# Devil's coach-horse beetle (Ocypus olens)



## Pleco07 (Aug 15, 2007)

My gf found this running around her house (she's not a bug lover) so chucked it out, it managed to make its way back in so she boxed it up and gave it to me.

Really interesting little beetle, has already polished off a morioworm overnight


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## Sarracenia (Mar 20, 2008)

I found one last year, and fed it pinhead crickets. Never thought they'd take Morios. :gasp:

It looks a bit weird when they poke their scent glands out. It makes them look like they're trying to squirt something at you.

I wouldn't call it small though, yours looks like a pretty large one. :2thumb:


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## Pleco07 (Aug 15, 2007)

They gets to about 2.5cm apparently. Yeah, bit the head off straight away then bit the middle so it was in two peices then sucked all the inards out, had a morio shell left this morning


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## Sarracenia (Mar 20, 2008)

Mine just used to grab crickets, mush them up into a pile then eat the lot. Beetles are very messy animals... :whistling2:


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

They are known to be mega agressive, i seen them in the wild behave like that too. kinda cool though i havent seen them in years


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## Pleco07 (Aug 15, 2007)

After eating 6 morioworms and doubling in size I put him/her back in the garden last week:2thumb:


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## ph0bia (Feb 21, 2009)

Love their common name, it's always conjoured up an image of an 8 foot long version reigned to a dark carriage with death on the reigns...


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## Cranwelli (Mar 24, 2009)

I saw one of these last week but didn't disturb it. I've always thought they would make good pets for anyone into predatory invertebrates.


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## oceanmachine (Oct 3, 2009)

i remember seeing these things as a kid. never got one to spray though. that might be a good thing. wouldn't mind keeping one now that i'm more grown up


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## Joe1507 (Aug 11, 2008)

are the capable of biting and causing pain / piercing the skin?


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## DazedLewis (Aug 21, 2008)

I kept one of these for a while when I was younger... apparently they can have a painful bite... I never got bitten by mine though


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

Joe1507 said:


> are the capable of biting and causing pain / piercing the skin?


yes..., no venom I don't think though, I was bit, just a bad nip, maybe slight throbbing.

Also they strike you with their rear end, do they have a scent gland or something on it? I didn't see it spraying any liquid but it seemed to be trying to attack me with it's "tail" like a scorpion.


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## Pleco07 (Aug 15, 2007)

When I let this one go it turned back on me raising its tail, obviously didnt appreciate being kept in a livefood tub for a week being fed free morioworm :lol2:


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## Corvidae (Jun 23, 2009)

ph0bia said:


> Love their common name, it's always conjoured up an image of an 8 foot long version reigned to a dark carriage with death on the reigns...


 Either that, or normal sized beetles pulling a tiny little coach.


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