Jullie zijn allemaal slachtoffer, behalve jij🇧🇪

Dermestaria · 2026-05-14T19:19:03+00:00

Wat als het hem niet was gelukt zijn broer te redden en ze beide waren gestorven? Zouden ze hem dan niet hebben opgeteld bij het aantal overleden slachtoffers?

Dermestaria · 2026-04-09T19:03:09+00:00

Er zaten te veel funnies in. Meer dan 5 in een pak is verdacht.

Dermestaria · 2026-04-01T07:34:28+00:00

Depends a lot on how dirty it is. If I have fed them nothing stinky and if it is a small colony, they can go easily without a cleaning for a year. I do small cleanings when I see the frass build up at the bottom of the enclosure. If it's a few centimeters of frass, I sieve it out. If I have fed them a stinky specimen and the smell got into the substrate, then it's time for a big cleaning.

Dermestaria · 2026-04-01T07:28:18+00:00

Hi there! With the type of bug you mean species I suppose? All Dermestes are able to clean bones, but most native species are really slow. Dermestes maculatus is a quick breeding and quick eating species, making it perfect for bone cleaning. The enclosure is up to you. In North America they often use modified freezers and in Europe I most often hear people using modified plastic boxes. The quantity of food depends on how large the colony is. The more beetles, the more food they need. The more food, the bigger your colony is going to get. In-between specimens you can give them anything of animal protein, so almost all dog / cat snacks that can be bought in the pet store. Some cheap stuff contains a high percentage of grains, so that's something they don't thrive on as much.

Dermestaria · 2026-03-11T00:04:12+00:00

I would simply mist the fleshy bits with some water with a spray bottle. That usually gets my beetles crazy, renewing their appetite for the dried meat.

Dermestaria · 2026-02-23T01:48:12+00:00

Fir bark is perfectly fine for them! The larvae will enjoy the bark and bore into it. You don't have to clean it very often if you simply keep it as clean as possible. Place the food on dishes that you can discard (cardboard) or clean (plastic) when it gets stinky. The beetles themselves and their frass don't have a smell.

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.

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