Fun food experimenting for your beetles?

Probably not what you're looking for, but up here in the Pacific Northwest we have lots of Scaphinotus snail eating beetles. It's fun to watch them play tug of war over bits of dead snail or slug. I'm more into the predatory beetles than the wood or leaf eaters.

 
This is not my experience, but I've heard that some japanese people use ramen noodles as additives for rearing beetle larvae. lol

 
P. truncatus are carnivorous so there a few things you can try. I've had some success with earthworms I have dug up in the yard.

 
Amici Con Coleotteri said:
My cats go wild for shed snake skins (I have 2 carpet pythons and a cali king), my A. verrucosus seem to enjoy the crunchy treats as well.
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LOL! Okay, I think that's the weirdest food treat so far! But, I guess it makes sense for a desert beetle to eat snake skins. Mmmm... Yummy keratin... I wonder if they'll eat fingernails and hair?

Cheers

 
Bill Myers said:
LOL! Okay, I think that's the weirdest food treat so far! But, I guess it makes sense for a desert beetle to eat snake skins. Mmmm... Yummy keratin... I wonder if they'll eat fingernails and hair?

Cheers
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I bet they would! I actually got the idea from a snake farm in PA. It's essentially a big zoo of primarily snakes, duh, but they also have a few big cats, crocodiles, and primates. One day I went and all the big cats and primates had these huge skins (prob from the resident retics and burmese pythons). The primates you could imagine throw em and eat em and rip em etc etc etc they get EXCITED! As for the big cats, ever see an adult mountain lion turn into a playful kitten? Give em a snake skin!
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I just threw in a pre-killed cricket (flukers can of crickets, not freeze dried) and they went crazy over it. They dragged it all over at various points in the tank, taking turns with it. Oh, for my blue death feigning beetles, by the way. I've read they are mostly herbivores, but also heard they will scavenge on dead stuff. It seems they only occasionally nibble on the fruit I give them, but love the protein. (fish flakes)

 
Trailblazr80 said:
I just threw in a pre-killed cricket (flukers can of crickets, not freeze dried) and they went crazy over it. They dragged it all over at various points in the tank, taking turns with it. Oh, for my blue death feigning beetles, by the way. I've read they are mostly herbivores, but also heard they will scavenge on dead stuff. It seems they only occasionally nibble on the fruit I give them, but love the protein. (fish flakes)
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I do the same. They seem to really enjoy the flakes (as well as cichlid pellets) and juicy crickets.

I've also found that seashells, especially those of scallops, make great reusable or disposable food dishes for tiny feeders like BDF beetles, i just toss em when they get funky which only happens with wet foods.

P.S. Found a long strand of skin in my python tank...trying to initiate a tug of war in my death feigning colony.
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Amici Con Coleotteri said:
I do the same. They seem to really enjoy the flakes (as well as cichlid pellets) and juicy crickets.

I've also found that seashells, especially those of scallops, make great reusable or disposable food dishes for tiny feeders like BDF beetles, i just toss em when they get funky which only happens with wet foods.

P.S. Found a long strand of skin in my python tank...trying to initiate a tug of war in my death feigning colony.
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I'll have to try the cichlid pellets- the tropical fish flakes I use seem to get mixed results. They'll eat some and throw the others out of their "lid" dish. The shells sound like a good idea, have to try that. Sounds like it would give a more natural look.

 
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Trailblazr80 said:
I'll have to try the cichlid pellets- the tropical fish flakes I use seem to get mixed results. They'll eat some and throw the others out of their "lid" dish. The shells sound like a good idea, have to try that. Sounds like it would give a more natural look.
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It does, plus they are shallow and allow some grip for little beetle feet. I also have the issue of dumped flakes, hence i switched to the cichlid pellets for the compact size. I get mixed results with everything i use, but aren't we all picky?

 
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