Do you feed roaches?

[mark83]

I've done the research on starting a colony and I'm confident I can handle it. Just 1 problem, I dont want to buy 100 or a LOT more and find out she wont eat them. Has anyone had their beardie refuse dubias? Roach ranch has a $25 limit so I cant just buy like a dozen and no one locally has them. Any suggestions? I emailed Ian with my dilemma to see if he had any advice also. Oh and I suppose while I'm at it would starting a colony when I only own 1 dragon be unwise? I'm hoping I can keep it small by not allowing too many breeding pairs. Thanks for the :help: lol

 

[DeweysMom]

I just jumped into the world of dubias myself. I placed my first order (also with Ian) early this week and they should arrive tomorrow or Friday the latest. I don't have any experiences with beardies rejecting them since I'm also a newbie to roaches, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Also, for what it's worth I also only have one beardie. He's about 5-6 months old right now so he'll hopefully have many many years of needing feeders ahead of him. It'll all add up in the end.

 

[invictusrules]

I've never heard of a beardie refusing a roach. And once they get a taste of the crunchy goodness, they're hooked. Invictus will literally jump for a roach. :lol:

 

[mark83]

...Invictus will literally jump for a roach. :lol:

The mental picture of that is priceless :laughhard:

Thanks for the input. I'm pretty sure it wont be an issue I jus keep thinking itll be my luck I'll get what I need to start a colony, put a roach in Marley's cage and she'll shut her eyes. I dont know what other beardies do but when she hates something she shuts her eyes and it really leaves no room for argument.

 

[YATES]

I have a large 7 month juvi (18 inches) who was eating 20 or more adult crix, some butter/horn/phoenix worms and salad daily, and I just switched him to dubias. He's only eating 5 or more large nymphs a day which I gathered from other chats seems like a small amount. I think it's takes time for some beardies to adjust. If the beardies hungry he/she will eat- most of us just spoil them- including myself.

 

[ses2682]

I am interested in feeding roaches because I like the idea of not having to deal with the smell of crickets. But the only thing that stops me is...if a cricket gets out and runs away it will just starve and die eventually..so I don't really worry about it because I am so careful and very few escape the wrath of Leroy. But...if I were to start to feed roaches and have a possible colony..doesn't anyone worry about roach infestation in their houses if they get out, I mean..they're a freakin roach...they'll live through nuclear war... I'm assuming if they get into my house I'd be screwed.

 

[mark83]

I thought about that also but what Ive heard from others is that any escapees died off within a couple days. I cant recall why but it seemed they werent able to take hold. Also I guess they cant climb out as long as you have a stripe of packing type around the top few inches(too smooth).

 

[Phoenix17June2009]

hi there,
Maybe i can help you. I have for the past 2 months been using Dubia roaches for my baby as well. I got i belive around 250-300 mixed sizes with adults and i read where you were worried about escapes... well how does this sound...
The only ones that can climb are the babies, which you can stop by putting packaging tape, sticky side out around the inside of teh tub you use a few inches away from the top. They cant fly, jump, dont move very fast (incase you drop one) the only thing that bothers me are their sticky feet, they can hang on to something for dear life,lol, but it only takes a minute to shake them lose... most people cut a small hole in the top of the tub about 4x4 to allow for ventalation, then they cover the hole with screening, i hot glued mine to the tub top,lol, yes despite what everyone was saying i was TERRIFIED they these guys would escape... now if you happen to drop one and it runs off and you cant find it, have no fear because these guys are tropical roaches, (CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG) but they need a temperature of atleast 80-85 to survive, so if you have one escape turn on the air condition in the house,lol. now they do need a higher temp that than to breed, but i'm just talking about survival...
I hope i have helped you in some way!!!!
Good luck


oh, by the way, i have a picky dragon as well, but it only took him SEEING the roaches and he went crazy, i mean he got in his hammock and was trying to leap out of his viv to get to them. now he will show me where their tub is (just incase i forget ya know,lol)

Jordan

 

[CarlosEFF]

I am interested in feeding roaches because I like the idea of not having to deal with the smell of crickets. But the only thing that stops me is...if a cricket gets out and runs away it will just starve and die eventually..so I don't really worry about it because I am so careful and very few escape the wrath of Leroy. But...if I were to start to feed roaches and have a possible colony..doesn't anyone worry about roach infestation in their houses if they get out, I mean..they're a freakin roach...they'll live through nuclear war... I'm assuming if they get into my house I'd be screwed.

haha I totally get you on this, but dubias cant live off of house food. sometimes they will even die within an hour if they get out and as long as you have them in a bin with packing tape wrapped along the whole inside of the bin they wont go anywhere because they cant climb smooth surfaces

 

[Seig]

I have had mixed results with Roaches. After one my beardies came down with hookworms from a batch of crickets, I have refused to feed them crickets, ever. I have had mixed success with Phoenix worms, Super worms, and Silk worms. They love Horn/Tomato worms. I have a friend that owns a pet store and he intially set me up with an established roach colony for free. I tried giving each of them one roach initially. Only one of the babies ate one, then turned their collective noses up at them. I tried for over six months with no luck.
Well, about a year later, I hit some hard times, and someone on here was giving them away for the cost of shipping. As I could no longer afford the worms, I figured I'd try again. This time I have hit success. Both my boys love them. My girl will go two to three weeks before eating them, but she makes cats look like gluttons.....

 

[ses2682]

Glad to know I am not the only one who fears this, I would have never thought of the packing tape and it's good to know they cannot stand cooler climates.. but then again maybe I shouldn't start feeding them until the fall just to be safe? It gets pretty warm here in the Seattle area in the summer.. we do have a few weeks of over 85 weather a couple times during the summer. I guess i would just have to really find an escape proof housing for them... the screen and the packing tape would definitely do the trick though.

 

[techdave]

I wouldn't worry too much about when too start.If they do get out, they do need the right temps, like in summer, but unlike the American and German roaches (which can survive under the worst of situations), Dubias need a specific diet of high protein and fruits.Check out the fact sheet at http://theroachranch.com/index.html