Today they seem to be settling in. Around 10 AM I went to check on them and this guy faceplanted right off the little tree bits. PLOP.
Waving his little legs in the air. When he righted himself he seemed to need a rest behind that rock.
Did we learn? We did NOT! But another attempt proves more successful. Beeple up a tree.
@athleticshoelac! That’s a hoot! Looks like he landed next to a “head” first in the sand! I think you should name them after the Beatles! 
They’re so cute and derpy! And I love that enclosure you’ve put together for them, very cool! I want to add some fun decor to my tarantulas’ enclosures when I rehouse them. You’ve given me some good inspiration!
THank you very much! I got a good variety of trinkets from etsy sellers who sell “confetti scoops” of mixed bits and bobs, as well as a couple things I had around, like some rocks and pinecones. I bought the desert “driftwood” at our local herp-heavy indie pet shop, and the twigs are from my backyard, just sterilized via the oven.
Their antics are fun to watch, and I’ve even seen what is either burying of droppings or egg laying behavior, though I don’t have conditions for incubating eggs.
Who knows! You might have some beetlettes some day! 
!
This is my big female Copper, realizing she really does like Squash/Pumpkin/Sweet potato mash. I rehydrated a “snack puff” made out of only a puree of organic veg, and the beetles find it a tasty food source, so I’ll be offering it again.
She came to examine it with her antennae, but got one wet, and seemed offended by this! Then she used her foreleg to bend it around so she could clean it with her mouthparts. Such a lady! /jk.
Watching her, it was almost as if, while cleaning her antennae, she seemed to realize, OH THIS IS FOOD! And I LIKE IT. Then she went right for it, happily feasting.
(okay maybe I anthropomorphize a little, but it looked just like that!)
She looks like she has a knight’s suit of armor on! I will never look at another beetle the same way again!!! 
Blue Death Feigning Beetles and their cousins the Ironclad Beetles are downright armored, indeed! The wing casing or elytra on BDF Beetles appears to be fused together and to their bodies, in fact, making them in essence a tiny tank. It’s a great thing to be when you’re at ground level in a desert where wind turns sand and dust into a sandblasting spray. I’m from the same place as these little dudes and the environment is not an easy one, with few freshwater sources besides morning dew.
(Being a Desert Dweller turns out to be a problem for me with keeping plants, because I have a very radically different idea of what counts as Moist Soil than any of my plants, it would seem. I’m having to readjust this!)
It’s hard to imagine anything surviving in a desert with blazing sun in the daytime and freezing temperatures at night. No wonder these little beetles are made so sturdily. Creation never ceases to amaze me! 
Isn’t it amazing? You’d think we wouldn’t even get bugs, but they thrive everywhere, and being small means you need less moisture than something big like a bear. Besides, our desert varies from Joshua tree style Mojave over to Coastal Chaparral where there’s just no above ground water but dewfall, but plenty of trees and shrubs, and hot clayish dirt and sagebrushes.
Notes on good food sources I am experimenting with to supplement carrot and sweet potato and dead bug offerings used by professionals:
I’m looking at trying them on an Oak leaf and Acorn mix from TinyTownCrabs on etsy. Edit: THey treat their acorns with a soak in Saltwater- which is fine for crabs but not for beetles, AFAIK. Oh well. I’ll find some other source of those. Their Broccoli Cricket mix looks promising.
The squash puffs are from TwistedTrailsFarmTN on etsy and are a delicious snack for your kids and toddlers. And Dogs! Mine loves them.
I’ve also bought from CrabPax, my bugs love Breakfast Bar (sans banana chunks) and I plan to get them some bee pollen to try.
Hermit Crab suppliers have a lot of good things to try for your invertebrates or even as sprinkles on a lizard’s salad. Us Weird Pet Keepers have to support each other’s small businesses!
(My Beetles do NOT like river shrimp. I will keep this thread updated with other food notes as we go)
Yes there are so many possibilities out there if you just do a little research! I must say that your critters are very well thought of and cared for by you! I wish I had your creativity with “meal planning”! I am going to check out some of your ideas, or at least try to, My little jumper is absolutely the most amazing little thing! She ate a whole mealworm last night leaving only the exoskeleton! Lol! I already want another one but this time I’m gonna hunt for one around the house! 
