Feeding dubia's from a colony

Question, why not just provide gutload for the entire colony and call it a day? Why the need to get fancy with it and pull specific ones the night before to feed? Just throw your gutload in there and you're good.
I understand @Chameleomom reasonings being the peace of mind that those feeders have in fact eaten, but I also feel like if you're providing enough gutload and the feeders want to eat, they would have eaten along with the rest of the colony as well, no?

Depends on your gut load. Back in the day, the high vitamin/calcium gut loads would kill off a colony long term. Calcium is toxic to insects, and if you feed them enough of a concentration, it doesnt come out the other end and stuffs them. So some of us would "gut load" the night before with a high calcium recipe.

If you had a huge colony, it gets expensive to just constantly feed them the good stuff. If your daily feeder "food" is lacking something, you get less feeders, not "low nutrition" feeders. Then the chosen few could be gut loaded with the good stuff the night before.
 
Depends on your gut load. Back in the day, the high vitamin/calcium gut loads would kill off a colony long term. Calcium is toxic to insects, and if you feed them enough of a concentration, it doesnt come out the other end and stuffs them. So some of us would "gut load" the night before with a high calcium recipe.

If you had a huge colony, it gets expensive to just constantly feed them the good stuff. If your daily feeder "food" is lacking something, you get less feeders, not "low nutrition" feeders. Then the chosen few could be gut loaded with the good stuff the night before.
This was my thought process. Keep the entire colony living off of high quality roach chow and toss in veggies/fruits here and there. Then give the cubes to those that I know will be eaten off the next day. This wasn't from a calcium concern as you mentioned, just for preserving the higher quality food to those being eaten so I am not making the good stuff every few weeks.

The trays I am buying make 63 cubes total so even if I do toss one into the colony every day, I'm ok with making the good stuff concoction every 2 months.
 
Ironically, my dubias won't touch my cubes. Made them from that video posted earlier. The cube molds in no time and I'm cleaning that bin a lot. I only keep a small number of dubias so not too difficult. They are growing...but not sure what they're eating. Maybe some dry Superload, bee pollen, or the fruit/veg. Hard to see a dent.
 
Ironically, my dubias won't touch my cubes. Made them from that video posted earlier. The cube molds in no time and I'm cleaning that bin a lot. I only keep a small number of dubias so not too difficult. They are growing...but not sure what they're eating. Maybe some dry Superload, bee pollen, or the fruit/veg. Hard to see a dent.
Before starting my colony I had a similar issue when I would purchase 200-400 nymphs/juveniles at a time. I would provide them food daily but it never appeared to get touched, they would always remain in hiding.

In my colony, within 30 seconds of filling their roach chow or throwing in real food, they swarm it and completely cover the entire area. I would be really surprised if they refuse to eat the cubes but we will see.

This is my only hesitation with starting a mini feeder colony, not sure if this stresses them out making them refuse to eat.
 
Ironically, my dubias won't touch my cubes. Made them from that video posted earlier. The cube molds in no time and I'm cleaning that bin a lot. I only keep a small number of dubias so not too difficult. They are growing...but not sure what they're eating. Maybe some dry Superload, bee pollen, or the fruit/veg. Hard to see a dent.

Yea some of the people who have "pet" roaches, would have to setup "sampler platters" to figure out what they wanted to eat. Guess bugs are not much different than other animals. My tegu should be nature's garbage disposal, eating pine cones when food gets scarce, he wont eat a strawberry if his life depended on it.
 
Before starting my colony I had a similar issue when I would purchase 200-400 nymphs/juveniles at a time. I would provide them food daily but it never appeared to get touched, they would always remain in hiding.

In my colony, within 30 seconds of filling their roach chow or throwing in real food, they swarm it and completely cover the entire area. I would be really surprised if they refuse to eat the cubes but we will see.

This is my only hesitation with starting a mini feeder colony, not sure if this stresses them out making them refuse to eat.
So, you think the colony situation creates healthy behavior/growth? Could well be. So far I just purchase small numbers and feed off slowly. I'm down to about 8 at the moment, all different sizes, who are always hiding when I look, but are growing...I don't heat the bin either. I am a lazy dubia keeper.
 
So, you think the colony situation creates healthy behavior/growth? Could well be. So far I just purchase small numbers and feed off slowly. I'm down to about 8 at the moment, all different sizes, who are always hiding when I look, but are growing...I don't heat the bin either. I am a lazy dubia keeper.
My issue was likely due to me keeping them in a 10 gallon fish tank and not providing heat. This was when I was just starting out and did not know much about dubia roaches. I'm going to buy a smaller plastic bin and provide heating, hopefully this will keep them hungry. I also read that nymphs eat the frass of adults, not 100% sure on this one though.
 
I also make my own and feed the entire colony in the same manner as chameleonmom and seems to work out fine.
They are continually eating gutload as that is all they get so I feel comfortable about pulling any to feed.
 
I as well do too . Not really for nutritional value a little yes . All my feeders are fed very well . I do it more for Time and inconvenience , I have to be out most morning early . My son is out by 7:00 am he needs to be delivered to his destination !. All my babies have their own containers marked . I get them ready Prior night . They all eat on same schedule . Beardies , Chams , geckos , fish . Human child is allowed more feedings lol .
 
I as well do too . Not really for nutritional value a little yes . All my feeders are fed very well . I do it more for Time and inconvenience , I have to be out most morning early . My son is out by 7:00 am he needs to be delivered to his destination !. All my babies have their own containers marked . I get them ready Prior night . They all eat on same schedule . Beardies , Chams , geckos , fish . Human child is allowed more feedings lol .

Whats in your bento Billy? Uhh 2 supers, a hornworm, and 3 dubia. Meanwhile the beardies are making the best out of the fruit snacks.
 
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