I have an extra aquarium that my boyfriend wants to put a rhino beetle in. Since of course ill be the one tending it, I have a few questions...
In order for them to live for more than a year....
Can I use cocofiber as a substrate?
What are their dietary needs? I read bananas and apples, as well as mollases, but in the wild they dont necessarily have access to that...
What are their humidity requirements?
How many beetles can co exist? Our are they strictly solitary?
Where can I even find these things?
Rhino beetles? Anyone have experience??
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pandaincognito
Topic author - Posts: 597
- Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2016 9:47 am
- Location: coastal texas
Rhino beetles? Anyone have experience??
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2 small pp, smeegle (m), shellshock (m); 1 small/medium pp, shelldon (f), 1 medium/large pp, Godzilla (m)
1 dog, bender the min pin. And one betta named Henry. I dont know if its a boy or a girl, its still pretty young.
2 small pp, smeegle (m), shellshock (m); 1 small/medium pp, shelldon (f), 1 medium/large pp, Godzilla (m)
1 dog, bender the min pin. And one betta named Henry. I dont know if its a boy or a girl, its still pretty young.
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pandaincognito
Topic author - Posts: 597
- Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2016 9:47 am
- Location: coastal texas
Re: Rhino beetles? Anyone have experience??
I'm sorry. I researched it but the aren't many detailed care sheets coming up for me.... I'm finding more ok paying mantis than I am beetles...
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2 small pp, smeegle (m), shellshock (m); 1 small/medium pp, shelldon (f), 1 medium/large pp, Godzilla (m)
1 dog, bender the min pin. And one betta named Henry. I dont know if its a boy or a girl, its still pretty young.
2 small pp, smeegle (m), shellshock (m); 1 small/medium pp, shelldon (f), 1 medium/large pp, Godzilla (m)
1 dog, bender the min pin. And one betta named Henry. I dont know if its a boy or a girl, its still pretty young.
Re: Rhino beetles? Anyone have experience??
Dynastinae (rhino beetles) are not really easy to care for and breed. With a few exceptions..
They need a substrate of 1/2 "forest humus" (first layer from forests composed of leafed trees only, mainly oaks) mixed with 1/2 (a bit more than 1/2) rotting oak- or beech wood, not normal rotting one, the white, lightweight one which is being corroded my a certain fungus.
Substrate should be, depending on species 15-40cm high and slightly moist, like forest floor.
Depending on species the males will life for 1-4 months as adult beetles. Females also, but you will rarely see females, they mate and stay underground to lay their eggs, they will sometimes come up to feed a night.
Males also stay burrowed most oft the time, at night they often fly, so I wouldn't recommend putting the tank next to your bed. They are INCREDIBLY loud while flying.
You can keep a Pair or a trio (1.2), NEVER two males.
Which species does he want exactly?
They need a substrate of 1/2 "forest humus" (first layer from forests composed of leafed trees only, mainly oaks) mixed with 1/2 (a bit more than 1/2) rotting oak- or beech wood, not normal rotting one, the white, lightweight one which is being corroded my a certain fungus.
Substrate should be, depending on species 15-40cm high and slightly moist, like forest floor.
Depending on species the males will life for 1-4 months as adult beetles. Females also, but you will rarely see females, they mate and stay underground to lay their eggs, they will sometimes come up to feed a night.
Males also stay burrowed most oft the time, at night they often fly, so I wouldn't recommend putting the tank next to your bed. They are INCREDIBLY loud while flying.
You can keep a Pair or a trio (1.2), NEVER two males.
Which species does he want exactly?
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pandaincognito
Topic author - Posts: 597
- Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2016 9:47 am
- Location: coastal texas
Re: Rhino beetles? Anyone have experience??
Im guessing the Hercules beetle, those are the ones commonly found in the Japanese vending machines. He's seen a YouTube video about vending machines and it explained that rhino beetles are a fun and inexpensive pet, that's why they are popular over their. After doing a lot of searching and pulling up only one seller that will ship to Texas we both decided that getting ahold of these things is way too difficult. Instead of that, this five gallon is going to remain the ISO tank.
