No doubt, this is definitely the case. I would imagine that Dubia and a large majority of roach species can actually do well on a real low protein diet, with the exceptions being the Posticus and other species that are prone to cannibalism (just like crickets). The thing about the plant vs animal based proteins I am wondering is how much does it affect the overall odor of the colony. I know animal based proteins always seem to have a much stronger and more pungent smell than the plant versions. I'm thinking that the undigested proteins in the poop break down and contribute to much of the smell of any colony, therefore the ones fed animal based proteins would have a stronger odor than a colony fed strictly plant based proteins. Have you noticed any difference in the smell of the colonies since you been using the new version of your chow? Dubia don't have enough odor to really notice it in I guess, but I know you have other species, such as Blatta Lateralis which do have a noticeable (though not strong or repulsive) odor to them. Just curious what your experience has been with that so far.BestRoach":7de2d said:Dubia do not need animal based protiens. In their native habitat, they would survive almost entirely on decaying plant matter. Obviously, they will take what is presented to them, so should an animal die I am sure they would readily consume it.
Ryan Maguire":841aa said:All I know is my Dubia LOVE Banana. I try to give it twice a week or more!
patrickb":10e5d said:No doubt, this is definitely the case. I would imagine that Dubia and a large majority of roach species can actually do well on a real low protein diet, with the exceptions being the Posticus and other species that are prone to cannibalism (just like crickets). The thing about the plant vs animal based proteins I am wondering is how much does it affect the overall odor of the colony. I know animal based proteins always seem to have a much stronger and more pungent smell than the plant versions. I'm thinking that the undigested proteins in the poop break down and contribute to much of the smell of any colony, therefore the ones fed animal based proteins would have a stronger odor than a colony fed strictly plant based proteins. Have you noticed any difference in the smell of the colonies since you been using the new version of your chow? Dubia don't have enough odor to really notice it in I guess, but I know you have other species, such as Blatta Lateralis which do have a noticeable (though not strong or repulsive) odor to them. Just curious what your experience has been with that so far.BestRoach":10e5d said:Dubia do not need animal based protiens. In their native habitat, they would survive almost entirely on decaying plant matter. Obviously, they will take what is presented to them, so should an animal die I am sure they would readily consume it.
Definitely would be a huge difference in smell if fresh proteins were provided, not just from the proteins themselves. However, I would like to point out that everything decays, even the processed stuff. It's more about how fast it decays than anything else. If the digestive process of the roaches has any affect on the rate of decay on the processed material, then it could indeed have an impact on the smell. Theories only here, I hope to test this one day.BestRoach":b81a8 said:I will say that should fresh animal matter be fed I am certain the frass will take on a new odor. All my feeds are previously processed, so there would be no natural decaying of the proteins once consumed. I am sure some fresh chicken or steak would shift my dubia's smell more towards that of a Posticus. Although, Posticus excrement is completely different than Dubia's, and there is substantially more of it...so this is speculation on my part.
This is actually something I want to duplicate myself. Smell is not something easy to register with instruments or anything of the sorts, so results from each individual would vary, but experiencing the results myself would give me a good idea. I plan on using two separate colonies with separate feeds that are close in protein levels. Going to be some time before I can set this up properly, but that's the plan, any advice you have on this part would be greatly appreciated.BestRoach":b81a8 said:It seems this would be an interesting experiment for someone who just raises dubia, or another plant eating roach like Blaberus Discoids. If only one colony is raised, it would be easier to detect a smell difference as the feed formula is augmented.
Info like this is so good. That's the type of stuff I like to see mentioned. Definitely sets up some potential experiments in the future! :lol:BestRoach":b81a8 said:V2 of my feed is awesome stuff on paper. It’s unfortunate my roaches didn't seem to like it as much as v1 (posticus excluded). This does however somewhat confirm that dubia do not require extremely high protein levels. There is even some debate in the industry that too much protein is harmful, because it builds up in the system and can eventually kill off some of the colony. This hasn't been definitively shown however, and there are still numerous breeders using super high protein animal based chow, like cat food.
by patrickb on Wed Oct 08, 2008 1:42 pm
I don't use a blend like you are looking to do at this point. Though I am thinking about doing it for convenience eventually. Usually what I feed them is what I have on hand, or happen to see and pickup one day, so it varies a lot.
Baby Rice Cereal w/Mixed Fruits
Whole Oats
Wheat Bran of Wheat Flour
Dog food
Dried green peas
A teaspoon of sugar or honey every once in a while
Rabbit food
Various cereals
Peanuts, sunflower seeds, and other nuts
They really love the sugar and honey added as a treat, but I limit it a lot. Whatever dry blend you end up with, don't forget to add those fresh fruits and veggies too. They got nuts for them.
Oatmeal, do you feed it dry?
Fruits do you peel them or just toss them in whole and let them go at it?
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