What's keeping you from startin a Dubai colony?

[citrusdragon]

I started a Dubai colon a few weeks ago with the help of Jason, aka theroachguy.com, and I can't believe I didn't do this last year. It seems like I was more afraid of asking my wife than needed to be. She seemed much more in tune with the decision when I told her the facts... no smell...no climbing...no flying... and rapid breeding :shock:

Anyway, just wondering what are the big objections out there when I know we all HATE crickets, lol.

Jeff

 

[NegativeCreep]

The initial investment cash is all. I know it will save me in the long run, it's just hard to come up with that $ and still have the $ to supply current feeders...

 

[patrickb]

It is partly the initial investment, but I think the big thing is that "we" are trained to believe cockroaches are nasty little pests that spread numerous diseases. The fear factor that has been instilled in people for many generations is just difficult to overcome. If people were breeding roaches like crickets, the roaches would probably be cheaper.

 

[NegativeCreep]

If people were breeding roaches like crickets, the roaches would probably be cheaper.

Certain breeds of roaches are as cheap as crix, I just can't stand the idea of them climbing glass!

 

[JDWright]

A few thoughts. First, I understand the mentality we have as a culture about roaches. It's just such a misconception. I've read (possibly on this forum) that less than 1% of roach species are considered pests. But we as a culture are bugists! Secondly, the dubia is not the only non-climbing/non-flying option out there. A much much more reasonable starter cost is the Blatta Lateralis (Turks, the colony I started instead of turks). You find them for around 10 cents a roach or a little cheaper. My adult females started dropping egg cases in less than a week after I got them, they hatch 15-30 babies and they reach sexually maturity in 2-3 months (confirmation?). With the low cost you can order anywhere from 500 to a few thousand and have a sustainable colony in a very short time. I think 100 breeding females is probably enough to feed any single dragon easily. Some people worry about their speed. Put them in the fridge for 10-15 minutes and they'll barely be crawling.

 

[INCA]

with the turks about how much adults would i need for 10 adult dragons?

Thanks

 

[LJean]

Mainly because I am afraid of bugs! To think of having roaches in the house creeps me out. I'm not sure I could put my hand in the container to get them out for feeding.

 

[JDWright]

with the turks about how much adults would i need for 10 adult dragons?

Thanks

The adults are about the size of crickets. Find out how many your dragons would eat in a day. X 30 for a month. Assume that each female will give you a very conservative 15 babies a month (a week or so to develop the eggs and drop them/2-3 weeks for them to hatch, I read that it's not uncommon for an egg case to contain 30 nymphs). Your 30 day total/15 is how many females you should have breeding. A ratio of 1 male to every 3-4 females is an extremely safe ratio. You'll also have to let it get going for a few months if you want them all adult sized.


While I have a turk colony, most of the above is based on plenty of internet research.

 

[INCA]

ok some good info

 

[sunkist]

For me it's just the initial investment - I plan on doing it in January but don't plan on giving up on phoenix worms completely. I like the fact they are sooo loaded in calcium - I don't have to worry about dusting.

 

[akingsley9000]

Mainly because I am afraid of bugs! To think of having roaches in the house creeps me out. I'm not sure I could put my hand in the container to get them out for feeding.

I'm with you!

 

[Ihaggerty1313]

Mainly because I am afraid of bugs! To think of having roaches in the house creeps me out. I'm not sure I could put my hand in the container to get them out for feeding.

Than I won't tell you about the other creepy crawlies that live in your house w/o you evening knowing it... Namely spiders and centipedes. It's funny. I'm not a bug guy at all. I held my friends scorpion when I was drunk. My girlfriend holds tarantulas but I refuse to (get made fun of by her all the time, it's pretty funny), and centipedes big and small make me itchy and very uneasy.

So I was keeping all sorts of lizards and I was sick and tired of Crickets. I thought of Roaches.. but I couldn't bring myself to hold a Hisser... So I just bought 1,500 Dubia for no apparent reason. Why start w/ 100 when you don't know if you can even bring yourself to look at them. Anyway 1,500 I felt was a good number to tell someone like my girlfriend and get a good rise out of her. Of course it's a much better if you wait until they are in the house to tell her! Wish you guys could have seen the expression on her face. But I was geeked out for all of a couple days and then I sat around the Roach Room and sang "We are family" w/ them and the rest as they say is history.

Now I deal w/ thousands of them on a daily basis. I pick them up 50 at a time (that's a funny feeling!). To give you a visual they feel like they have tiny post it notes stuck on their 6 little feet, but they can't climb glass or plastic... HEH?! Go figure! Anyway I breed them and have solemly swore to my fellow herpers to eventually rid them of my mortal enemy as a herper (besides snake mites, god bless my addiction to Boa Constrictors)....crickets! How do I plan on ridding the industry of crickets? By spreading knowledge of natures happy little helpers ROACHES! One herper at a time!

So pass it on for me, and do yourself a favor and get some darn roaches! Your scaly little buddies will thank you...

-Ian

 

[patrickb]

A few thoughts. First, I understand the mentality we have as a culture about roaches. It's just such a misconception. I've read (possibly on this forum) that less than 1% of roach species are considered pests. But we as a culture are bugists! Secondly, the dubia is not the only non-climbing/non-flying option out there. A much much more reasonable starter cost is the Blatta Lateralis (Turks, the colony I started instead of turks). You find them for around 10 cents a roach or a little cheaper. My adult females started dropping egg cases in less than a week after I got them, they hatch 15-30 babies and they reach sexually maturity in 2-3 months (confirmation?). With the low cost you can order anywhere from 500 to a few thousand and have a sustainable colony in a very short time. I think 100 breeding females is probably enough to feed any single dragon easily. Some people worry about their speed. Put them in the fridge for 10-15 minutes and they'll barely be crawling.

3-5 months is a bit more accurate, but it really all depends on temperatures and food availability. I have one batch from an ooth that is kept in a room that stays between 60-80deg F during this time of the year, usually in the 60's. They are 4 months old and not even half an inch. Some other hatchlings from that same time period are kept at 80+ and are already breeding and laying ooths. Temps are very important and I plan to document this with actual data in the future. Food I am sure has an effect as well, and the slower growing ones are not fed very often, they are just stuck away and ignored mostly.

 

[patrickb]

Now I deal w/ thousands of them on a daily basis. I pick them up 50 at a time (that's a funny feeling!). To give you a visual they feel like they have tiny post it notes stuck on their 6 little feet, but they can't climb glass or plastic... HEH?! Go figure! Anyway I breed them and have solemly swore to my fellow herpers to eventually rid them of my mortal enemy as a herper (besides snake mites, god bless my addiction to Boa Constrictors)....crickets! How do I plan on ridding the industry of crickets? By spreading knowledge of natures happy little helpers ROACHES! One herper at a time!

So pass it on for me, and do yourself a favor and get some darn roaches! Your scaly little buddies will thank you...

All I can say is "Amen brother!" I am with you 100% on this. heh

And yes, for a species that can't climb glass, those darn Dubia sure are "sticky" lol

 

[LJean]

Oh Ian, I can't even look at the pictures of them online! LOL