Including rhinoceros beetles, stag beetles and giant flower beetles. They are popular pets in Japan and Taiwan, and are budding in mainland China. The number of species is large while the breed methods are mostly the same. Only few years ago we cannot keep them because it was difficult to find beetle feed in china. Fortunately, now there are branded beetle feeds made in China. So I am curious about the situation in countries outside Asia. Are beetles popular as pets? Are there right products to raise beetles? And have you ever considered raising beetles as pets? Japanese rhinoceros beetle, the most common pet species, as red-eared slider in turtle pets.
While some beetle species such as Pachnoda marginata have been on the market for decades, the number of different beetles (as well as other arthropods) has increased significantly in the European exotic pet trade over the last years, especially in CZ.
Wow, that is interesting.However, I have never seen Pachnoda marginata on Asian market. In fact Cetoniinae are much fewer on market here compared with Dynastinae or Lucanidae. Maybe there will be different development between Europe and Asia.
Asian sport of beetle fighting is not known in Europe. But I think insects should be more popular in zoos, especially directly linking to encouraging children to keep one, to raise interest in nature. Most children play computer games of keeping virtual animals, farm, pokemons, dragons etc., but it too much took over interest in real animals.
Have kept several species privatly myself but still wunder why not more people are trying to work with this soooooo divers group. In the Netherlands a relative small group is working mainly with Rhino- and Rose (fruit) beetles.
In China the group is small as well. Could you tell me which genera of Rhino or Rose beerles are mainly worked with in the Netherlands? And how about Stag beetles?While in Asia Rose beetles are rarely as pets, only Goliathus, Mecynorhina and Dicronorhina are quite popular. Stag beetles are the most popular, especially Dorcus.
Will try to make a little list of species kept here in Europe. Found in the maintime also this very intresting caresheet about breeding Goliath beetles - maybe an idea for some ZooChatters to try to do the same !? : Journal of a Goliathus breeder
Here a short list from genera from which I know they are bred in the Netherlands - I'm however sure it's far from complete ! -Mecynorhina -Megasoma -Chlorocala -Eudicella -Cheirolasia -Dicronorhina -Amaurodes -Rhyssonotes -Xylotrupes -Oryctes -Dynastes and the most commonly kept - Pachnoda ( even bred as feeding animal for other insect-eating animals ). As Batto already mentioned, in Europe most breeders with real large collections are found in the Czech Republic.
Genera bred in China and common species, * are the most common: -Trypoxylus Trypoxylus dichotomus** -Dynastes Dynastes hercules* Dynastes hyllus -Megasoma Megasoma elephus* Megasoma mars Megasoma actaeon -Chalcosoma Chalcosoma atlas Chalcosoma chiron* -Xylotrupes Xylotrupes gideon Xylotrupes florensis -Oryctes Oryctes rhinoceros Oryctes nasicornis -Eupatorus Eupatorus gracilicornis -Strategus Strategus aloeus -Dorcus Dorcus hopei** Dorcus antaeus -Serrognathus Serrognathus titanus** -Cyclommatus Cyclommatus mniszechi Cyclommatus metallifer -Prosopocoilus Prosopocoilus astacoides* Prosopocoilas confucius Prosopocoilus giraffa* -Lamprima Lamprima adolphinae Lamprima moellenkampi -Phalacrognathus Phalacrognathus muelleri* -Allotopus Allotopus rosenbergi - Mesotopus Mesotopus tarandus -Odontolabis Odontolabis curvera Odontolabis siva -Dicronorhina Dicronorhina debyana -Mecynorhina Mecynorhina polyphemus Mecynorhina torquata -Goliathus Goliathus goliatus Goliathus orientalis -Propomacrus Propomacrus bimucronatus Propomacrus davidi
I have a successful colony of Pachnoda marginata - this is the species whose grubs are often sold as live food. If anyone is interested in the other species and groups a very comprehensive guide is by Orin Mcmonigle - it covers not just Cetoniinaie but many other species as well. He also does a guide on mantids which is also highly recommended.
I keep and breed several beetle species (being part of the small but enthousiastic Dutch beetle breeders community), but Vogelcommando already made a list of the most common species (although he missed some, like Cyrpolais and Dorcus). We see a quite a nice increase in insect keepers these years, and a growing interest in keeping beetles. It is still more popular in Germany, but a very select group of Dutch breeders in now trying to make a living out of breeding beetles.
As I don't have a lot of space and time at the moment, I'm currently sticking to the smaller and easier species, like Pachnoda (although I don't breed them anymore), Chlorocala, Mecynorrhina and Cyprolais. For some reason the Eudicella I used to have didn't pupate properly, but I might try them again later on. Although I like a challenge, when I don't have lots of time and space I prefer species that do well with little maintenance, hence my choises for Chlorocala and Cyprolais.
Death-feigning beetles are downright easy pets to care for. It's a shame many are wild-caught but they actually thrive quite well. Breeding is a pain and very few have successfully bred them. Talking about Asbolus verrucosus. I do know that Dermestid beetles (Dermestes sp.) aren't really kept commonly as pets per se (universities, taxidermists, and museums have them to clean off bones), but I actually am managing a breeding colony right now just for fun. Unfortunately I cannot determine their purity (having 2 species inside, D. ater and D. maculatus) however they're very interesting to have. Just make sure the container they're in is escape-proof. Some places actually keep them on display. I didn't buy any of my beetles but rather caught them in the right places
