Dorcus Curvidens
The Dorcus Curvidens inhabits a wide range of regions including India, Myanmar, Thailand, China, Vietnam, and Laos.
The large mandibles of adult males extend straight forward from the base and curve inward at the tip. The inner teeth extend upwards, overlapping with the front part of the mandibles.
Hand pairing is recommended for breeding, but even if a male and a female are placed in the same enclosure, it is very rare for the male to clamp and kill the female. In captivity, they are often found together under logs. However, caution is needed during the female's egg-laying period, as she might bite off all of the male’s legs if they are not separated.
For an egg-laying setup, place about 5 cm of substrate at the bottom and add hard egg-laying wood, such as Quercus or oak, on top. The female will lay eggs in this wood. The best results are obtained with egg-laying wood that retains slight indentations when pressed with a fingernail. If the wood is too soft, the female may tear it apart, which is not ideal. When the female starts gnawing on the egg-laying wood, be especially careful to keep it from drying out, as the eggs laid may die.
About one month after the female starts gnawing on the egg-laying wood, remove her and leave the egg-laying case untouched for another month. Then, carefully split the egg-laying wood to avoid crushing any larvae and you should be able to find larvae.
The larvae should be placed individually in separate containers for rearing. The Curvidens stag beetle is long-lived, and with proper care, can live for over four years.
The optimal rearing temperature is around 20°C to 25°C, during which they remain active.
