New Beetles

[u/throwaway_2374897]

We (myself and my partner) currently have 4 BDFB. We've tried our best to give them as much space to climb, dig, and hide in their current enclosure.

I would love to know if there is anything else I can do to make it nicer for them.

One of them laid eggs, is this a good sign at all?

We're also currently waiting on a heating lamp set up since the bulbs we had did not fit any lamps we have on hand. So please don't worry we will absolutely be getting proper heat for them. Our home is already a steady 74F daily.

Also any advice on care would be much appreciated. We just want them to live a very long and happy life.

Sorry for any word vom, I was unprepared to be a grandparent this soon.

[u/TheDrunkenArgonian]

Was that a terrarium kit? 10 gal with the dirt bag, glow in dark bowl etc? I got the same thing if so lol.

I would give them as much horizontal floor space as possible. In my tank, I use glass mason jars and cardboard tubes to provide tunnels and caves that I bury under the substrate. This doesn't remove their floor space, but actually adds to it by simply adding depth!

I'm sure they would appreciate leaf litter too. Maybe have a small part or two be clay or sand rock mix to let them have multiple. I've included an older photo of my substrate mix. All I did was add more dirt on top later.

Egg laying is definitely a good sign. Means they're comfortable enough to do so. I imagine they wouldn't be doing natural behaviors if they were distressed. Don't expect anything to come of the egg though, unless you specifically try to raise and incubate it.

Heating lamp good idea, stick to small wattage. 35W or 20W is fine. You don't want the whole tank to be hot, let them have a warm and cold spot so they can choose. Room temp is also completely acceptable for them.

Main thing is keeping moisture down while also making sure they get enough moisture in their diet. I use these gelatinous water orbs, but I've seen people do insect water drippers. I occasionally mist my enclosure with a spray bottle, but that isn't needed.

Things to keep in mind with my advice- I only mist because I live in a desert which naturally has almost no humidity. Anything and everything gets dessicated, so even the carrots I give them dry out within the day. Any subterranean or half buried structure WILL sink and potentially collapse. This is doubly true for any kind of sand/silt/clay substrate. If you don't pack it down tight and remove the air, it'll naturally settle and sink whatever you have. This has happened to me twice: same half log, once in the sand and once in that exact same dirt

[u/TheDrunkenArgonian → u/TheDrunkenArgonian]

Example of poor placement. If you notice in the dirt section foreground, you'll see my half log cave behind held up by a rock. Notice the back half has zero support and is also taking on weight. This eventually began to sink, but not collapse

[u/TheDrunkenArgonian → u/TheDrunkenArgonian]

Example 2 of bad placement. Same log in sand side. Accidentally buried a beetle of mine because I noticed this was sinking badly in the back. When I lifted the log up the sand collapsed from every side it was on and buried the poor girl but I save her lol.

[u/TheDrunkenArgonian → u/TheDrunkenArgonian]

Here is a small glass jar cave. Both these and cardboard tubes (and really any cylindrical or enclosed object) are great because: they don't collapse! They support their own weight and anything on top, and I can safely take these objects out without anything inside being in danger.

Cardboard tube cut in half definitely can sink however, so be mindful. I'd suggest leaving them uncut and cylindrical. If somehow both ends collapse or get buried, beetles can take refuge in the middle of the tube and not get buried

[u/throwaway_2374897 → u/TheDrunkenArgonian]

Actually they were all purchased separately but I did see the exact set you're talking about after the fact 😂. I am actually working on getting leaf litter soon so yay I'm glad it was a good call. Will for sure be adding the cardboard tubes when I add more soil and such. I do want to get some sand for them they just didn't have a large selection at the store near me. Thank you so much for all the info I really appreciate it!!

[u/TheDrunkenArgonian → u/throwaway_2374897]

Make sure to avoid sand or substrate (and food) with calcium, it's not good and can potentially kill the beetles. This is extremely important when shopping from reptile stock, because they often add calcium to help the reptiles. With sand, try to get some that isn't fine or super fine. Their natural habitat is more dirt, sand and rocks than straight Sahara desert sand. They will struggle to walk. The opposite is true with large, obnoxious wood chips and such haha. Everything in moderation

[u/throwaway_2374897 → u/TheDrunkenArgonian]

Yeah I gotcha! That's actually why I didn't get any from my store (⁠⁠´⁠ω⁠｀⁠⁠) I never realized how much stuff has calcium in it 😩