How long does it take for a roach colony to be sustainable for 1 chameleon?

[lurker9090]

So, I officially have 2 adult males and about 5 adult female roaches. And about 35 juveniles/sub-adults. Ive been avoiding feeding them to my cham for as long as possible so it can get bigger.
About how many adult females/males will i need before i can feed Chester every day without hurting my colony too much?

 

[Beman]

As long as the colony is set up right they should start multiplying pretty quickly. Then you will start feeding off the small ones.

 

[Delef3]

I personally would not touch the colony for a month or probably longer if you can help it. I usually get separate dubies specifically to feed off. As long as your temps are right and the feeding is appropriate, you should have a bunch in a short time. They have always been the easiest feeder for me to try to breed. But continuous interaction with them can affect breeding - at least I have always been told that.

 

[MissSkittles]

I’ve no idea what their gestation times are, but I’ll leave my colony to do their thing for a couple of months and then will go in and collect the nymphs. I keep the feeder nymphs seperate rom the breeding adults.

 

[lurker9090]

I’ve no idea what their gestation times are, but I’ll leave my colony to do their thing for a couple of months and then will go in and collect the nymphs. I keep the feeder nymphs seperate rom the breeding adults.

Can i ask what happens if i dont seperate? Will i have more success by seperating?

 

[MissSkittles]

Can i ask what happens if i dont seperate? Will i have more success by seperating?

I just separate them to make it easier for myself. The adults freak me out and I don’t want to risk touching them or having them crawl on me. Also, they can be a bit sensitive to me digging around in their ‘house’. I keep them bioactively, so it’s a bit more disturbance to find and remove the babies.

 

[GrannyK]

I use oranges to encourage breeding. It helps every now and again. Along with proper temps. It should sustain pretty quickly. Within a month or 2.

 

[elizaann2]

What do temps need to be at to breed?

 

[MissSkittles]

What do temps need to be at to breed?

Most like it hot, like around 90F.

 

[GrannyK]

What do temps need to be at to breed?

I am not sure, I just use a little reptile heat pad but no temp gages

 

[elizaann2]

I am not sure, I just use a little reptile heat pad but no temp gages

I’ve got one of those. I may give it a go. I need to start breeding all my bugs with the amount of food I’m going through each month.

 

[GrannyK]

I’ve got one of those. I may give it a go. I need to start breeding all my bugs with the amount of food I’m going through each month.

I have them in a 5 gal fish tank heating pad on bottom with egg crates to climb on and a box in the corner with a flap door for hiding…. I think the box is where the funny business happens but that’s just my guess I never go in there.