im going to set up a roach colony, please help

[minipumpkin]

so iknow the basics from reading though all the topics on here but just want ot make sure i do it right...

im going to use a 120l tub going to get a heat mat for the side which the egg holders will be on. (holes in lid and stuf)
water gel in a tub and food... not too sure.. any ideas?? thinking orange and something else? oats or something?

light???


what else??

thanks in adance.

 

[minipumpkin]

no one? really

 

[dragonguy0512]

first you need to set up the tub you have to add egg crates or some where they can hide. next you need to set up a place where is is kept warm thats how they breed. next you need to set up a place where is cool and a where they can eat. but you need to remember that 15 or 200 roach's turn into 2000 in a few months. you also need to separate the babies for the adults. so they can grow. you also need to check if your state allows the import of roach's

 

[wes]

Your setup sounds good. They don't need any light. As far as food, don't make it complicated. Go into your refrigerator and give them a small amount of fruit or vegetable, maybe a slice. They don't need oranges; they will breed fine without. Most anything you give to your beardie they will eat. For example, mine will eat the peel and center (but not the seeds) from the butternut squash that would normally go in the garbage. Then go into your pantry and pull out some sort of grain. Oatmeal is great. So is flour. They love bread. Mine aren't crazy about cornmeal, but it gets eaten. If you have a dog or cat, share some of their food. Grinding is not necessary, but I recommend it.

I disagree with dragonguy. You do not need to separate your young roaches so they will grow.

 

[minipumpkin]

thanks both of you.
thanks for the info and ideas of keeping it cheap by using the squash as come to think of it some does go to waist. im just going to try get the right temps 85f is what i have seen people saying is the temp for them?? ill do a few checks on the temp using a probe to make sure i get it right before i get the roaches.
also rocket and kale? as they dont get used and have to be thrown out..

they dont need any sort of substrate do they as they have live births right?

i should be up and running by tues or wed next week if all goes to plan, 2 females and 10 male is what im going for... any thoughs?

 

[jodyberry]

Here's my colony setup: http://jodyberry.smugmug.com/Vivarium/Dubias-Part-2/15446316_6vHwa#1156507480_iFBNL


Since these photos, I have covered up the 4 holes you see on top of the bin (it's a 30 gallon). I was losing heat.

I also went with a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) since I wasn't able to sustain the temps I wanted using a heat pad - 85 to 95 degrees.

I use water crystals for drinking AND to bring up the humidity a little. I found a pound of it at a garden store for about $10 It only takes a few teaspoons to make a large glass of crystals. Make sure if you get it at a garden store that it doesn't contain any fertilizer!!

I've changed up my diet recently to include Fluker's cricket food (gutload) and assorted vegetables and fruits.

Good luck!!

 

[wes]

Yes, 30 C is a good target temperature.

I don't know what rocket is and I never tried kale, but it wouldn't hurt to try them.

No substrate is needed. They actually like one, but it just makes it harder to clean.

How old or what size is your beardie? Two females and ten males won't produce many offspring, and unless you are going to feed off the males, it would be much better to get 10 females and 2 males. And with that few roaches, you wouldn't need any holes in your container and could go down to a 5 or 6 liter container, even smaller, really. I assume that's a typo. Twenty females and ten males maybe?

 

[dedc369]

there a colony species separating might cause less breeding

 

[minipumpkin]

i hae 2 beardies one about 15 inches and the other about 12 inches (so would need to feed small/medium roaches) i also have crickets and calci worms on the go so i wont need too many roaches just something else to feed them really, and once i get used to it i will prob stop using crickets once i get used to the roaches and gte a few crickets every so often...
i was going to get the 2 female and 10 male and then use them to start a coloney....get a few more males and females from them... if you think it would be better with 10 female and 2 male then ill do that...

already got the box/heat mat and cut for the vents ordering some roaches today. just got to get the egg holders going to the supermarket and get there old onces that would get thrown out other wise...

thanks again.

 

[keen77]

no substrate is needed, mine like carrots, dog food, and oranges

 

[jon21388]

i have never separated my babies from the adults and they have been growing fast. Only separate if you plan on selling the roaches at different sizes.