BDFB Deaths

[Jonesb93]

Hi,

I bought 3 asbolus verrucosus earlier this year. In the meantime, I’ve moved to a decidedly more humid location. Shortly after the move, 2 of the 3 beetles died in rapid succession and the final beetle seems considerably more sluggish than before.

The hygrometer regularly reads around 50-60% humidity (vs about 20% or so before), whereas most of their environmental factors are consistent with the conditions before the move (including diet—predominantly fruit with an occasional veggie). Could this be related to the increase in humidity? If this is not the case, what could the cause be?

thanks in advance!

 

[Lebenet]

Absolus are desertics beetles, in very dry environment... So yes, I think this can be the reason. Why change the humidity if they are good with the previous ?

 

[Hisserdude]

Yeah you should definitely keep them dryer, definitely up the ventilation, A.verrucosus like things very arid, only one small corner of the enclosure should be kept moist, the rest bone dry. Premature adult deaths are one of the more obvious signs of the humidity being too high. 

 

[Hisserdude]

Also the staple diet of pretty much any desert Tenebrionid should be protein based, like dog food or chick feed. Fruits and veggies alone may not be enough to sustain these guys, and all the desert Tenebs I've ever kept have eagerly chosen grain based protein sources over fruits or veggies...

 

[Jonesb93]

Yeah you should definitely keep them dryer, definitely up the ventilation, A.verrucosus like things very arid, only one small corner of the enclosure should be kept moist, the rest bone dry. Premature adult deaths are one of the more obvious signs of the humidity being too high. 

Understood. Do you have any tips for decreasing humidity/increasing ventilation in their enclosure?

Also the staple diet of pretty much any desert Tenebrionid should be protein based, like dog food or chick feed. Fruits and veggies alone may not be enough to sustain these guys, and all the desert Tenebs I've ever kept have eagerly chosen grain based protein sources over fruits or veggies...

Big yikes. I tried to feed them dog food on a few occasions and they seemed totally disinterested. I’ve heard fish food is a viable protein source for the beetles, is this true?

Thanks for your quick responses.

 

[Hisserdude]

Understood. Do you have any tips for decreasing humidity/increasing ventilation in their enclosure?

Big yikes. I tried to feed them dog food on a few occasions and they seemed totally disinterested. I’ve heard fish food is a viable protein source for the beetles, is this true?

Thanks for your quick responses.

Well only spray one corner of the enclosure from now on, every few days should be good, and as for increasing ventilation, well that depends on what type of container you have them in... If they're in a glass tank with a screen lid, then you obviously can't really add more ventilation, and they should be good, if they're in a plastic tub, then poke a bunch more holes in it. 

Interesting, my Tenebs went crazy for dry dog food... Fish pellets work fine too, maybe they'll work better for yours, at the very least even if they don't seem terribly interested in it, I'd offer it regularly just so they have a choice and chance to get a little protein in their system... 

 

[Peter Clausen]

I sort of doubt it is the humidity but you can pop a low wattage lamp on top of a metal screened lid and that will dry things out a bit.

 

[Hisserdude]

I sort of doubt it is the humidity but you can pop a low wattage lamp on top of a metal screened lid and that will dry things out a bit.

Well I don't know about Asbolus specifically, but excess humidity usually kills most adult desert Tenebrionids quite prematurely... The OP noted that during the recent move there was a significant spike in humidity, after which the beetles started dying... So it seems likely to me at least that excess humidity could be the problem here. 

 

[RexaDynastes3516]

Definitely has to do with humidity, that’s usually the quickest killer of any insect. Bdfb’s should be kept in super dry conditions, with occasional sources of moisture (ie: carrots, lettuce, other veggies). Their main source of food should be something dry and protein rich such as dog or cat kibbles, though.

 

[Jonesb93]

I apologize for the tardy reply. I have never sprayed their tank and they’re in a glass enclosure with a metal screened lid, is there any other way to reduce humidity? I have a 40w bulb on the tank and I don’t want to push it higher because the temperature of the cage is at an appropriate level. I’ll start offering fish food and see how it responds.

 

[Peter Clausen]

Well I don't know about Asbolus specifically, but excess humidity usually kills most adult desert Tenebrionids quite prematurely... The OP noted that during the recent move there was a significant spike in humidity, after which the beetles started dying... So it seems likely to me at least that excess humidity could be the problem here. 

I agree. It is suggestive, as the OP indicated. But it isn't conclusive with respect to these specific beetles. Average home humidity is pretty high in many areas and the OP indicated the deaths occurred "shortly" after the move. It's also worth noting for the sake of objectivity that a sample size of 3 beetles is small and sluggish is a gray term. Of course, long-term humidity will cause issues in my experience but in the short term those levels of humidity will not cause 66% of a population of beetles to die, with "shortly" also being a gray term. 

Questions for Jonesb93 and further discussion. What temperature is your tank, what size is it, and so you have rocks or other hides for the beetle(s) to hide under, is the bulb an incandescent one or fluorescent?

 

[Jonesb93]

I agree. It is suggestive, as the OP indicated. But it isn't conclusive with respect to these specific beetles. Average home humidity is pretty high in many areas and the OP indicated the deaths occurred "shortly" after the move. It's also worth noting for the sake of objectivity that a sample size of 3 beetles is small and sluggish is a gray term. Of course, long-term humidity will cause issues in my experience but in the short term those levels of humidity will not cause 66% of a population of beetles to die, with "shortly" also being a gray term. 

Questions for Jonesb93 and further discussion. What temperature is your tank, what size is it, and so you have rocks or other hides for the beetle(s) to hide under, is the bulb an incandescent one or fluorescent?

To clarify, the beetles died within a couple months of moving here. Immediately following the move they were noticeably less active.

The tank generally stays between 65 and 75. It’s a 10 gallon glass tank with a metal screen lid. I have ample hides of varying sizes: one upright choya log about 6” long that they used to love to congregate in, a woody piece of detritus that’s roughly the same size, numerous cocktail umbrellas planted in the sand and your standard habba hut. I replaced the bulb recently but just noticed that I replaced it with an LED bulb.

P. S. I got my bachelors in statistics and am pursuing my master’s; I really appreciate your line of thinking in the quoted comment

 

[Hisserdude]

I have never sprayed their tank and they’re in a glass enclosure with a metal screened lid, is there any other way to reduce humidity? I have a 40w bulb on the tank and I don’t want to push it higher because the temperature of the cage is at an appropriate level. I’ll start offering fish food and see how it responds.

Not really, giving them as much ventilation as possible and keeping the substrate mostly dry should be all that's needed to keep humidity levels low enough for them, if they are still sluggish and dying afterwards I'd say diet was to blame... 

I agree. It is suggestive, as the OP indicated. But it isn't conclusive with respect to these specific beetles. Average home humidity is pretty high in many areas and the OP indicated the deaths occurred "shortly" after the move. It's also worth noting for the sake of objectivity that a sample size of 3 beetles is small and sluggish is a gray term. Of course, long-term humidity will cause issues in my experience but in the short term those levels of humidity will not cause 66% of a population of beetles to die, with "shortly" also being a gray term. 

True true, still it is something that should definitely be taken into consideration... Also, while I haven't actually kept Asbolus, some Eleodes species I've kept started dying within a week or two of the humidity being too high, so it can be a somewhat quick killer in some cases... Again, I haven't kept Asbolus though, I'm just going off my experiences with breeding other Tenebs...