How to breed Strategus Aloeus/Ox Beetles? I need help!

Satoshiek

Satoshiek

L2
Hi everyone. I caught 2 Ox Beetles in nature (both male) and I want to know how to take care of them properly. I really want to keep this guys. They are on a transparent plastic cage (don't know the exactly size, but it's quite big) with black vegetable earth halfway. I put some holes on the sides of the cage and in the cover. I put bananas on the cage and I saw they eating it already. Sometimes I put honey on the bananas and on the wood bark. There are some wood bark that I took from the place I got them. Today I took the cover way and put a net (because I think the cage is getting a lot stuffy). At day they stay more quiet and dig holes on the earth and stay there. At night they get more active and try to get out of the cage. When they do, I take them out home and put them on a tree and they seem happy. Please help me, because I don't know if I'm doing something wrong. I want to know what kind of fruit they like the most so I can buy to give them (I already saw someone saying something about apples and grapes). I can post photos and videos if necessary. PLEASE HELP ME. I'm new at this site and sorry for the bad english.
 
Also separate them! Not too sure how aggressive this species gets, but better safe than sorry. IF they spar and fight like most Dynastes I've had in the past you can be stressing them out and they probably fight often at night making them weaker and weaker everyday. Just some foresight not 100% sure about that statement just seems logical giving most male behavior. The fruits seem like they work just make sure not to let them decay too much in there and what is black vegetable earth?? ps: excuse the grammar etc haven't had coffee yet.
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GeneralZero said:
Sounds rather interesting not too sure about Ox Beetles particularly...have you kept the substrate humidity in check?
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GeneralZero said:
Also separate them! Not too sure how aggressive this species gets, but better safe than sorry. IF they spar and fight like most Dynastes I've had in the past you can be stressing them out and they probably fight often at night making them weaker and weaker everyday. Just some foresight not 100% sure about that statement just seems logical giving most male behavior. The fruits seem like they work just make sure not to let them decay too much in there and what is black vegetable earth?? ps: excuse the grammar etc haven't had coffee yet.
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I don´t want to sound like stupid, but what is the substrate? I really don´t know what it is. I don´t think they´re fighting, I already put them together and they don´t seem to care to much about each other. But, anyway, I will separate them soon. The bblack vegetable earth was the earth I bought for their cage. It was the only one I could found and it´s used for planting, and I think they like it because they dig holes on it and stay there for long time (yesterday, one of them stayed in the hole the entire day). It is common that they try to get out of the cage at night? At day they stay quiet, but at night they try to fly away. I take them outside home at night but, sometimes, when I put them back they try to get out again. And I don´t know if they´re eating the bananas properly. I saw they eating just a few times. Thanks for the help dude, I REALLLY appreciate it.

 
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Hello Satoshiek.
Provided you do in fact have a Strategus aloeus pair, don't worry about separating them, the males will not fight with the females, specially when it's only one pair with proper space.
If you do want to breed them you will need to make a mix of sand and leaf mulch, this will be your substrate. You can go as much as 50% sand and 50% leaf mulch, maybe a little bit of that dirt you already have in there as well. Try to make sure the depth of the substrate is a good 6" at least.
You can place the lid back on, and put something a little heavy on top to make sure the male or female does not escape. As far as food, yeah, banana, apple, peach, pear, or any other fruit that will soften up and is high in natural sugars. You can also purchase beetle jellies if you deem it necessary.

Other than that just make sure the substrate is not too wet, not too dry, simply damp.

Have fun with them, and please post pictures of them when you have a chance, we'd love to see your new friends.

 
Satoshiek said:
I don´t want to sound like stupid, but what is the substrate? I really don´t know what it is. I don´t think they´re fighting, I already put them together and they don´t seem to care to much about each other. But, anyway, I will separate them soon. The bblack vegetable earth was the earth I bought for their cage. It was the only one I could found and it´s used for planting, and I think they like it because they dig holes on it and stay there for long time (yesterday, one of them stayed in the hole the entire day). It is common that they try to get out of the cage at night? At day they stay quiet, but at night they try to fly away. I take them outside home at night but, sometimes, when I put them back they try to get out again. And I don´t know if they´re eating the bananas properly. I saw they eating just a few times. Thanks for the help dude, I REALLLY appreciate it.
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Follow Pupa's example for the substrate. Substrate is just a term used to describe their living requirements and or natural environment for that they flourish in more. I really would like some pictures as well
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And as far as the flying goes at night they're just trying to escape. Like any other animal they weren't caged before so it's just new to them. Beetles are more active during night than they are day. As for feeding they eat bits and pieces rather than large parts. Where do you live??

