General Information

For getting females to lay eggs, all that is required is a plastic box, substrate, perches, and food. I recommend separating the male from the female so that the female can concentrate solely on laying eggs. Females can get stressed from bumping into each other when searching for suitable laying places, so it is better to only place one female per laying box.

Laying Box Size:

A large laying box should be used so that the female can roam and select suitable places within the box to lay eggs.

As a guide, the length/width/height of the laying box should be a minimum of the following:

• Length – 6x the length of the female (e.g ~40cm for a 7cm Dynastes hercules female)

• Width – 4x the length of the female (e.g ~30cm for a 7cm Dynastes hercules female)

• Height – 4x the length of the female (e.g ~30cm for a 7cm Dynastes hercules female)

Setting the Laying Substrate:

The substrate should be added and compacted hard until it fills ¾ of the laying box. The reason for the need of compaction is that it mimics the hard, deep earth for the female which induces her to lay eggs more readily. The compact layer of substrate should then be covered with a 5cm layer of non-compressed substrate to act as a cushioning layer.

Temperature Control:

The temperature should be controlled according to the needs of the specific species, especially during hot summers or cold winters. Keep the laying box in a quiet place out of direct sunlight. For example, highland species such as Dynastes neptunus and Dynastes satanas should be kept around 20C, and lowland species such as Dynastes hercules and Chalcosoma caucasus should be kept around 25C.

Substrate Management:

Ensure that the laying box is well ventilated with the use of ventilation holes in the lid to allow for the aeration of the laying substrate. The moisture level of the substrate should be managed carefully to make sure that it does not dry out too much or is not kept too wet. Substrate that is too dry will yield in no eggs as the female will deem it as an unsuitable place for her offspring to grow up, and substrate that is too wet will encourage the growth of bacteria and fungi that will kill the eggs, as well as a proliferation of mite and small flies. The way to check the moisture level of the substrate is to make a ball of substrate in your hand and squeeze hard. If water drips out of the ball when squeezed, the substrate is too wet. If the ball of substrate does not hold its shape and falls apart when released, the substrate is too dry. If the ball of substrate holds its shape and does not drip any water, it is the perfect moisture level.

Egg Collection:

The female should continually be placed into a new laying box after a month has passed until she passes away of old age. After the female has been transferred to a new laying box, all the substrate in the old laying box can be removed and carefully dug through to collect eggs and any young larvae that may have already hatched. The eggs and larvae can then be placed into their own individual containers for rearing.

When using smaller laying boxes, there is always a chance that the female will trample over and squash her own eggs when digging in the laying box to search for more laying areas. Therefore, egg collection should not be left until too late and this is also the reason why the female should be placed into a new laying box every 30 days.