dubia colony questions - ordering tomorrow

[stangbanger]

ordering a dubia start up kit tomorrow....im ordering from theroachguy and it has 260 roaches (mixed) with 2 adult pairs

for heating - in the summer time i plan to leave it outside in my storage closet when its above 80, but when its below 80 would a night time bulb be sufficient? (inside the house - im not opposed to having them in here, but i figure to save electricity costs i can put them outside while its warm....i live in an apartment complex, and have an outside storage closet right outside my main door)

was thinking a 75w blacklight reptile bulb left on 24/7.....would that be ok? do they need a night cycle? i dont like the idea of an UTH on the tub, so i would prefer to heat it from above if possible


how long would it take the 260 mixed lot to grow large enough to feed from? i have a sub-adult and an adult beardie, as well as a juvenile pictus gecko that would eat only the smallest ones

if i wanted to begin feeding right away, should i order extra roaches? or just order some superworms and let the roaches thrive for a couple months?

i would possibly have the funds to add another 210 mixed and 1 adult pair to my starter kit, bringing it to 470 mixed and 3 adult pairs

or would i be better off with the 260 mixed and 2 pairs, and then ordering 10-20 extra breeding pairs to get it going? i could feed off the excess males when i get them to cut back on competition




so 260 mixed with 12 breeding pairs, or 470 mixed with 3 breeding pair, or just stick with 260 mixed with 2 adult pair?

i figure the beardies may eat 10 a day (my little one may eat more...ill let him eat as much as he wants, my adult will be limited to 10 per day), and the gecko will eat 4-5 a day also

 

[cr1chard]

I believe the roaches need to be in the 90's in order to facilitate breeding. I use a reptile heating pad, and keep mine indoors - it might actually get too hot inside a shed if the outside temp is already in the 80s. I'd give it a month or two before I'd start feeding heavily. I'd also suggest checking out twobeardieguy over on the "for sale" forum - his $20 kits are packed with several adults, and 200-300 nymphs in various stages of molt

 

[stangbanger]

thanks! i sent him a PM

 

[stangbanger]

thanks cr1chard! i spoke with twobeardieguy today and he was great....hes sending me out everything i need to start up my colony besides the actual tote and heating pad....worked out a great price for me too, im getting more than i would get with the roach guy and for 10-20 dollars cheaper!

good looking out, once i get my stuff in ill make a post in his thread also

and i grabbed a human heating pad....its old as heck, so im assuming it wont shut itself off....ill use this and just keep them inside, its only 50w so it wont cost me too much to run per month, maybe $3-5

 

[Flynnthedragon]

I live in washington but anyways to some answers

I got a 45 gallon sterilite tub for my roaches and all i did was put a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) on top. Cut a hole the same size as the lamp so no heat can escape around it, hot glued some steel screen around it. It is a 100w CHE and it is keeping them at 90-91 under the CHE. further down is cooler and around 85. How cold does it get there at night? I have a human heat pad under mine and its pretty worthless i think, doesnt warm up the air inside just the bottom plastic. I also spliced the CHE lamp to a dimmer to control the temp a lot better in the summer time, but they might have some with dimmers already on them. Not sure how much the blacklights are but if you have the money I would go with a CHE. The lamp its self gets very hot but the rim of the lamp is not hot enough to come close to melting the sterilit and the steel screen is cool to the touch. Just need to make sure its directly over the hole or it will melt

85-90 is the best temp for breeding. Also not sure if you have water crystals but if you run out most garden centers should have them, got mine at home depot just make sure there is no plant food or fertilizer in it or pesticides.

So far the CHE during the day it at 90-91 and at night as it cools off it hovers around 85 and we have been having winter like weather here so has been much colder then normal. It is also on 24/7 and has been 4 days and not one problem with it. Just make sure you have a digital thermometer directly above or under the heat source, they will situate themselfs where they want from what ive seen. I dont see how a blacklight would be any different as long as they are kept dark and its not a normal light bulb that gives off light.