a glass enclosure this large at a local pet store, or even used from local online classifieds, rather than online, to save money: On the simple side, a plastic pet keeper such as this can work: You could even use a plastic bin like this, as far as the beetles are concerned, although the best observation of your beetles would be from above, and you would likely want to leave the lid off for good ventilation. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Blue death feigning beetles are communal and I have noticed mine enjoys living with his darkling beetle roommates. This beetle has been known to feign death when threatened. Blueys live up to 10 years with proper care, but 5-8 is more common. Can my blue death feigning beetle be black and smooth? You may want to invest in a heater if the temperature drops below 70 degrees. I hope y’all enjoyed the care sheet, and learned something too! If you take good care of your Blue-Death Feigning Beetles, you may have them f… If your beetles seem to dark, yet u should probably improve ventilation and/or reduce the amount of water that enters their habitat. If you have more than 5 beetles, give them 3-4 pieces at a time. The beetles do not need any lighting. Easy to care for, cant harm you, easy to house. They also need excellent ventilation. I have seen my BDFBs drink droplets from the glass of their enclosure when I mist it. ", How to Care for Blue Death Feigning Beetles, http://cincinnatizoo.org/news-releases/blue-death-feigning-beetle-emerges-in-time-to-celebrate-world-of-the-insects-40th-anniversary-at-the-cincinnati-zoo/, https://www.keepinginsects.com/beetle/care/, http://arachnoboards.com/threads/death-feigning-beeltes.205905/, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Will blue death feigning beetles get used to their owners? I personally use a mix of 50% sand, about 20% reptisoil, 10% coco fiber, and 20% bark that I found and … They can successfully live with most other desert beetle species, scorpions, and velvet ants. Blue death feigning beetles are found in the SouthWest U.S. but are also commonly found in Mexico. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 42,772 times. A Blue Death-Feigning Beetle enclosure can be fairly simple and inexpensive, or it can be much more elaborate. Housing blue death feigning beetles is very simple. Beetle Jelly is also a good food item. % of people told us that this article helped them. Mine will eat dead crickets as seen here: They also eat dried river shrimp, which are sold as food for aquarium fish and turtles: Another high-protein food source they will eat is pet food, such as fish flakes, or cat or dog food. Blue death feigning beetles have been successfully kept with desert hairy scorpions. Blue-Death Feigning Beetles, since they are desert animals, do well with a dry desert substrate. Remember, these beetles pretend that they are dead, so you will have to make sure. Some keepers will also mix in coconut fiber or peat moss into the sand. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. When they feel threatened, they stop moving, roll on their backs, and feign death. Dean Ryder cracked the code on this one. While fruits will provide vital nutrients and water, it’s nice to vary the food you give the beetles so they don’t get bored. They need it as low as possible. I stick with the general rule, 2 beetles per gallon, as they are very small. In addition to a dry, sand substrate, Blue-Death Feigning Beetles appreciate plenty of rocks and pieces of wood to climb on and to hide among. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Unlike many reptiles, Blue Death Feigning Beetles do not require UVB lighting. "Very easy-to-follow setup information - specifically, the sub straight and how to determine the proper size, "These are beautiful and adorable. It can accumulate on the beetles' feet and become hazardous to their health. Just make sure you are gentle! Their beautiful appearance, interesting behavior, long lifespan, and easy care makes them a popular insect to keep. Even if you choose to fulfill your beetles’ nutritional requirements with commercial beetle food, you should still give fruits, vegetables, bark, and other treats to the beetles once or twice per week to give them some variety in their diet. My granddaughter's tank looks like its covered in a thin layer of white dust. Be careful to not make the habitat too crowded with decorations. This beetle is extremely hardy and very long-lived, not to mention fascinating to watch as it goes about its business. Healthy Blue Death-Feigning Beetles kept in appropriate humidity and good ventilation have a light blue color to them, from the waxy secretion that protects them from the sun. Try adding these extra treats a couple times per week. Females will have small hairs, but they are so small you can barely see them. Blue Death-Feigning Beetles will mate and lay eggs often in captive conditions, as long as you keep males and females together. The unique coloration of the blue death-feigning beetle is due to a waxy secretion that may help protect the beetle from the hot sun. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. for under $5 USD, at least in my area. After some time, you’ll have a good idea of how much fruit they can eat within 48 hours. Beetles living in a habitat with higher humidity will turn a blackish color, while beetles that are kept in low humidity, are bright blue. References Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window). Blue death feigning beetles are diurnal, meaning that they are active during the day and sleep at night. If you live in an area of high humidity, you may want to invest in a hygrometer to measure the level of humidity in the terrarium. A water dish is not necessary as if they fall in or get wet from it, they will temporarily turn black, for up to weeks at a time. If you notice it is getting too high, mist the habitat once every other week. Get a custom drawing of your pet, in wikiHow style! Very excited to have these lovely little creatures in my home. I also offer zucchini, cucumber, sweet potato, apples, melon, and orange. If you’d rather keep plants as decoration and not beetle food, try adding fake plants instead. Blue death feigning beetles can eat various fruits and veggies, as that makes up most of their diet. Beetles can’t climb glass or plastic walls, so you don’t need a lid for the habitat. Females can mate repeatedly. They really like places to hide, so foliage, log hides, and branches work great for them. What should I do with my beetle if it dies? They do have an unusually long lifespan, living up to 17 years in captivity, so be prepared for the long commitment if you plan to adopt a few. If the beetles get wet, they will temporarily become much darker in color. First, make sure that it is actually dead. By using our site, you agree to our. You can also increase the ventilation in the habitat by removing the lid of the habitat, if you have one. When disturbed, the blue death-feigning beetle may become completely immobile for some time, Hence the term ‘death-feigning’. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. If you have several beetles, be sure to break the bark into a few pieces and scatter them around their habitat so everyone can have a chance at finding some. They also need a protein source, so dog, cat, or fish food works really well. Beetles can bask in the heat of the bulb if they want, or hide under the branches and leaves you provide to stay cool. They can’t climb up smooth surfaces so a lid is not a necessity. Last Updated: March 29, 2019 I hope y’all have as much success keeping them as I do! If you would like, you can wear gloves or use tongs to move the beetles. Vegetables and fruits provide both food and water to your Blue Death-Feigning Beetles. Usually, beetle larvae eat what adults eat. Asbolus verrucosus, also known as the desert ironclad beetle or blue death feigning beetle, is a species of darkling beetle native to the deserts of the Southwestern United States, mainly the Sonoran desert. Notice if there are any fruits they eat faster than others. Crickets or mealworms that have recently died can be given on occasion. Remember that the more beetles you have, the more hiding spots you will have to provide. For more information on Blue Death-Feigning Beetles, check out my videos: Enter your email address to subscribe to the Podcast and receive notifications of new posts by email. You can buy it ready-made, or watch my video to learn how to make your own: Juicy vegetables, fruits, and beetle jelly will provide enough water for your beetles. You can sex blue death feigning beetles by checking their antennae. If you live in the South-Western United States, then finding blue death feigning beetles could be an option for you. Blue Death Feigning Beetle Facts First of all, the name of the Blue Death Feigning Beetle remains rather unique, to put it mildly.

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