Any people happy they made the switch to roaches.

[augsburg1530]

Anyone not sure about roaches, I have a roach story for you...
Got our shipment of lobster roaches today.
Our new little dragon, spike, was eating a max of 30 crickets a day.
Dusted a bunch of our new roaches, Spike ate 33 in one sitting!
Just fed the little fella dinner, another 28 roaches gone.
We have changed his name to Spike Destroyer of Roaches :lol:

Waiting for our shipment of adult Dubia to begin our breeding colony, can't wait!!!

Eric

 

[Ambulance]

I have been thinking about switching to roaches from worms
but I am so scared of them...
Sorry if these questions are dumb but

Are there roaches that naturally do not fly?? I noticed that some look like they have wings?
Are they very difficult to breed?
do they need a heating system to be bred?
How long/how difficult would you guys say it takes/is to start a colony good enough for 3 beardies and a leo?
how big of an enclosure would I need to keep a good colony going?
How expensive would you guys say it is, generally, to start a colony, and to keep it going?
Are they good at escaping?
Does anyone know of any good canadian roach sellers?? haha.

Thanks~~
--Levi-Ann

 

[Pookachu]

Are there roaches that naturally do not fly?? I noticed that some look like they have wings?
I know dubias naturally do not fly (though supposedly the adult males can flutter, but that doesnt count) and I think discoids are the same. I know there are others but those two I know for sure even though the males do have giant full bodty sized wings.

Are they very difficult to breed?
Not really, pretty low maintenance. If anything what's needed most is patience. Especially if starting a new colony from scratch it can take several months before you get a nice supply chain going.

do they need a heating system to be bred?
They can breed at room temperature (try to put them in the warmest place in the room if possible). I didnt use heating the first month and I still got some babies. But by using a heatpad on one side of the tank/box it does help speed things up

How long/how difficult would you guys say it takes/is to start a colony good enough for 3 beardies and a leo?
I have about 150 adult dubias and from them I was able to supply over 10 reptiles (6 beardies, 6 leo's, 1 blue tongue skink, etc..) with it for several months until they finished off all the feeders

how big of an enclosure would I need to keep a good colony going?
Some people use 10/20 gallon tanks, I use 2 large rubber maid containers (though you can get away with one). I use one to keep the adults in and the other for the babies/feeders.

How expensive would you guys say it is, generally, to start a colony, and to keep it going?
I think I started off spending a little over $100 .. but that was because I wanted as many adults as possible to get things started as I had a lot of hungry mouths to feed. You can technically get away with just a couple pairs of adults and with enough patience (though it would take a while) you can get a full colony going.
Are they good at escaping?

 

[Ambulance]

ok thnkayou for your help!!
ugh I am so freaked out by roaches (especially if they can fly T_T) :shock: but my dragons, too, are getting bored with the worms and occasional crickets, but I don't have enough money to keep buying stuff all of the time so I need something I can breed quite easily and inexpensivly.
I think I will start up a colony for sure in the near future when I get som extra cash (just moved into a new apartment, so kinda broke! haha)

 

[Theroachguy]

a few pwoplw have asked me about setting up the colonies so here you go.
, this is the way I do my setups has worked for years.


THIS IS A BASIC RUBBERMAID TOTE FROM WAL-MART I USE TO HOUSE THE COLONIES IN

MAKE SURE TO USE SCREEN TO KEEP INSECT FROM GETTING IN AND ALSO FOR VENTILATION

THERE ARE PLENTY OF CREATIVE IDEAS ON HOW TO HEAT YOUR COLONIES, WE USE THE BASIC HEAT TAPE SET UP FOR THE PAST 4 YEARS NOW HAS ALWAYS WORKED WITH NO PROBLEM. MAKE SURE YOU ONLY HEAT ONE SIDE OF THE ENCLOSURES SO THE ROACHES CAN HAVE A COOLER SIDE TO RETREAT TO IF NEEDED

WE CUT OUR CREATES IN HALF AND THEN GLUE THEM IN ROWS OF 3-4 THIS IN MY OPINION IS BETTER BECAUSE THERE IS TWO SOLID CELLS RATHER THAN A BUNCH OF LOOSE CREATES. I FIND IT EASIER TO CLEAN LIKE THIS AS WELL. WE MAKE TO SOLID CELLS OF 3-4 CREATE AND THEN PLACE LONG WAYS WITH THE TOTE, THEN WE CUT A CREATE IN HALF AND LAY THAT ON TOP OF THE TWO CELLS. I LIKE TO THINK IT HELPS KEEP THE HEAT FROM RAISING FROM THE FLOOR THREW THE CELLS TO THE TOP OF THE TOTE.

 

[Peter Griffin]

I currently have a Lobster colony set up that I have had for a little over a year. Do you think any one breed of roaches breeds faster than another?

When I need to clean out the Roach Motel, I usually shake everything off the egg crate onto one side, then sweep everything to the pile with a paintbrush. Then sweep the pile, a little bit at a time onto a putty knife, while constantly trying to keep babies out of the mess. Do you have a better method, tip or trick you use for clean up?

By the way, thanks for the pictures. They always improve things.

 

[Theroachguy]

I get a small plastic bucket and drill tiny holes inj the bottom and on the sides about 2 inches up then I shake flats over the bucket and then dump contents out of the tote in the bucket and filter threw it that way, hardly takes any time and I only loose a few new born baby nymphs

 

[pixiedustdreams78]

where is a good site to order from and what to get? my baby is only about 6 inches long or so and would have to be some small roaches....how do you house them? do they need weatering and stuff like the crickets? my beardie loves her crickets but i don't, have a few that escaped and took up housing in our bedroom...grrrrrrrr...not real fond of roaches but if they are better for my baby and not as nasty as crickets.....would like to try them.

 

[Beetle_Juice]

all the answers to you questions are in this thread...just read through the pages and you sorted, give theRoachguy a pm or go onto his site and you can get some roaches.

 

[zimbabwepegasus]

Okay- so turkistans vs. dubias... anyone?

My impression has been - and I could be wrong- both are no hiss, no fly roaches. Dubias are a bit larger. Turks breed quicker & are cheaper.

Are there other differences?

 

[Beetle_Juice]

don't know if you've been onto this post particular post but i came across it a while back a found it very useful in deciding which roach to go with...if i remember right there was a discussion of dubias vs Turks and i think most people would say go with the Dubia.....but give it a read any way.

http://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=38632&hilit=+roach

 

[pixiedustdreams78]

thanks guys. will have to keep to the crickets for now until i have the extra money the buy "the roach man's" starter kit thing......

 

[pixiedustdreams78]

one other thing. is the only way to get the roaches to order them online? i would like to get a few to see if she likes them but don't want to start out spending a bunch of money on them if she is not going to eat them....will buying the starter kit from the roach guy be enough to keep her fed until the babies start popping? or should i buy additional roaches with the kit? have been reading ALOT about the roaches today and am even more eager to try them....

 

[Peter Griffin]

I have 3 BDs, a frilled and a turtle, all eat roaches, I usually buy 1000 of them at a time, I have not HAD to order more in 1 year. But, I did buy 1000 more about 6 months ago, just to add some new genetic material to the mix.

 

[Peter Griffin]

P.S. For the younger members here. Tell your parents you want to order Beetles to feed your BD. They Probably won't even notice the difference. Just don't say "roach" unless you want them to say NO.

Plus Beetles will make them become nostalgic and they will think about the British Invasion and Can't buy me love, and they will become happy. :wink: