# Peanut Beetles



## Gustavo Longo (Dec 13, 2010)

I´m a beginner in PDF keeping, so I would like to ask you, since the difficulty of locating springtails here in Rio de Janeiro, if the peanut beetles and it´s larvae would be beneficial for the frogs. The beetles are approximately 1 cm(0,4 inches) long and the larvae 1,5cm(0,6 inches). They look quite like the flour beetle, only a bit bigger. 
Many thanks in advance.


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## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

What PDF's did you plan on feeding them to?


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## JeremyHuff (Apr 22, 2008)

Those sound too big. Just go out and sift through some leaf litter. You can catch springtails and easily start a breeding culture.


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## JJhuang (Feb 5, 2010)

You can try and find some smaller isopods. Even if some are alittle bigger your pdfs will eat the newborns.


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## Gustavo Longo (Dec 13, 2010)

Hunter, the frog I plan on getting is a Galactonocus.
Here's a photo of the larvae, pupae and adult beetle
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Auq9g-_nVkc/ST25VqjqcGI/AAAAAAAAAAU/V3PfmT4ZE-0/s320/Tenebrio.jpg
The beetle does not get bigger than 0,5 cm(not 1 cm like I've said before) and it's larvae get's about 1 cm.
For nutricional values 
Humidity .......57% Protein ........24% Carbs.....2,8% Fibers.......2,3% Calcium .........0,02% Others........... 13,88%
Great idea JJhuang, I'll do it asap.
Thanks on the quick replies.


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## JuniorSabadu (Jul 29, 2010)

Hi Gustavo,

Glad to hear from some new dendro keeper in south america.

I don't think peanut beetles will work... They seem to be too hard for the frogs to eat. I would recomend you to feed them fruit flyes, and here in DB is a member from Brazil who raise them.

Feel free to send me a PM if any doubts.

Junior.


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## Gustavo Longo (Dec 13, 2010)

Junior, 
Thanks alot in the reply, I'll try to get a hold on those FF.


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## tclipse (Sep 19, 2009)

Gustavo Longo said:


> I´m a beginner in PDF keeping, so I would like to ask you, *since the difficulty of locating springtails here in Rio de Janeiro*, if the peanut beetles and it´s larvae would be beneficial for the frogs. The beetles are approximately 1 cm(0,4 inches) long and the larvae 1,5cm(0,6 inches). They look quite like the flour beetle, only a bit bigger.
> Many thanks in advance.


If you live near an area that you know is clear of pollutants/fertilizers, you can probably do a field sweep to get a springtail culture started.. but they should only be used for supplemental feeding, not as the main diet.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

JuniorSabadu said:


> Hi Gustavo,
> 
> Glad to hear from some new dendro keeper in south america.
> 
> ...


 
I'm not sure why there is general widespread thought that some of the insects are going to be too hard for the frogs.. the frogs do not chew the food item.. they are ingested whole. In addition, if one looks at the diet of the frogs in the wild, it is full of hard things like ants and beetles... 

Ed


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## Gustavo Longo (Dec 13, 2010)

Ed said:


> I'm not sure why there is general widespread thought that some of the insects are going to be too hard for the frogs.. the frogs do not chew the food item.. they are ingested whole. In addition, if one looks at the diet of the frogs in the wild, it is full of hard things like ants and beetles...
> 
> Ed


Ed, my thoughts exactly, but, because I'm a beginner,it's best to err on the safe side and ask here in the forum, where I can get a lot o good info.


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