giant water beetle info and help needed

[greenbud]

So let me set the scene for you.
You just got done a really long hard day at work. You get home and the wife and kid are staring at a coffee cup that seems to be pissed off and moving.
Next thing you know you get the "can we keap it question". After finding out the poor bug has been in that coffee cup for 6 hours. So you do what and good dad does a quick google search. Make a tank out of scraps and expect it to be dead by moring and your hell to be over........ Well it morning and not only is it not dead it managed to catch and eat a feeder guppie.

So apparently Henry is here to stay. I need info on Henry.

 

[Gill Blue]

at first
i was excited, I thought you had a Megalon. but it appears to be a giant water bug.
http://www.eduwebs.org/bugs/giant_water_bug.htm

 

[Greg31]

cool little thing.

 

[greenbud]

ok so now we got the right bug figured out. how and when should I feed it?

 

[greenbud]

cool little thing.

little? the thing is the size of 3 quarters placed side by side.

 

[greenbud]

"Although not really dangerous, the Giant Water Bug can give one a nasty bite. One person described the bite as very painful, causing the finger and whole hand to swell up dramatically, to the point where they lost all use of the hand,and remaining thus for about two weeks. If you are going to handle this insect, it should be done with care."

OK thats is not nice to think about

 

[krichardson]

A predacious waterbug,now that's kinda cool.I think the water boatman is cooler though.Didn't you google it,what did you find out about it?

 

[greenbud]

A predacious waterbug,now that's kinda cool.I think the water boatman is cooler though.Didn't you google it,what did you find out about it?

they taste good fried. But for real can not seem to find much. Aparently in asian culture they are used to fight with and eat. Here in americae we dont see them as pets we step on them.

 

[COG Commando]

"Although not really dangerous, the Giant Water Bug can give one a nasty bite. One person described the bite as very painful, causing the finger and whole hand to swell up dramatically, to the point where they lost all use of the hand,and remaining thus for about two weeks. If you are going to handle this insect, it should be done with care."

OK thats is not nice to think about

I can vouch for this. My bite wasn't as bad as that ^^, but damn, if it didn't hurt like hell, then I don't know what does. One thing I know for sure is that I'll never let one crawl on my hand again haha

 

[Oddball]

Keep a tight lid on this critter. They can and will fly.