If you prefer to have a lid, be sure it’s ventilated so air can flow in and out of the cage. Blue death feigning beetles are diurnal, meaning that they are active during the day and sleep at night. However, the term also serves as perfectly fitting, and descriptive. Beetles living in a habitat with higher humidity will turn a blackish color, while beetles that are kept in low humidity, are bright blue. They also need a protein source, so dog, cat, or fish food works really well. Blue death feigning beetles can eat various fruits and veggies, as that makes up most of their diet. The difficult part about captive breeding BDFBs is that the larvae don’t tend to pupate. X Remember that the more beetles you have, the more hiding spots you will have to provide. Dean Ryder cracked the code on this one. This beetle is extremely hardy and very long-lived, not to mention fascinating to watch as it goes about its business. They cannot climb on smooth surfaces (plastic or glass). I have seen my BDFBs drink droplets from the glass of their enclosure when I mist it. Chopped organic carrots are a staple I use. Can my blue death feigning beetle be black and smooth? Blue death feigning beetles have been reported to live for up to 17 years in captivity. If you have more than 5 beetles, give them 3-4 pieces at a time. These beetles secrete a wax-like substance that protects them from the sun and gives them their blue color. Beetle Jelly is also a good food item. If the beetles get wet, they will temporarily become much darker in color. If you take good care of your Blue-Death Feigning Beetles, you may have them for years…it is said that at least one BDFB lived for 17 years!

I'm looking for another species of beetle or bug that will live peacefully with. For this reason, the blue death-feigning beetle is becoming more and more popular as a pet, and just may be the best pet beetle. In this thread, he indicated how they will pupate when isolated in their own containers at temperatures between 80 and 88 F: http://arachnoboards.com/threads/inducing-bdfb-to-pupate.280289/. No it can’t, but you can choose other species of feigning beetle that are black and smooth. When they feel threatened, they stop moving, roll on their backs, and feign death. Give it some time and make sure that you have it in a comfortable environment. It is highly adaptable to hot environments and feeds on fruit, dead insects, and sometimes even plant matter. Crickets or mealworms that have recently died can be given on occasion. It’s not necessary that they get insects but some beetles really enjoy them. This article has been viewed 42,772 times. The larvae look a lot like mealworms, although they get larger. Try not to pick up your beetle too fast, pick them up slowly. I also offer zucchini, cucumber, sweet potato, apples, melon, and orange. Housing blue death feigning beetles is very simple. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

[1] 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. This beetle has been known to feign death when threatened. Vegetables and fruits provide both food and water to your Blue Death-Feigning Beetles. This website saves cookies to your browser in order to improve your online experience and show you personalized content. These beetles will not bite, and are perfectly safe to hold in your hands. Keep reading to learn how to choose the best foods for your beetles! Just make sure you are gentle! Approved.

Cholla cactus skeletons look decorative, and naturally occur in the habitat of Blue Death-Feigning Beetles: You can also collect your own decor, but make sure it does not introduce any unwanted creatures to your beetles’ enclosure. My granddaughter's tank looks like its covered in a thin layer of white dust. They can successfully live with most other desert beetle species, scorpions, and velvet ants. Do blue death feigning beetles mate more than once? Remember, these beetles pretend that they are dead, so you will have to make sure. If you have an extra-large habitat, you can also find heat mats at your local pet store that can be put under the tank to help keep the beetles comfortable. I personally use a mix of 50% sand, about 20% reptisoil, 10% coco fiber, and 20% bark that I found and … Blue Death Feigning Beetle Facts First of all, the name of the Blue Death Feigning Beetle remains rather unique, to put it mildly. I stick with the general rule, 2 beetles per gallon, as they are very small. wikiHow's. Substrate- Since Blue Death Feigning beetles are native to the desert, a sand substrate is ideal. 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 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. References

They like to be safely hidden away at night.

You can sex blue death feigning beetles by checking their antennae. Notice if there are any fruits they eat faster than others. They need it as low as possible.

Blue death feigning beetles are communal and I have noticed mine enjoys living with his darkling beetle roommates. They can also be found on sand dunes, or at the base of many desert plants. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. How big should the cage be (in gallons) for my blue death feigning beetles? Males will have small but visibly noticeable hairs extending from the antennae. Blue-Death Feigning Beetles, since they are desert animals, do well with a dry desert substrate. Very excited to have these lovely little creatures in my home. You can bury it if you like. They have a tendency to play dead when they are stressed or bothered. Get a custom drawing of your pet, in wikiHow style! For my small my bugarium, I use heat and light with this fixture: I use a 23-watt daylight bulb like this: For my 20-gallon long enclosure, I use a fixture and bulb like these: Note that the bulbs are only used to provide heat and visible light.

What does it mean when my beetle does not move for hours after I bought it? After some time, you’ll have a good idea of how much fruit they can eat within 48 hours. For an attractive enclosure with excellent visibility and ventilation, I prefer to use glass enclosures with screen lids, such as these: The enclosure above could easily house 6-10 beetles, as long as plenty of hides and surface area are offered. So as mentioned, humidity strips them of their blue coloration. Blue Death-Feigning Beetles are quite hardy, and can live long lives at room temperature with ambient light. :). 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. 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. Housing blue death feigning beetles is very simple. If you are going to raise these, be ready to do it for a long time. Do these beetles need any lighting or heating? It can accumulate on the beetles' feet and become hazardous to their health. Blue death feigning beetles have been successfully kept with desert hairy scorpions. I hope y’all have as much success keeping them as I do! 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. At least 100 gallons; any smaller and they will die. Try adding these extra treats a couple times per week. However, different species require different nutritional intakes. You can get 50 lbs. The beetles are active, so they need some space to move around in. "Very easy-to-follow setup information - specifically, the sub straight and how to determine the proper size, "These are beautiful and adorable. I hope y’all enjoyed the care sheet, and learned something too! For substrate, sand, or a mix of sand and coco fiber works well. 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. Once you figure out their favorites, rotate between them. I use enclosures with metal screens, which allows me to provide heat and light from a lamp. 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. 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. If your beetles seem to dark, yet u should probably improve ventilation and/or reduce the amount of water that enters their habitat.

For substrate, sand, or a mix of sand and coco fiber works well. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback.

Read our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy to get more information and learn how to set up your preferences. 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.

Beetles can bask in the heat of the bulb if they want, or hide under the branches and leaves you provide to stay cool. Also, as their name suggests, if startled they can actually play dead. They might get used to handling, such as not playing dead after being picked up, but they won’t recognize you from other humans. Will blue death feigning beetles get used to their owners? No water dish is required, and they can be fed foods such as apples, carrots, and dog and cat foods. Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0 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. They can also eat small insects such as mealworms, crickets, and dubias, but they will if had to be previously killed. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/53\/Care-for-Blue-Death-Feigning-Beetles-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Care-for-Blue-Death-Feigning-Beetles-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/53\/Care-for-Blue-Death-Feigning-Beetles-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid5806397-v4-728px-Care-for-Blue-Death-Feigning-Beetles-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"