"Tongue" always out on dorcus stag?

[charmandy]

I have a dorcus alcides male (got him as an imago in January, unsure of age, supposedly 2-4/5 yr lifespan). In the past month, I've noticed he doesn't put his orange "tongue" parts away anymore, they're just always sticking out. Even when nudged gently with something, he doesn't slide them back inside. They look less "groomed" than before, like when you grind a felt-tip marker on paper for too long.

He seems fine and perky otherwise. Is this an issue? Sign of age?

 

[Ratmosphere]

That's what happened to my ​Dorcus titanus palawanicus years ago before it passed.

 

[Pewrune]

maybe too dry? did you feed syrup or honey, and it dried up?

 

[Ratmosphere]

Yea, what's your setup like? Some Dorcus species live for a few years.

 

[charmandy]

His setup is what I've had for my dorcus in the past, and it's famp... I feed him jelly cups. Is there anything I can do to improve it? Deeper substrate?

 

[Ratmosphere]

What substrate though? Mine liked wet sphagnum moss that was around halfway up the enclosure.

 

[charmandy]

https://m.imgur.com/a/Sn4xz

Here's his setup. Checked on him this morning, tongue is mostly back inside, but a few strands are out.

I don't know how old he is, my gueds is about a year... He doesn't seem sluggish like my curvidens before he passed...

 

[charmandy]

His substrate is soil made for beetles (from the beetle section here in Japan, lol).

 

[charmandy]

His substrate is soil made for beetles (from the beetle section here in Japan, lol).

 

[Ratmosphere]

I'm glad it's going back in!

 

[charmandy]

Me too! He's a popular little guy online and I want to make sure he's safe.

Any tips for a better setup?

 

[Ratmosphere]

You're breeding him, no? Is the female in there with him? If so the substrate is way too shallow. If not, I just keep my males in something like that but instead of dirt I use 100% damp sphagnum moss. This keeps a nice humidity!

 

[charmandy]

Nope, not breeding right now, just keeping a male. I'll buy some moss just to make it nicer to hide.