 
i thought you cant find ox beetle in winter... i thought they were all pupae or L3... weird... but i heard ox beetles are calm and peaceful so dont worry about fighting... and you are doing most part right except substrate... more deeper and leaves... they like banana so you are doing fine i think
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Ometeo said:
Hello Satoshiek.

Provided you do in fact have a Strategus aloeus pair, don't worry about separating them, the males will not fight with the females, specially when it's only one pair with proper space.

If you do want to breed them you will need to make a mix of sand and leaf mulch, this will be your substrate. You can go as much as 50% sand and 50% leaf mulch, maybe a little bit of that dirt you already have in there as well. Try to make sure the depth of the substrate is a good 6" at least.

You can place the lid back on, and put something a little heavy on top to make sure the male or female does not escape. As far as food, yeah, banana, apple, peach, pear, or any other fruit that will soften up and is high in natural sugars. You can also purchase beetle jellies if you deem it necessary.

Other than that just make sure the substrate is not too wet, not too dry, simply damp.

Have fun with them, and please post pictures of them when you have a chance, we'd love to see your new friends.
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I will try to get the substrate soon. Do I need to mix the substrate with the soil? And they are two males, and not a male and a female. I don't think it will be hard to take care of them. Thank you so much for the help. I posted this in other forums but I didn't got this kind of help. Really appreciate it.

 
GeneralZero said:
Follow Pupa's example for the substrate. Substrate is just a term used to describe their living requirements and or natural environment for that they flourish in more. I really would like some pictures as well
default_smile.png
And as far as the flying goes at night they're just trying to escape. Like any other animal they weren't caged before so it's just new to them. Beetles are more active during night than they are day. As for feeding they eat bits and pieces rather than large parts. Where do you live??
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hardshell said:
i thought you cant find ox beetle in winter... i thought they were all pupae or L3... weird... but i heard ox beetles are calm and peaceful so dont worry about fighting... and you are doing most part right except substrate... more deeper and leaves... they like banana so you are doing fine i think
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I will try to get the substrate as soon as I can and post pictures too. And I live in Brazil. It is Summer here right now (45 Celsius degree), that's why I found them. Winter here just starts in June. I'm putting some water on the bananas, so they get moist easily. Is there any problem with that?

degree)

 
Or...e-mail the user who posted earlier on the for sale. He was willing to ship me 25 for $10. That should be plenty for just two.

 
hardshell said:
is your profile pic the beetle???? doesnt look like aloeus to me... looks cooler haha
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GeneralZero said:
Or...e-mail the user who posted earlier on the for sale. He was willing to ship me 25 for $10. That should be plenty for just two.
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Yeah it is one of them and it is really cool. This one has a really strong red color (this yellow spots on it's back are gone now). The another one is darker and just a little bit lower. And I don't feel like buying this right now, cause they're eating fruits. But I'll do it later because they may like it and it sounds like a good deal. It is almost night here and they started to get active so I'll take both outside home. Maybe I take some pictures and post them here
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Thank you so much guys, you helped me a lot.

 
Sounds good no problem! You should try to find a female to breed with! And definitely post some pictures!! I look forward to seeing them!

 
I can't really see the lid on your thumbnail, would you please upload an image when you can, it's looking more like a Golofa sp. to me now...or I may need new glasses.
A melhor sorte para você meu amigo.

 
GeneralZero said:
Sounds good no problem! You should try to find a female to breed with! And definitely post some pictures!! I look forward to seeing them!
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Ryan Minard said:
Don't use a net on the lid... Dynastids can escape.
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Ometeo said:
I can't really see the lid on your thumbnail, would you please upload an image when you can, it's looking more like a Golofa sp. to me now...or I may need new glasses.

A melhor sorte para você meu amigo.
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I already put the lid back and I will post pictures soon. What do I need to do for breeding them? Because I can get a female if I want.

 
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