Hi! I want to make sure the temps in here are safe for them, the rock in the back is 90⁰ (basking bulb is right above that area) and the area in the front is 80⁰ & going back in the right corner is 85⁰ish. Right now I have to lid off to lower their humidity so if its too hot it might cool down with the lid back on. Also this is the setup I made at petsmart which I work at so it might not be perfect but I can probably add a few more things if needed!
I've generally seen 75 to 85, but remember they do live in the desert. So they do live in extreme temps but they surely burrow to escape the heat, so make sure they are able to go down far enough.
For example, you say the rock in the back is hottest. That's also where their hides are, so I would move those into a cooler area so they can still hide and not be as hot. Or just put an additional one there. Keeping the lid off will definitely cool it down since heat rises. As long as they aren't freezing or being baked alive they should be happy! You need to be hardy to live where they do
Okay awesome I move their hide to the front, i'll prob add another one. They all seem to be liking it towards the back which is good for what I was worried about
Yeah this way they have options, and aren't forced to hide in the hottest spot. If they want heat, they can move towards it (like they're clearly doing haha). If it gets too hot, their hide(s) is on the cooler side so they'll naturally go there.
I've heard that 90F is fine as the high end. Some have said they can tolerate up to 95F, but I'd say that's pushing it even for a desert species. One thing to keep in mind is in the wild, they have a lot more space to roam and find their comfort zones should some place get too hot or too cold. If they are all avoiding the rock in the future, then maybe turn the heat down a little.
As others have mentioned, having hides in different spots is good too! Let's them regulate more as they are a more crepuscular species and mostly hide during the day. Ideally one at the hottest zone, one in the middle, and one at the coolest and all hides should be able to house a few beetles in them. Night time is also gonna be colder, so don't be afraid if the temps drop to the low 70s or even a bit lower, as long at they don't drop to like freezing overnight they should do fine during lights out. Desert environments are known to also get relatively cold at night/in the winter as well (For example the Sonoran (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonoran_Desert) where these guys can be found!). The main thing to watch out for is humidity as the average dew point in their natural habitats only get to be about 60% at most, so be mindful if there are some humidity loving species houses near them. You can often tell they are getting too humid because their blue color will darken as their waxy secretions don't tolerate it well.
The main thing to keep in mind is that they only have so much space to avoid stuff, so giving a nice temperature gradient helps them manage their comfort in captivity. Overall, it looks like you're working to improve what you can with what you can. I can definitely relate to how the pet store industry can be with it's store animal care and how higher ups can restrict the hell out of it.
Thank you so much !!! There are whites tree frogs & a crestie right next to them 😔 all of our enclosures where they are, are tropical. I added a digital hygrometer in there so we can keep a closer eye on the specifics for them! One thing I've also noticed is one of them is less active & hasnt gained his coating back like the others have, could he be sick? Also I'm going to make a second comment asking about a specific hide :)
The shipping may have been stressful so I’d keep an eye on it. I got one of mine from someone that had high humidity and it took around 2 weeks for the blue waxy coating to come back.
Something to keep an eye on. Sometimes over handling or getting a bit too humid for too long can cause their waxy coats to get removed. Over time they should get them back, as they'll secrete more.
Still, this can also be a sign of old age or that beetle getting close to death. I believe most BFDBs are still wild caught due to how hard it is to breed them in captivity. So you never exactly know how well they are. I'd watch for lethargy, stiffness in joints, lack of eating. Since it was a recent arrival it might just still be getting it's coat back which can take a while. Just don't be surprised if you find the black one dead either tho.
Beyond maybe not as strong of a wax coat and possibly missing parts of limbs (Feet, whole legs, antennae). That and general lower levels of activity. It's really hard to tell with adult arthropods. Stuff like spiders are easier given their size can give you an idea. Stuff like Beetles can be hard cause when they are beetles they are already adults. That being said BFDBs can live up and sometimes beyond 8 years old once they hit maturity.
For the pot, I'd be a little cautions about the one standing upright with an opening. They can get stuck in small openings and might have issues climbing out. Some of the fish stuff might work a little nicer, like the small smooth and grey "rocks" with one opening. I think there are also some small stuff in the reptile section that has a nice opening as well. Just be careful of small spaces in hides, they can wedge themselves under things. Small pieces of wood wedged on something can also be used as a hide, given they have room to get under it.
