The numbers
Enclosure
30 × 30 cm
Diet
Adults: beetle jelly, banana, fruit; larvae eat flake soil/rotten wood · Adults: jelly/fruit daily; larvae: change substrate every 1-2 mo
Temperature
24-28C
Humidity
60-75%
Identity
Order / Family
Coleoptera
IUCN / CITES
Not evaluated; not CITES
Difficulty
Intermediate
Commonality
Among the largest, most popular flower beetles
Adult size
Body 50-85mm; males with a Y-shaped head horn
Lifespan
Larva ~4-6 mo; adult ~3-6 mo (active, diurnal)
Growth rate
Fast (short cycle for its size)
Activity & niche
DIURNAL; adults climb and fly; larvae in flake soil/rotten wood
Temperament
Bold, active; males wrestle; harmless
Venom / defense
Harmless - no venom; clings with strong tarsal claws
Price (THB)
indicative ~400-2,500 (larvae to adult pairs)
Enclosure and conditions
Temperature
24-28C
Humidity
60-75%
Min. enclosure
Larvae REARED SEPARATELY: 3L+ flake soil each; adults 30x30cm+ tall with branches
Substrate
Larvae: flake soil + white-rotted hardwood (no conifer - toxic); adults: coco/soil + bark
Hides / decor / water
Lots of climbing branches/bark; mist; shallow humidity
Diet
Staple food
Adults: beetle jelly, banana, fruit; larvae eat flake soil/rotten wood
Feeding frequency
Adults: jelly/fruit daily; larvae: change substrate every 1-2 mo
Supplements
Protein flake soil for horn/size
Behaviour and handling
Handling
Docile; handleable; active flyers - mind escapes
Communal
Rear larvae apart (competitive); separate rival males
Defense / stress signs
Buzzing flight attempts, leg-bracing
Reproduction
Reproduction
Eggs -> L1-L3 grubs -> pupa in earthen cocoon -> adult; fast turnover
Common health problems
Common health issues
SignsPoor growth on wrong substrate, mites, wing/leg damage
Red flags / quarantine
SignsNo conifer substrate; non-native - never release; active flyer escapes
Good to know
- Big, tame, day-active and jewel-coloured - one of the best 'interactive' pet beetles
Others in this group
Japanese rhinoceros beetleTrypoxylus dichotomus (formerly Allomyrina)Atlas beetleChalcosoma atlasSiamese rhinoceros / fighting beetleXylotrupes gideon (TH pops. often X. socrates)Giant stag beetleDorcus titanus (syn. Serrognathus titanus)Sun beetle (fruit beetle)Pachnoda marginata (peregrina)Hercules beetleDynastes herculesGiraffe stag beetleProsopocoilus giraffaCaucasus beetleChalcosoma chiron (formerly C. caucasus)