Keeping roaches

[Grizz]

what do you feed roaches in there inclosure? do they need water? if so can i use the same gel water i feed my crickets? are roaches easy to breed? I am trying to keep as many diff bugs as posible around. i am thinking of trying roaches. what is the best kind? some places have quite a few.

 

[tryme]

I thought i'd post the link to a thread I had before it will help you out. (it's about dubia roaches)

https://www.chameleonforums.com/dubia-roach-breeding-not-16882/

https://www.chameleonforums.com/breeding-dubia-roaches-15280/

 

[sandrachameleon]

Here's some info on Hissers.
Adults are too large for most chameleons, but the young ones are very much enjoyed! They are slow moving compared to most roaches, so you dont have to be worried about them getting away from the chameleon. The small ones can and do climb, but I find they usually stay in cups quite awhile - more than long enough to get eaten since these are a favourite food item for my chams. Hissers are also kewl pets - they have personalities, get to know their keepers, look after their young, have interesting social interactions.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/madagascar-hissing-roach-14584/

I also keep Turkistan roach (blatta lateralis). They dont get large and dont climb. Males can fly short distances. They smell slightly more than hissers, but still WAY less than crickets. Adults Make good feeders for adult chams, nymps are only good for small chameleon species or babies.

All roaches are easy to gut load. You can use the same types of things as with crickets. Yes they need a source of liquid but NOT open water - use a wet cotton ball or food sources of hydration like carrots, potatoes, squash, orange slices etc

Another couple roach threads worth a quick read: https://www.chameleonforums.com/pics-roach-colonies-15575/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/why-roaches-better-14984/

 

[ConcertPhotog]

I've found the Turkistan nymphs can climb pretty darn well, that and their really fast! I got a couple hundred 1/8" lateralis a couple of weeks ago and am not nearly liking them as much as dubias.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I've found the Turkistan nymphs can climb pretty darn well, that and their really fast! I got a couple hundred 1/8" lateralis a couple of weeks ago and am not nearly liking them as much as dubias.

Yes, the Turks are FAST. I've not had any of them climb though. maybe its the type of plastic Im using.

I prefer the hissers. Slower, more personality

Havent tried Dubias. Would like to though. Maybe someone will give me some for Christmas. LOL

 

[Grizz]

thanks, i think im gonna go with the dubia. since my Cham went through a bout with pin worms and coccodia, he will not eat out of cup. i have switched him to supers and silkies, crickets keep getting stuck in drainage system. my setup has tub at bottom 6" deep. im working on a screen that will keep crix out but let water flow freely. my hope is that he likes roaches. if they are as easy to gutload as crix, and easier to breed, im down. even despite there rep. my plan is to have at least 50 of 4 diff feeders on hand. 10-20 treat feeders,(hornworm,waxworm....),on hand. breeding crix can suck, i got the conditions right, used three diff size screen to seperate,had heat lamp. still most pins died. somehow a male would get through or they would crawl up to area with adults and get eaten.

 

[Grizz]

allright I got my first 25 dubia. i have 5 males and twenty females. they are about 2" long. I have seperated them into two groups. group 1 has 2 males and 4 females, in two double bucket setups like justincarl posted. the rest, 1 male 12 females. i have in standard tub to feed off. i have the two 2-4 ratio at 83 degrees. i have feeders at 75 degrees to slow growth. is this the right temp ranges to induce mating? will this 2-4 ratio be affective? should i combine both into 4-8 ratio? i feed them cricket crack and carrot or squash for moisture. is there some food i can feed them to help in reproduction? do they need to be a certain size to reproduce? the females are 2.5" or smaller. the males are all about 2". also will .375 screen work to seperate young? or is .5" the smallest? (justincarl's post said to drill .5" holes.) i have wire mesh left from an green iguana cage i built. i could cut out bottom of first bucket an put in .375" screen. but would this be to small? also i will have to find a way to remove fecies from second chamber. does anyone have any hints on that?

 

[sandrachameleon]

i feed them cricket crack and carrot or squash for moisture. is there some food i can feed them to help in reproduction? QUOTE]

Yes, along with warm temps, provide high protein for the ones you are keeping as breeders (NOT for those you will use as feeders). Fish food flakes, egg, dog or cat food, etc.

 

[Orin]

also i will have to find a way to remove fecies from second chamber. does anyone have any hints on that?

Roach feces is nonreactive and doesn't smell (unless you're feeding them something very odd) so the vast majority of keepers don't remove it except maybe every few years. I just pull out the size I need from the colony as I lack the time needed to build and maintain multi-chambered caging. I'd suggest you start with a larger colony or it may be a very long time before you are producing enough feeders for one chameleon.

 

[summoner12]

I would keep them all together, leave them warm, fed, watered and in a dark place for two to three months and THEN try feeding them off. In the meantime try buying some 'feeder' sized roaches for food and keep the breeders left to.... breed.

 

[sandrachameleon]

Roach feces is nonreactive and doesn't smell (unless you're feeding them something very odd) so the vast majority of keepers don't remove it except maybe every few years.

GROSS! I clean my roach houses every month (remove most of the poop, wash the containers, etc)

 

[summoner12]

GROSS! I clean my roach houses every month (remove most of the poop, wash the containers, etc)

I haven't touch my roach bin in 6 months..... But I did seperate some into another container and gut load them before feeding. This weekend will be spent cleaning them out.

 

[Robert Johnson]

i try to smoke my roaches exclusively, especially when my dealer is dry.

 

[desultadox]

That's good to know because I haven't cleaned my dubia bin in about 2 months just because there are at least 4 full grown males in there and I'm scared one is gonna fly at me . I'm afraid of roaches, but I breed them for my chameleon... Somehow I don't think he appreciates all the effort!

PS - I started with 1 adult pair and 50 nymphs over 6 months ago and, despite feeding them off regularly, I have ~200 roaches now. I just threw em in a bin with egg crate, cricket gut load, and water crystals. These are as close to the perfect feeder as you'll get!

 

[BocaJan]

What do you do when you have too many to feed off? It sounds like they really breed readily and I can envision a tub full of roaches and not knowing what to do with them. How many can I expect an adult male/female veiled to eat? When can you feed baby chams baby roaches? I am really leaning towards trying this out since it takes so long to get supers. Seems like months and months before I had a super big enough to feed off.

 

[desultadox]

Well that's easy, just get more chams! Haha, jk. You can give the extras away/sell them. Just post in the classifieds~. I've never had a Veiled before, but it's my understanding that a big male can probably keep pretty good pace eating as the roaches breed, so you probably won't face an overpopulation problem for some time. Also you can keep the roaches in lower temperatures and they won't breed as rapidly.

 

[BocaJan]

Actually, my little females can out eat my male any day! LOL

 

[dondeb562]

That's good to know because I haven't cleaned my dubia bin in about 2 months just because there are at least 4 full grown males in there and I'm scared one is gonna fly at me .QUOTE]

Do the males really use the wings?? I am thinking about starting a colony and I hate roaches as well, so I need to prepare myself here! lol!

 

[Lancecham]

Hey, What's one flying roach. After you have seen one flying at you with their big, big teeth, it's no big deal.
But seriously, I haven't had dubias that long, but the times I have cleaned the cage, or changed the food bowl, there have been no instances of flying roaches.
The time is now to get them, and I'm sure you will pick some at the show this weekend. I might see you there.

Lance

 

[dondeb562]

THANKS LANCE!!!! What are you trying to do give me nightmares days before I plan to get some!?!? lol! You know me and my tweezers with the supers! hahahahaha!