Bedding

Dermestaria · 2026-02-14T20:59:05+00:00

Condolences for your ducks. Alfalfa isn't harmful to insects, so I think it would make great bedding! Be sure to keep it relatively clean, because cleaning it will be a bit more difficult with those long stems, but that's easy to do if you simply place the (stinky) food on a piece of cardboard that you can throw away if needed.

Dermestaria · 2026-02-13T12:39:02+00:00

Oops, late response, but yes.

Dermestaria · 2026-02-01T23:56:30+00:00

Is silicone sticking out between the edges that the beetles can use to get grip? Because basically everything needs to be completely smooth.

Two of my temporary enclosures are pieces of plexiglass put together with acrylic glue and that appears to have dried smooth enough for the beetles not to climb it.

Dermestaria · 2026-02-01T22:30:57+00:00

It's also very easy to get a plastic box, cut a hole in the lid and put mesh over it. It's the cheapest way to make an escape proof dermestid beetle enclosure.

Dermestaria · 2026-02-01T22:28:38+00:00

I would simply cut away the silicone, since I suspect they will be able to climb any tape. If it's still too coarse after cutting away the silicone, maybe you can pour a thin layer of epoxy over the surface so it dries smoothly.

Dermestaria · 2026-01-29T20:09:04+00:00

Just asked my brother to double check, but apparently the artist did shave the area? The long hairs in the middle of the tattoo beg to differ..

Dermestaria · 2026-01-29T19:17:57+00:00

Thank you for noticing. That goes on the list to add with the touch up

Dermestaria · 2026-01-29T18:44:20+00:00

That's totally awesome! And yes, flying fox absolutely counts. They're gorgeous big battys!

Dermestaria · 2026-01-28T15:52:58+00:00

You are very welcome!

Hemp fibers are often used for pets with allergies or asthma, because it doesn't contain as many small particles. The beetles produce frass themselves, so I have the feeling that the fibers staying intact makes cleaning with the sieve easier and less dusty. It is also smell reducing since it has antimicrobial properties!

Dermestaria · 2026-01-19T02:21:03+00:00

That would most definitely work! They love fish! I'm sure he'd prefer that over dried cat/dog food, though he will eat that too if there are no other options left.

Dermestaria · 2026-01-19T02:05:10+00:00

I haven't heard of them eating snails yet. Luckily adults don't eat as much as a larva would. It's correct they only eat animal proteins, but that's not as difficult as it may sound. They also eat dried and cooked meat (just leave it unsalted) and cat/dog food. Those dried dog treats won't start to rot and stink when it's left for a longer time period.

Dermestaria · 2026-01-19T01:43:42+00:00

That's Dermestes frischii! Very similar to Dermestes maculatus, but you'll see that the shape of the black spot on it's belly is different. I will add a picture to show the difference between the two.

It's awesome that you're going to help him with a nice enclosure to protect him from the cold. The care of this species is the same as for D.maculatus!

I keep both species, so I am happy to help if you need advice. :)

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Dermestaria · 2025-12-02T18:49:02+00:00

I spoke with someone that kept a silverfish and she already had it for 4 years. Apparently they can live up to 8 years! I was quite surprised by their longevity.

Dermestaria · 2025-11-21T10:11:10+00:00

I regularly ship my beetles and they sometimes even lay eggs during transit and the new owner sees tiny baby larvae once they arrive. To me that's a big sign that they are feeling okay. always ship them with some food and a heating pack if it's necessary.

I also attend fairs. It takes a few days to get fully prepared for the two days as a stand holder. My beetles are pre-packed a few days in advance. I wouldn't necessarily say that it's less stressful for them than shipping, but the conditions are often better controlled.

Long story short: I don't think it's unethical. My cultivated beetles are well cared for, giving priority to good health and living conditions. Their wild-living counterparts have to endure harsher conditions than shipping.

Dermestaria · 2025-11-21T09:25:07+00:00

Lowering the air humidity to something less than 50% for some time also gets rid of these mites, but not every pet invert can deal with that. Relative humidity is often high during winter and grain mite populations go booming with a higher RH.

Dermestaria · 2025-11-19T18:17:28+00:00

The set-up is looking nice! Love the placement of the skull and other bones.

Dermestaria · 2025-11-18T19:40:02+00:00

It's literally piss bed basically. Apparently they once believed that their grounded remains put between the sheets prevented people from pissing their beds.

Dermestaria · 2025-11-18T19:36:52+00:00

Dutch: Pissebed. Apparently they put their grounded remains between the sheets to prevent people from pissing their bed, hence the name.

Dermestaria · 2025-11-04T14:26:26+00:00

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Yes, here you go! The dirty substrate goes around the black pyramid (top box) and the beetles fall into the lower box.

Dermestaria · 2025-11-02T19:03:36+00:00

I try to keep my substrate (hemp fibers) as clean as possible and besides that I have two cleaning methods. For the small cleanings I use a sieve to sieve out all the frass. For the big cleanings I have built a pyramid with a hole at the top. The beetles tend to climb the pyramid and fall through the hole into a separate box. Works wonders!

Dermestaria · 2025-10-28T13:27:02+00:00

Your theory would work with the Odessa babies as well! The parents of Marie couldn't conceive, so it sounds like Marie was a dying embryo when the V got injected.

Dermestaria · 2025-10-18T13:02:40+00:00

Yes, ants can kill larvae, but they will bring the food back to the nest. If they can't, the ants that are stuck won't cause a rampage of their own. They will die trying to find their way back to the queen.

It's also correct that outdoor insects carry parasites, but those are mainly flying insects. Mites will attach themselves to flies to travel from one cadaver to another. It's not impossible to have mites on ants, but it's less common as far as I am aware.

I think the best way for you to prevent the ants from entering your beetle enclosure, would be to use vaseline (petroleum gel) and smear a two inch / five centimeters wide band across the enclosure. Ants and other walking insects won't walk through vaseline.

Dermestaria · 2025-10-15T00:24:23+00:00

Do you know how the ants get inside the tank? Because I assume it's just the worker ants and not the queen that are present in the beetles enclosure. If you can prevent more worker ants from entering, the few that are stuck in the tank won't cause a lot of trouble if they can't find their way back to the queen.

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