% of people told us that this article helped them. Research source. Also called the Blue Death-Feigning Beetle. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! It is a desert species native to the American southwest and a member of the darkling beetle family. Some keepers will also mix in coconut fiber or peat moss into the sand. This beetle has been known to play … ... and a little bit of dry coconut fiber as their substrate and it is about 3/4 of an inch deep. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. If you notice it is getting too high, mist the habitat once every other week. What does it mean when my beetle does not move for hours after I bought it? Read all the great reviews, below! If you use live plants, there is a good chance that your beetles will slowly eat them. The color of the beetles is based on the relative humidity. asbolus mexicanus - mexican death feigning beetle. They are omnivorous beetles, with a preference for protein-rich food. Class Insecta, Order Coleoptera, Family Tenebrionidae. $14.99. It is likely just in shock from you moving it from one habitat to another. Give your beetle a home that’s 5 times taller and wider than its length. 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. 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. 10-20 years! The larvae look a lot like mealworms, although they get larger. However, different species require different nutritional intakes. Close. for under $5 USD, at least in my area. Pet Blue Death Feigning Beetles - YouTube. Blue Death-Feigning Beetles are quite hardy, and can live long lives at room temperature with ambient light. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Try lifting up rocks and pieces of wood. Taking care of beetle larvae (grubs) Housing grubs. Substrate - Since Blue Death Feigning beetles are native to the desert, a sand substrate is ideal. Blue death feigning beetles do very well in captivity, and are popular as pets. Although the substrate and depth I keep the substrate at are not good for breeding and egg-laying, it is fine for the adult beetles. 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. 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. Blue-Death Feigning Beetles, since they are desert animals, do well with a dry desert substrate. I also offer zucchini, cucumber, sweet potato, apples, melon, and orange. 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. Blue death feigning beetle attacking others? or Buy It Now. Be careful to not make the habitat too crowded with decorations. Try adding these extra treats a couple times per week. The little guy in my site's icon is one of my blue death-feigning beetles (Asbolus verrucosus). 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. Cookies are short reports that are sent and stored on the hard drive of the user's computer through your browser when it connects to a web. Notice if there are any fruits they eat faster than others. 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! As dirt may begin to accumulate on their legs and feet if it 's too moist collect and store data... How I care for my blue death feigning beetles, sometimes also called Ironclad beetles, native. Freeze up and play dead when frightened, although they get larger to! To wikiHow walls, so you don ’ t, but they ’ re allow... Reader-Approved once it receives enough positive feedback you feed your beetles will slowly eat them substrate. 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