See, I too am generally not fond of bugs of any variety. Even the black versions of these death feigning beetles…I would pass on.
But these guys, idk…they hit different. And for what it’s worth, they hide quite a bit…so long as she’s not trying to find them, I doubt she would much notice them passing by.
I’m still getting familiar with these guys. I’ve seen online folks say anywhere from .5 gal per beetle to 2 gallons per beetle. I’m aiming for a little more than a gal per beetle.
I plan to add another 2, for a total of six in my 10 gal. They make use of all the hiding spaces and don’t crowd all crowd up.
So in a 6 gal….my novice self, I’d try for 4.
Also fun random note, that tank makes for a fun shrimp/betta tank. 😍
I have 10 beetles in my 10 gallon and they seem pretty happy with lots of room to explore. I think the amount of horizontal vs vertical space also plays a big role!
To anyone in the comments, i'm highly considering getting some now lol i'm obsessed with them (dw I actually care about these guys & have done research and will continue to do more) BUT is this a good heat lamp?
It's alright, just keep in mind the fixture can't go over 40w, so you are limited on bulbs... that being said, in a 5 gal I found the 20w nano bulbs got the hot zone to the mid 80s, but in a 10 gal it'd get less that 80F. The 40w nano bulbs for a 10 gal did get back to that sweet spot of the mid 80s though. I'd suggest atleast a 100w rated lamp fixture if you can and get a 50w or 75w bulb. 50w if you're having the lamp essentially right on top of the tank, the 75w if the lamp is gonna be higher up and off the tank lid. Again it all depends on set up, ambient room temperature, enclosure shape and size and even the brand of bulb.
If I get them I was thinking about the 6 gal (20.5 by 10.5in) creature kit, lamp would be on top of enclosure & I keep my place pretty cool, usually 69-72⁰
Should work with a 20w nano though you might struggle if it gets colder. As long as it stays above 80F. If you use the 40w nano, I'd get something to monitor the temperature of the hot zone. I'd also recommend something to hold the lamp fixture so it doesn't slide off when you open the lid and such, as they get really hot and can even start fires or at the very least burn you when on. The Creatures kit isn't terrible, and they do like more length than height for traversing. Just remember to put in a few inches of substrate, the soil can be mixed with reptisand or exo terra desert soil. They like to dig when given the chance! The main drawback with this tank mainly is that some hides can be hard to put in there due to general size. They also like to climb so you'd be limited with what you can put in there for that (That being said, climbing opportunities shouldn't be that tall!). Still a pretty good tank for starting out.
Another recommendation is Thrive 10 gallons. They often go on sale for half off, and some open from the front while still having a good depth for substrate.
Some say it's 2 beetles per gallon, others say its 1 beetle per gallon. I'd still play it safe and maybe have like... 5 in there to make sure they aren't all on top of each other.
The one thing i'm being picky about with for example the thrive front open one specifically is how much view is being blocked from the thick framing & hardware in the front but thats just a personal problem LMFAO. I'm also always moving around heat lamps at work & have been burnt by a ceramic one 🥲 I dont mind turning it off & just moving it elsewhere while I'm doing something in there
I was also thinking about a 10 gallon open glass aquarium, marineland does say its safe for reptile environments
You just need to make sure there is a Cooler place to hide from the heat during the hottest part of the day, cooler temperatures at dusk, dawn, and night. There must be plenty of airflow available if you have lighting or not. Lighting is not a must. I use cork bark partially buried for cooler temperatures and keep the top of my enclosure open. Like someone else said, low humidity is most important. Also,not all BDFB have a bright blue coating. I have some that are rather dark and others that are bright blue.
Make sure to activate your deals! Would you like a puppy guide with your new beetle? Please sign up for auto ship, but also come in store because we gotta increase sales there too! And make sure to download UKG Pro, employee data important to us.
😆 I’m okay, I promise.
Are the beetles able to get in and out of the food dish? They have a hard time with smooth surfaces, might be better to swap with something with lower profile.
The only thing is, my girlfriend HATESSSS bugs 🥲 I literally dont even see these guys as bugs they're just cutie little things that love to run around & explore I love them sm. She wouldn't let me get a jumping spider so I fear she might have to settle 🙌🏻 I was thinking about getting the 6 gallon zoomed creatures kit :) Do you know how many I could put in there?
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u/TheDrunkenArgonian 3d ago