Dermestid Beetles | Starter Colony

Next shiping day is Monday's only. 
(ALL BEETLES SHIPPED SEPARATELY)
 
Resellers and bird/reptile feed stores welcome!
Visit for housing, care & breeding info https://www.thecuriosityshop.net/dermis
 
Auspost will now only process live beetle shipments through EXPRESS shipping services only. If not using express services unfortunately your order will be cancelled and you will be refunded. 
 
Can ship to ALL states however WA require an import permit. This permit is $30 and you can apply with the link provided below.
We require a copy before beetles are shipped. 
https://wlc.dbca.wa.gov.au/
 
TASMANIA- All insects can shipped from me in Tasmania to anywhere else within Tasmania. Live insects cannot be returned to Tasmania from the mainland due restrictions on animal and vegetation contamination. All live insects coming into Tasmania must pass inspections and have a certain amount of time to be quarantined while inspections take place. This can take a few weeks therefore the welfare of the insects during this time is in jeopardy. If they do not pass the inspection the insects need to be destroyed. If there are prohibited animals or vegetation hidden within some penalties may apply without appropriate documents.
 
Pack Sizes:
- 5g starter pack- approx 75 mixed larvae, pupa & beetles. Suitable for 30-50 litre enclosure.
- 10g booster colony- approx 150 mixed larvae, pupa & beetles. Suitable for 50-75 litre enclosure.
- 26g large colony- approx 400+ mixed larvae, pupa & beetles. Suitable for chest freezer/142+L enclosure.
 
please bare in mind initial numbers will multiply rapidly within weeks with the proper care. A 75 mixed colony of individuals can turn into a 1000 colony of individuals within 6 weeks. Some colonies can reach 10,000 individuals. These colonies can quickly become unmanageable if feeding demands cannot be kept up. Hungry, crowded beetles can look for ways to escape. A small colony is one to be built and nurtured and is best suited for 50L enclosures less. Selecting a larger colony for a small enclosure is done so at your own risk, as stated above we cannot take back excess beetles back into Tasmania.
 
*Our information is based off Tasmania biosecurity laws only. Copying/pasting our information to your dermestid listing can result in misleading or false information.
 
Dermestid Beetles, or can also be commonly known as hide beetles, are fantastic little death eaters!
These beetles will not only pick the meat from the bone but they're delicate in nature, leaving your skeleton almost exactly intact in the position you placed it.
A large dermestid colony can pick a chicken carcass clean in 48 hours. Although becoming a large, healthy colony does require work and patience.
Dermestids are quick reproducers and, under the right conditions, a colony of just 30 adult beetles can turn into 3000 in a month.
Our beetles are bred in captivity for the purpose of bone cleaning and being "pets".
These are not collected from outdoors and live in controlled, monitored conditions.
We do not feed these beetles anything but fresh meats purchased for human consumption, so there is no risk of pollution from other insects or parasites.
This allows us to continue to ship Australia wide without the risk of potential biohazards.
We have raised and sold dermestids for over 2 years. We make sure we are up to date with biosecurity laws and information that is necessary to not only give these live animals the life they deserve but to keep Australia safe from any potential risk of contamination from, unbeknown to us, foreign parasites, insects or mites.
Our cautiousness and care for our beetles ensures that the customer gets a healthy and happy colony. We work hard to treat these animals with the respect and care they need and we hope you in turn can do the same by making sure you're ready to accept these new little critters into your home with the proper maintenance and feeding. We have included information such as enclosure, bedding, breeding and feeding for you to read, especially if this is your first time.
Being a dedicated dermestid breeder, we have learned so much about these insects and their habits and I'm sure we still have a lot more to learn from them, so we will update this page as often as needed.
 
To read more on getting started and dermestid beetle information please click here.
 
This beetle pack includes:
- x1 small colony of dermestid beetle, larvae, pupa and eggs (approx 500 mixed colony (Inc eggs)).
- x1 Aquaload vitamin gel block for extra vitamins, minerals and hydration during transit.
- x1 small reusable insect enclosure.