Turningdoc
New Member
I'm thinking of building a "bug hotel" cabinet to keep all feeders in. Anyone ever done this? If so, post away w pics as I need ideas and would love to learn what NOT to do as well!
Keeping crickets and dubia
- Thread starter Turningdoc
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Swayne8998
Established Member
I think what you mean is keeping the bugs, right? Are you planning on breeding them?
If you're not breeding them, you will still need to do a few things.
Crickets: Keep in a well ventilated container, and clean the container every few days. Gutload with any type of green you gutload with, yams, carrots, and fruits. Store in a dark and warm place (mid 80's ideally).
Dubias: Keep in a container with many holes, but leave enough so you are getting moderate humidity for complete molts. You can clean the container every 3 to 4 months. Feed fruits such as oranges and apples, carrots, yams, and any other gutload. Roaches tend to dislike greens. Store in a dark and warm place (mid 80's to 90's ideally).
Glad I could help
If you're not breeding them, you will still need to do a few things.
Crickets: Keep in a well ventilated container, and clean the container every few days. Gutload with any type of green you gutload with, yams, carrots, and fruits. Store in a dark and warm place (mid 80's ideally).
Dubias: Keep in a container with many holes, but leave enough so you are getting moderate humidity for complete molts. You can clean the container every 3 to 4 months. Feed fruits such as oranges and apples, carrots, yams, and any other gutload. Roaches tend to dislike greens. Store in a dark and warm place (mid 80's to 90's ideally).
Glad I could help
Swayne8998
Established Member
What NOT to do: Don't leave food in the cages for more than two days. I learned a BAD lesson about mold 
(If you're having issues with this, put more holes in the container). That's pretty much it!
If you are looking to breed, here are some things to do with dubias (take it from an experienced breeder!). There are many different things on breeding crickets, there is one great blog that many members have hyperlinked. Search around on the forums.
Breeding dubia roaches is probably the easiest feeder to breed in the world of feeders. They do not smell, don't make noise, are hardy, and breed like crazy. As maxttu says, oranges, heat, darkness = babies! The lifespan of a dubia is 1-2 years, with about a 3 month cycle from baby to adult. Get about 100 mixed gender and size roaches, and within a few months your colony should be steadily growing! Roaches give live birth, and will give birth to many at a time. Breeding these guys is also a smart idea, since they generally run about 50 cents each. Try to make the male to female ratio 1:3, since males will compete for females.
(If you're having issues with this, put more holes in the container). That's pretty much it!If you are looking to breed, here are some things to do with dubias (take it from an experienced breeder!). There are many different things on breeding crickets, there is one great blog that many members have hyperlinked. Search around on the forums.
Breeding dubia roaches is probably the easiest feeder to breed in the world of feeders. They do not smell, don't make noise, are hardy, and breed like crazy. As maxttu says, oranges, heat, darkness = babies! The lifespan of a dubia is 1-2 years, with about a 3 month cycle from baby to adult. Get about 100 mixed gender and size roaches, and within a few months your colony should be steadily growing! Roaches give live birth, and will give birth to many at a time. Breeding these guys is also a smart idea, since they generally run about 50 cents each. Try to make the male to female ratio 1:3, since males will compete for females.
Turningdoc
New Member
How do you feed your oranges? How often and in wedges, or cut up or what? Also, have you used dog/cat/fish food? Do you need to grind up or will roaches just feed off larger chunks? Appreciate advice, little out there.
I just cut the oranges into wedges. They will eat everything except the peelings. You can put more oranges as soon as they eat them, or remove them in about 4 days so they don mold. Mold will kill your colony. I don't feed too much dog or cat food. It has too much animal proteins, which is bad for chameleons. You can give a little cat/dog food, and you can leave it in chunks.
Turningdoc
New Member
Help please! I followed advice above, I checked colony 2 days after putting a single orange wedge and about 2 oz of water crystals with 4 vertical cardboard egg trays and MOLD! Covered the bottom of the bin. I separated into new clean bin. Thinking of adding more mesh to sides of container to improve air flow. It's been raining here a ton. Should I skip the crystals until natural humidity drops and just use oranges? Could use mold any mold rescuing advice anyone has.
Rottsko
Avid Member
If you're using oranges or other fruits and vegetables to hydrate them, you don't need the water crystals. I wouldn't use dog/cat food to gutload them. I use the same cricket gutload for the roaches. They eat the same thing.
Idk if you mentioned what container your using to keep them in but I cut out big holes on the sides and lid and hot glued a metal screen over them to allow air flow. hope this helps.
ISA my Veiled
New Member
I think that is a great idea! But as far as keeping crickets in there that may be a pretty stinky hotel lol especially if it gets warm in the cabinet and the death rate increases for the crickets
Swayne8998
Established Member
I just cut them into wedges. Do not feed animal food (i.e. cat/dog food, fish food, etc.). Chameleons do not do well with animal protein.
I have a blog on caring for dubias. You can look at that if you want, and please ask more questions if you need to.
Turningdoc
New Member
Where can I find your blog?
Swayne8998
Established Member
Look to the top right corner above the 3 green bars that represent my reputation. Above there it will say Blog Entries: 1. Click on the "1."
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