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metamorphisis has happened as well as death .do the beetle have a short life OR? maybe someone can tell me the ideal substrate for the beetles so they can produce. i recently moved and feeders are a long way from home.Thanx Chris........

If Zoophoba beetles don't have enough moisture they will keel over far too early. The beetles typically can live far longer than darkling beetles can...6 months . I use a substrate of powdered/crushed dog food and unmedicated chicken laying mash. I just restarted my whole colony but back when I used to raise them a couple years ago I used the same thing and got production of probably 2000-4000 superworms a month once the colony was in full production which took about 6-8 months altogether... meaning that these were full sized worms coming out of the bin every month at this number at a steady rate. I use a seperate chamber to allow the beetles to harden their exoskeleton after they metamorph before putting them into the colony because they're vulnerable to wing eating and stress and die from it. But moisture is the most important things.. every 2 or 3 days give fresh veggies (I use carrots more than anything) and I also keep a slightly moist papertowel on one of the egg cartons that I mist lightly every day or so... this makes sure the substrate doesn't mold but that they have the moisture they need..
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Lucien

1.1 Columbian Redtail Boas (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
7.11.7.Leopard geckos (2.1 Blizzards (Caine, Phoenix, and Mirage), 0.2 Tangerine Albinos (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short, and Casper), 1.0 Tremper Albino (Mycah), 1.1 Triple. het blizzard x tang albino x patternless (Malice, Malfeas), 1.0 Full Stripe Chocolate Tremper Albino (Discord), 0.1 pastel (Raven) and 1.5 Normals) 0.0.3 het albinos, 0.0.2 patternless blizzard/albinos, 0.0.2 - 50%possible triple hets (blizzard x albino x patternless)
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros) (R.I.P. November 18, 2005)
13 rats (plus pups)
2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
2 cats (Ashe and Hercules)

thanks for the insight,do eggs lay ,hatch in the dry substrate.Chris

Usually the beetles lay in small crevices...thats why you have the egg cartons and other hiding spots in there.. the eggs are laid on them usually though some do drop into the substrate.. I put a half log in mine with full bark that will give them crevices to lay in but its not strictly necessary to do so.
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Lucien

1.1 Columbian Redtail Boas (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
7.11.7.Leopard geckos (2.1 Blizzards (Caine, Phoenix, and Mirage), 0.2 Tangerine Albinos (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short, and Casper), 1.0 Tremper Albino (Mycah), 1.1 Triple. het blizzard x tang albino x patternless (Malice, Malfeas), 1.0 Full Stripe Chocolate Tremper Albino (Discord), 0.1 pastel (Raven) and 1.5 Normals) 0.0.3 het albinos, 0.0.2 patternless blizzard/albinos, 0.0.2 - 50%possible triple hets (blizzard x albino x patternless)
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros) (R.I.P. November 18, 2005)
13 rats (plus pups)
2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
2 cats (Ashe and Hercules)