Hope’s Stag Beetle (Dorcus hopei hopei) Caresheets

Breeding:                                                                              

• Ideal temperature: 71 F- 77 F

• Amount of egg laid: 10-60 eggs

• Laying bin: This species mainly lays in log.
  -Laying bin version 1:
  Step 1: Choose a wide and decently soft log(soft enough for your nails to make a mark). Possible logs to use include oak breeding logs, kawaratake breeding logs, or reishi breeding logs.
  Step 2: Scrape off the bark and yellow part of the log.(KEEP THE BARK!)
  Step 3: Soak the log in water(use weights to keep the log submerged!) for about 6 hours, then dry the log in the sun for about 2-3 hours.(SKIP IF USING REISHI OR KAWARATAKE LOGS!!!)
  Step 4: Hydrate the flake soil. Hydrate to the point the flake soil can maintain a shape when you grip it tightly, but not too much to the point water drips when tightly gripped.
  Step 5: Place a thin layer of flake soil on the bottom of the container
  Step 6: Place the log on top
  Step 7: Place jellies and husk chips/sticks in order to prevent the female from being unable to flip itself upright. In this case the bark you peeled off in the beginning works good.
  Step 8: Retrieve the female from the laying bin in about 2-3 weeks
  Step 9: Retrieve eggs & larvae after waiting for about 2-3 more weeks!
  -Laying bin version 2:
  Step 1: Choose a wide and decently soft log(soft enough for your nails to make a mark). Possible logs to use include oak breeding logs, kawaratake breeding logs, or reishi breeding logs.
  Step 2: Scrape off the bark and yellow part of the log.(KEEP THE BARK!)
  Step 3: Soak the log in water(use weights to keep the log submerged!) for about 6 hours, then dry the log in the sun for about 2-3 hours.(SKIP IF USING REISHI OR KAWARATAKE LOGS!!!)
  Step 4: Hydrate the flake soil. Hydrate to the point the flake soil can maintain a shape when you grip it tightly, but not too much to the point water drips when tightly gripped.
  Step 5: Place a thin layer of flake soil on the bottom of the container
  Step 6: Place the log on top, then cover 2/3 of the log using flake soil, press the flake soil firmly
  Step 7: Place jellies and husk chips/sticks in order to prevent the female from being unable to flip itself upright. In this case the bark you peeled off in the beginning works good.
  Step 8: Retrieve the female from the laying bin in about 2-3 weeks
  Step 9: Retrieve eggs & larvae after waiting for about 2-3 more weeks!

  Notes:
  -Mating/laying would decrease life expectancy

  -The hatching rate will decrease as the parents age.

  -Male can kill females during mating with their mandibles. Bind the males mandibles in order to prevent death in females.

Larvae:                                                           

• Larval period: 8-13 month

  Notes:

  -Raising the larvae in kinshi can speed up the growth and lead to larger adults but higher the death rate.
  -Higher the temp the faster the larvae matures

• Larvae food source: Kinshi, log or flake soil

• Pupa period: 1 month

• Dormancy period: 1-3 months
  Notes:
  -The higher the temperature the shorter the dormancy period, but higher the death rate and failed emergence.
  

Adults:                                                              

Adult lifespan: 2-5 years

Size: 50mm-94.2mm

Notes:
- They are quite docile and recommended for beginners.
-They have one of the longest adult life span as an adult.
-One of the only Dorcus species to truly hibernate.