dubia problems.. please help!

[underrwaterrx]

I just got my dubias a few days ago with 250 small and 1 breeding pair. I put them in the bin with a heating pad, egg cartons, food and water crystals. Today, when I went to check on them I noticed the adult male has not moved since yesterday. I am pretty sure it is dead. I cant start my colony without it and I dont want any others to die!
A few questions..
1. Why aren't they eating any food?
2. How much water do water crystals hold?
3. Will the humidity be sufficient with the water crystals in there?
4. How long will it take for the small ones to grow up and start breeding?

Please reply, I dont want to spend any more money on crickets

 

[Poke]

1. What are you feeding your roaches? I feed my colony chicken feed/mash with monkey chow
2. Well 1oz of water crystal can be a gallon of water when mixed.
3. Yes it will be enough but I also spray about once a week inside my roach bin for extra humidity
4. If you have smalls it can take from 3-5 months. Just depends on how much they eat and what your temperature is.

 

[BlueDevil]

Would you be able to post a picture of your set up, it would maybe give us a better insight on how everything is set up.

 

[Poke]

Ill take some pictures tomorrow of you guys on my setup and what i use to feed and what i use to heat my colony.

 

[underrwaterrx]

sorry can't do pictures right now :/ camera issues
i'll try to explain..
it's a green storage bin with a 9x9 in hole in the top with screen
egg cartons stacked vertically on the heated side
lids for food and water.

I'm feeding them the roach chow I got when I ordered from The Roach Guy

Chow still looks like it hasn't been touched.

 

[BlueDevil]

Hey no problem. I'm new to Dubias myself but bought a lot of adult roaches back in March and had them up and running by early April. I didn't have my bearded dragon till a month ago (end of July) I had a good 3 1/2 month head start for my colony to take off and I'm feeding out of the bin, tons of babies and nymphs.

When I first started my I was concerned that they didn't know where the roach chow or water crystals were. I think it took them a good week or even two before they found it? I'm only heating just a little over half of my bin (which is approx just over the egg crates) the food and water crystals are on the cool side. I think it took them awhile for them to find my roach chow as well (I'm currently using Fluker's Cricket Diet and/or sometimes I'll throw in some grounded up cat food). My bin is being heated with a human heating pad connected to a Herpstat Pro and set to 90 degrees. I also rotate apples, oranges, pears and carrots as well. Make sure you toss them after a couple of days so mold doesn't settle unless of course the roaches are completely eating them. One of the most important things I have found is don't disturb your roaches unless you have to pop the lid to add food/water crystals etc. etc. keep them in a dark place. IMO, if you want to be feeding out of your colony you will have to be patient and or if you have some extra $$$ purchase a few more breeding pairs to help.

P.S. I check my bin by shining a low intensity LED flashlight through the screen top to quickly check the bin I only open it to add/remove food. Anyhow this is just one guy's experience and so far it is working for me but hopefully more people can chime in as well! Best of luck!

 

[Warrior]

I had a feeling mine wasn't eating at first, then I tried them with two halves of an orange....jesus christ, they demolished it!!! :shock:

 

[discomfort]

Yeah they go after oranges like a fiend to crack

 

[BlueDevil]

Any changes?