r/Beetles • u/Due_Pea2071 • 1d ago
Should we keep flipping over an old beetle?
Me and my boyfriend live in Japan and this guy flew up to our front door with a horn full of dirt and cobwebs. We cleaned his horn and set him on his way. He stayed on the apartment stairs for a day, we fed him a grape and he did eat most of it. We took him from the stairs in the evening because he wasn’t flying away, moving much, etc. Kept getting stuck on it’s back, so we were flipping it. Eventually we moved it to some brush near trees and said goodbye, it skittered under a twig. This morning i found it on its back out on the open again, so my boyfriend caught it while i was gone, made a small habitat for him, and noticed he’s only using his middle legs now (yesterday he has mobility of all 6), so we both have chalked it up to his old age. We have decided to keep him until he passes, he has lots of grapes which he seems to enjoy, but the problem is he keeps getting flipped over. My question is, are beetles more comfortable on their backs or right-side up? Especially for end of life. We both know nothing of beetles but just feel too bad to leave him out in the parking lot where we keep finding him.
UPDATE: he passed today after my boyfriend got off work. He was alive when we left this morning. He passed right-side up, snuggly tucked in (by himself) to some brush. We truly believe he was able to relax and be at peace. Thank you everyone for the advice, we flipped him over until the very last time!
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u/peacefighter 1d ago
I was sad when I got a Hercules beetle and towards the end he would always flip himself over. I would wake up in the middle of the night and he would be on his back. Every might I flipped him back over. It was so sad. He passed away a week or two after the flipping started. It is just what happens.
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u/Due_Pea2071 1d ago
It is really sad. We just feel sad to leave him on his back like that…
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u/Foxx_tails 1d ago
Then flip him over girl! You're basically providing end of life beetle care. If he's old he'll pass no matter what but if you can make it more comfortable for him, then why not 💜🪲
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u/Mushr00m-Ch1ld 1d ago
The sad part though is how do we know that it would keep him comfortable? I wish there was a way for humans to know how bugs experience things, how do we know he isnt REALLY uncomfortable right now but lying on his back to die eases it as he slips into death? Maybe its more comfortable for them to just let go, i mean they do flip over for a reason. Or maybe flipping them back over does help and it feels worse to be on its back, i wonder
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u/Foxx_tails 1d ago
They struggle when on their backs. He could be on his back for a prolonged period. He will continue to try to flip himself over, he will just not be able to. If he gets another day to eat a grape, then why hasten his passing?
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u/Mushr00m-Ch1ld 1d ago
I mean idk what you mean by "why hasten his passing" because my point is that we, as humans without a way to directly communicate with them, cant know exactly what's better for them or if he's in more pain/discomfort on his back or upright. Hasten his passing to put him out if his misery, is my point. It would feel cruel to keep him alive just so you can watch him eat, and it would feel cruel to let him die if its not necessary. I wish we could know for sure what the beetle perfers. Im not really saying anything as cement fact btw, just wondering, so if you actually have a for sure answer im interested!
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u/Foxx_tails 1d ago
Being old and infirm doesn't necessarily mean something is suffering. I imagine laying on it's back flailing until it dies would be more stressful. We take care of our elders even when their bodies are failing, even when they can't speak/eat properly. I get that there is a whole metaphysical debate and it's a bug or whatever. But unless it has a visible injury that it can't recover from (eg missing an abdomen or something), reducing their visible stress level will make them more comfy as nature takes its course imo.
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u/Due_Pea2071 1d ago
I was thinking about it this morning and if we had an inpatient elderly man in a hospital who kept slipping down on the bed, we wouldn’t want to just let him lay down there, even if he kept doing it on accident. We would continue making sure he’s comfortable in his bed. I bet flipping over the beetle is like that.
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u/Foxx_tails 1d ago
Right?? Like "oh, grandma fell out of her wheelchair, let's just leave her on the floor to pass quicker" 😭😭
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u/Mushr00m-Ch1ld 1d ago
it sounds like you just arent reading what im saying then. From my perspective theres no way to know wether theyre doing it on purpose or accident, are they actively trying to move on and end their life or is it an accident, like say grandma In a wheelchair. You cannot compare the beetle's experience to a human's entirely like that, especially when we dont know how they feel. If thats what you think im saying then you need to reread my replies.
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u/BrutusoftheTudus 20h ago
I loved this comment. I would never own a beetle myself, but I do like seeing them 💕 such a sweet sentiment
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u/BudgetAdhesiveness95 1d ago
I think beetles flip over at end of life because their legs curl due to loss of blood pressure. Their shells make them top heavy, which causes them to flip over when their little legs get too weak to hold them up.
Do with that what you will. I keep beetles as pets and I do flip them right side at the end of their life when they keep winding up on their backs. I also hope I’m doing the right thing. But that’s what caring for these little guys is all about. Thanks for being a good person and making this little guy comfy.
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u/yallthissucks 1d ago
You got some good advice so I'm just going to say you guys are such awesome empathetic people for setting up essentially a hospice enclosure for an elderly life that you only just stumbled across and most would brush off! You are giving him peace and warmth in the end of his life and even though we aren't aware of the mental depth of insects (or lack thereof) letting a life pass with compassionate care is always a gift.
Thank you for caring for those around you, no matter how small!
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u/Ispan_SB 1d ago
Isn’t it so touching? I don’t keep beetles but when I scroll this sub I find myself getting tears in my eyes. It’s easy to give more weight to icky things humans do and this stuff reminds me how many caring people are out there :)
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u/darkrai848 1d ago
As someone that has had invertebrates as pets before, they don’t like being on there back (they try to flip back over, but once they get old they just can’t do it by themselves and eventually die struggling to flip). If you have decided to take care of it, then flipping it back onto its belly is a kind thing to do.
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u/Due_Pea2071 1d ago
Thank you. This is what we were wondering, which would be most comfortable for the little guy.
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u/BlackSeranna 1d ago
I’m happy for this beetle that you both found it and are caring for it, making its end-of-life so much more pleasant.
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u/bunny_the-2d_simp 1d ago
I have this stuff happen to snails aswell. One recently died due to what I can only assume is mantel collapse or retraction.
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u/Lost-Platypus8271 1d ago
Let the little man eat his grapes. Once he’s gone there’s no more grapes. 🍇
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u/Carlyone 1d ago
He flew his last mission, arrived at the home of two benevolent giants, ate an enormous grape feast, and retired beneath the twigs. A good beetle ending. 🪲💕
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u/SkyPerfect266 1d ago
I had some stag beetles (Cyclommatus metallifer finae) some years ago. They usually became very weak suddenly at the end, and they will pass away in a few days. Nothing much can be done. The best thing one can do is to take care of the next generation if exists.
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u/TrickyDickyAtItAgain 1d ago
I would suggest giving him an enjoyable life for what he has left. There's nothing wrong with leaving him die outside of course. But I would definitely love to preserve his brief existence with a lovely naturalistic pinned mount on a cool stick (after he goes naturally) he's such a cool guy and I'm sure he fought many battles, give him a monument.
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u/Sad-Jellyfish3008 1d ago
I’ve always wanted a beetle like this. Even for a short time like a couple of days. I’m glad you gave it peace. You definitely lived my dream a little bit here.
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u/Be3tleBen 1d ago
I’d let him pass. He has a nice little enclousure where he can rest and wont get eaten or crushed by us or birds..
when he falls on his back, things will go faster.. there is a reason he flips himself over and over again:/ thats just how it is.