ROACHES!! HELP!!!!!

[Fredsdad]

Hey guys. Today started out pretty normal with me going out to get the mail. I found a box in the mail from beardeddragon.co and what to my surprise was a box FULL of Dubias! I couldn't believe it. I had spoken to Cheryl about her sending me some because I had a small credit with them. There was probably 150 roaches..maybe 200. Im not sure what to do to make sure that they are thriving. These bad boys are huge, too.

So, I have them in a plastic container with a lid on them (the container is white, but not translucent...gonna get another container soon). They are in our sunroom at the moment, because that is the warmest place in the house. I cut up an apple and put the quarter in the container with them along with the one egg crate that was shipped with them and several cardboard tubes (the egg crate is standing, the tubes are just laying in there).

Is the apple OK? I have the Flukers yellow water gel for the crix...can i use that to put in with them? What do I feed these monsters? Do I need a heating pad under the container?

HELP me guys! I think I'm doing things right, but have no clue, really!

 

[Claudiusx]

well, why did you order them if you didn't know how to take care of them? :shock:

There are lots of threads in here with more in depth details about raising them, you just gotta look for them.

The apple is ok.
I'm not sure about the Flunkers, it's probably ok though. As long as its just water crystals and nothing else.
There are lots of stuff you can feed them. Many members on here make up special blends of dry food that they feed to the dubias. But dubias will eat fruits, vegies, leafy greens, cat and dog food (crunched into a powder) basically anything.
Don't feed them anything your dragon can't eat though.

-Brandon

 

[Fredsdad]

I didn't order them...they came by surprise. Well, let me say I didn't knw they were coming. Otherwise, i would have researched. Either way, now I have them and i want to keep them.

 

[Claudiusx]

Understood. Here, I will link you to a great guide on them. I should have posted it earlier but i forgot lol.
http://theroachguy.com/caresheet.htm

-Brandon

 

[Sherri]

LOL! Congrats! You are an official beardie slave now :mrgreen: With your own Roach colony :headbang:

I fed mine the organe Flukers cricket gel stuff until I got my water gel from the nursery/garden center.

Just use some plastic lids from containers like sour cream/yogurt etc. to keep your food on, makes cleaning easy.

Apple is fine.

Many of us use oranges cut in half. If you only have a few I would quarter them and replace as they are demolished. I think they provide a lot of fluid/water and the do love them! Get a big cheap bag.

If you have a cat or dog and dry food, grind it up and put a little at a time in there. If not you can buy a cheap bag of kitten food. I have a large container of Tropical fish flakes for our fish and I toss a bit of that in there as well.

You can toss a piece of bread in there for now as well to give them something to eat. Check it every day or so for signs of mold. I don't do the bread very often, they seem to prefer everything else and it just goes dry, not moldy LOL

Any fruit or veggie you have in the house you can throw in. I would never do tomatoe or onion however...ever.

The link that Brandon gave you will get you fully set up but at least you can get them fed and watered. Mine always got here very very thirsty and I know yours will be as well, so give them the gel cubes, they will be all over it :mrgreen:

Type in *roach colony* in the search field and enjoy! Especially the one with pics of the egg sac! Priceless thread LOL

~Sherri

 

[Fredsdad]

weird though...I put the water gels in there but they are all hiding in the tubes and the egg crate. Will they find the water gel or do I need to lead the roach to water? And if i lead a roach to water, can i make him drink?

 

[Sherri]

weird though...I put the water gels in there but they are all hiding in the tubes and the egg crate. Will they find the water gel or do I need to lead the roach to water? And if i lead a roach to water, can i make him drink?

LOL...Is it dark where they are? Try making sure it is completely dark, cover it and/or stick them in a closet or empty a drawer if you can. Then give them time, they will find it. Are they eating the apple yet? (Again, they may be hiding where it is dark and also, they don't like to be disturbed much :mrgreen:

(But don't tell mine that! I have to dig in there for freshly molted ones right now so I am in there a lot :roll: They find it by smell, not by sight (or so I have been told, I never personally asked one :mrgreen: )

Sherri

 

[lauraj1055]

weird though...I put the water gels in there but they are all hiding in the tubes and the egg crate. Will they find the water gel or do I need to lead the roach to water? And if i lead a roach to water, can i make him drink?

LOL that was funny!!

If you want to get them breeding, I would get a heating pad and keep it under 1/2 the bin.. Get a rubberaid tub with a lid. Some people cut a hole in the top and put a screen over the hole. I just put about 8 holes in it with a knife..

I will also throw in my dragons left over greens for the day too, and switch that out everyday when I take my dragons greens out... And like also stated, dry cat & dog food, grinded up... I also throw some herptivite in when I grind up the cat/dog food mixture.

 

[Fredsdad]

I put some cricket chow in there for now...is this OK? Gonna add some navel oranges in tonight, i think, and take the apple out.

 

[Claudiusx]

Is it the dry cricket chow?

-Brandon

 

[Fredsdad]

Yes. Dry. Also have the Flukers water gel (orange).