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2 small pp, smeegle (m), shellshock (m); 1 small/medium pp, shelldon (f), 1 medium/large pp, Godzilla (m)
1 dog, bender the min pin. And one betta named Henry. I dont know if its a boy or a girl, its still pretty young.
2 small pp, smeegle (m), shellshock (m); 1 small/medium pp, shelldon (f), 1 medium/large pp, Godzilla (m)
1 dog, bender the min pin. And one betta named Henry. I dont know if its a boy or a girl, its still pretty young.
Re: Rhino beetles? Anyone have experience??
Well, "inexpensive" might not be the right term..
1 Dynastes hercules larva costs about 50 dollar in second instar, which means it has about another year to grow unnoticed inside the substrate.
Adult beetles are far more expensive, depending on size and the length of their horns.
D. hercules only lives about 70 days as adult beetle, and about 600 days as larva.
The larvae of this species are also not very hardy.
The most popular species over in japan are Allomyrina dichotoma. This species is more hardy, and the development of it's larvae is also much shorter. Also far cheaper.
Also, I would not recommend getting a single beetle as pet. As I said, they have a very short lifespan.
The 5 gallons would be far too small for pretty much any species of rhino beetle.
If you still want beetles, I would recommend Chlorocala africana (any subspecies) or some of the easier Eudicella species as well as most Pachnoda species.
They develop fast, are small, beautiful and can be kept in groups. Also they don't need much space. (well, maybe still more than 5 gallons..).
These flower beetle species are also diurnal, instead of the strictly nocturnal lifestyle the dynastinae have.
They are slso more active and fly around often.
1 Dynastes hercules larva costs about 50 dollar in second instar, which means it has about another year to grow unnoticed inside the substrate.
Adult beetles are far more expensive, depending on size and the length of their horns.
D. hercules only lives about 70 days as adult beetle, and about 600 days as larva.
The larvae of this species are also not very hardy.
The most popular species over in japan are Allomyrina dichotoma. This species is more hardy, and the development of it's larvae is also much shorter. Also far cheaper.
Also, I would not recommend getting a single beetle as pet. As I said, they have a very short lifespan.
The 5 gallons would be far too small for pretty much any species of rhino beetle.
If you still want beetles, I would recommend Chlorocala africana (any subspecies) or some of the easier Eudicella species as well as most Pachnoda species.
They develop fast, are small, beautiful and can be kept in groups. Also they don't need much space. (well, maybe still more than 5 gallons..).
These flower beetle species are also diurnal, instead of the strictly nocturnal lifestyle the dynastinae have.
They are slso more active and fly around often.
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pandaincognito
Topic author - Posts: 597
- Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2016 9:47 am
- Location: coastal texas
Re: Rhino beetles? Anyone have experience??
Yeah, they're too difficult to find for my taste. Insects are fun critters to keep but im happy with my hermit crabs. Theyre buggy enough for me. Thanks so much for the information. Where they are cool looking beetles, they're hard to find and have short lifespans like most bugs do...
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2 small pp, smeegle (m), shellshock (m); 1 small/medium pp, shelldon (f), 1 medium/large pp, Godzilla (m)
1 dog, bender the min pin. And one betta named Henry. I dont know if its a boy or a girl, its still pretty young.
2 small pp, smeegle (m), shellshock (m); 1 small/medium pp, shelldon (f), 1 medium/large pp, Godzilla (m)
1 dog, bender the min pin. And one betta named Henry. I dont know if its a boy or a girl, its still pretty young.
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wodesorel
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Re: Rhino beetles? Anyone have experience??
Much cheaper in the states! Bugs in Cyber Space has them for $15 - http://shop.bugsincyberspace.com/Dynast ... bic981.htm
It's not the same species as the Japanese ones, these are actually native to the US. I have always wanted to see one in the wild. They're found in Ohio, but not often.
It's not the same species as the Japanese ones, these are actually native to the US. I have always wanted to see one in the wild. They're found in Ohio, but not often.
Want to see all my crazy pets? @waywardwaifs on Instagram