BDFB help? Playing dead a long time

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Jacqux

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Aug 26, 2017
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Hey everyone, I got some blue death feigning beetles last October and have had no difficulties with them, but last night 2 of my beetles started playing dead. I hadn’t handled them, and one of them hasn’t ever played dead when I handle him, but I figured maybe someone accidentally bumped the tank and they got upset. When I poke their legs they do move them and adjust so I do say they are playing dead. Now it’s morning and they’re still in the same position. I’m trying to figure out what could be stressing them and make them come back to normal. Last night, I took the old food out of the tank (green bean pieces, they usually feed well on these) and I put in some new broccoli chunks and my 3rd beetle came and ate some broccoli. I don’t know what else to do for them....

 
Update: I picked one up. I think he has an injury on his head so I don’t know if there’s any hope for him. Could this be from falling off one of the decorations  in the tank? They’re not very tall but I hear them fall off of them sometimes because they climb them, the tallest one near him is no more than 2 inches

050E2870-A428-4610-8750-D6DE499490FE.jpeg

 
My other one that’s been playing dead I just picked up (after washing my hands from handling the other one just in case). He doesn’t have any blood so it doesn’t look as far as I can tell like he’s injured. I’m hoping that he was just stressed about the injured/dying beetle being there maybe? I don’t know if they can get stressed about that. This one wasn’t particularly close to any decorations.

 
Update: my third beetle also started acting strange, first having stiffer movements, and now she keeps flipping onto her back as well. I’m worried from this behavior that maybe there was a pesticide in one of the foods they were given, or maybe even a fungus? I’ve been giving them mostly green beans, broccoli, & cauliflower (especially the stem of this), but 2 weeks ago my mom put some strawberries in the tank while I was away, which I took out as soon as I saw them because I know those usually have a lot of pesticides, but I never deep cleaned the tank. I just gave the tank a complete clean and even wiped down the decorations, here’s hoping the damage isn’t too bad and they can get better....

 
Update: my third beetle also started acting strange, first having stiffer movements, and now she keeps flipping onto her back as well. I’m worried from this behavior that maybe there was a pesticide in one of the foods they were given, or maybe even a fungus? I’ve been giving them mostly green beans, broccoli, & cauliflower (especially the stem of this), but 2 weeks ago my mom put some strawberries in the tank while I was away, which I took out as soon as I saw them because I know those usually have a lot of pesticides, but I never deep cleaned the tank. I just gave the tank a complete clean and even wiped down the decorations, here’s hoping the damage isn’t too bad and they can get better....
If it is pesticides take the beetle and submerge it in water and swirl it around for 10 seconds, then If they keep on acting that way do it again in a few hours.

 
When insects lay on their backs is a mostly  not good sign.  I don't think i have ever seen this type of beetle. How are the beetles doing now?

 
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