The numbers
Enclosure
20 × 20 cm
Diet
Adults: beetle jelly, banana, fruit; larvae eat the substrate (flake soil/rotten wood) · Adults: jelly every 1-2 days; larvae: change/refresh substrate every 1-2 mo
Temperature
24-30C
Humidity
60-80% (moist substrate)
Identity
Order / Family
Coleoptera
IUCN / CITES
Not evaluated; not CITES
Difficulty
Beginner
Commonality
Extremely common in Thailand; sold at markets; fought in the north
Adult size
Body 35-70mm; males with forked thoracic + head horn
Lifespan
Larva ~6-10 mo (L1-L3); adult ~2-4 mo (short)
Growth rate
Fast for a rhino
Activity & niche
Nocturnal; adults on tree sap/fruit; larvae in rotting wood/compost
Temperament
Males territorial (fight); harmless to people
Venom / defense
Harmless - no venom/sting; hisses, horns are for rival males only
Price (THB)
indicative ~30-200 adults (seasonal, markets); larvae L1-L3 similar (parindra.com)
Enclosure and conditions
Temperature
24-30C
Humidity
60-80% (moist substrate)
Min. enclosure
Larvae: 15-20cm+ fermented flake soil/leaf-compost, ~1-2L each; adults: 20x20cm+ with bark
Substrate
Larvae: fermented flake soil / rotten hardwood; adults: coco/soil + leaf litter
Hides / decor / water
Bark, climbing branches, leaf litter; mist for humidity
Diet
Staple food
Adults: beetle jelly, banana, fruit; larvae eat the substrate (flake soil/rotten wood)
Feeding frequency
Adults: jelly every 1-2 days; larvae: change/refresh substrate every 1-2 mo
Supplements
High-protein jelly for bigger horns
Behaviour and handling
Handling
Adults tolerate gentle handling; support the body
Communal
House rival MALES separately (they fight); pair only to breed; larvae can share big bins
Defense / stress signs
Hissing/stridulation, horn-pushing, leg-kicking
Reproduction
Reproduction
Eggs -> L1-L3 grubs -> pupa in soil cell -> adult; feed adults ~2-4 wks before pairing
Common health problems
Common health issues
SignsDehydration, failed eclosion, mites, leg loss in old adults
Red flags / quarantine
SignsMites on adults; do not release captive stock; humane note: fighting is a welfare concern
Good to know
- Northern Thailand's traditional 'kwang chon' beetle-wrestling matches use this species
Others in this group
Japanese rhinoceros beetleTrypoxylus dichotomus (formerly Allomyrina)Atlas beetleChalcosoma atlasGiant stag beetleDorcus titanus (syn. Serrognathus titanus)Sun beetle (fruit beetle)Pachnoda marginata (peregrina)Hercules beetleDynastes herculesGiant flower beetleMecynorhina torquataGiraffe stag beetleProsopocoilus giraffaCaucasus beetleChalcosoma chiron (formerly C. caucasus)