Phalacrognathus muelleri care
Adults:
- Size: 30-70mm
- Adult life span once active: 12-20 months
- Temperature: 68-78°F
- Humidity: 60-80%
- Food: Beetle jelly or fruits(no citrus)
Breeding:
- Required temperature for breeding: 70-80°F
- Minimum container size for egg laying: 8 in x 4 in x 8 in. Bigger containers are always the better option for breeding!
- # of eggs laid on average: 15-60 eggs.
- Flake soil humidity adjustment: The amount of water is appropriate when you can form a ball by squeezing the flake soil with your hand. Water seeping out of your hands during the process indicates that there is too much water.
- Set-up: Pack the bottom 5cm of the container tightly and fill up the remaining space loosely with flake soil. Place objects such as sticks or barks at the top so that the beetle can flip itself over if needed. Lastly, don't forget to regularly give fruits or beetle jelly for the beetle to feed!
Set-up example:
- Set-up #2: Place some flake soil into the container and place white-rot logs on top. If the female accepts the logs as a suitable place to lay eggs, you will see burrow marks and wood shavings.
Set-up #2 example:
Larvae:
- Food: Flake soil, white-rot hardwood, or kinshi(oyster mushroom mycelium).
- Temperature: 66-78°F
- Humidity: 50-60%
- Larval duration: 6-10 months
- Container size recommendations:
- L1: 4oz deli cup
- L2: 16oz deli containers
- L3/pupa: 16oz deli cup for males/females. 32oz deli containers for big males.
- Larva weight to adult size estimate:
Larval weight (g) Adult size (mm) 11-15 50-55 16-20 55-60 21-24 60-63
Personal notes:
- Feeding the larva kinshi guarantees big males.
- Very hardy. Recommended for beginners.