Need help with cricket replacement

[SKYxCAPTAIN]

Hello all I’m looking for some help in finding a replacement for crickets. I have 2 roach colony’s right now a dubia and orange heads what are just now starting to get wings. My question is is there a roach that can reproduce fast enough to feed my chams so I don’t need to go to the store and get crickets every other day? Thanks in advance!

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Hello all I’m looking for some help in finding a replacement for crickets. I have 2 roach colony’s right now a dubia and orange heads what are just now starting to get wings. My question is is there a roach that can reproduce fast enough to feed my chams so I don’t need to go to the store and get crickets every other day? Thanks in advance!

Welcome to the forum.

How are you keeping your crickets that you need to go that often?
When I feed crickets, once a week usually does it.
I keep them in a cricket keeper, but there are many folks here who raise them as well as roaches.

You'll still need some variety when your roaches mature.
https://reptifiles.com/feeder-insect-nutrition-facts-chart/

The Merck Veterinary Manual recommends that linoleic acid (Omega 6 fatty acid) be included in the diet for overall health. All insects except roaches contain linoleic and linolenic acids, so variety is beneficial.

The following seems to be new information:

Note: There is a rising number of reports of cases of gout occurring in bearded dragons and leopard geckos that are primarily fed on dubia roaches for the protein portion of their diet. This is correlation, and has not yet been proven as causational. There is no reason to entirely rule out dubia roaches as a feeder insect. However, in light of the current data, ReptiFiles strongly advises owners of insectivorous reptiles to take caution and make a conscious effort to vary their pet’s feeders as much as possible as a preventative tactic. (Edit date: 12/10/2021)

 

[SKYxCAPTAIN]

I feed 5 chams ,2 crested geckos a packman and a bearded dragon crickets don’t last long in my house lol and I don’t really care for the smell of them. That’s why I was looking for a replacement for them I plan on adding them into the diet but don’t want it to be a staple

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

IC, the whole fam damily! I've just got 1 ea. beardie & panther cham.
Dubias are a staple for me, but I have better luck when adding another feeder to their bowls (they eat more roaches when something else is there than when it's just roaches. Right now I'm using (just a few) giant mealworms once or twice a week (and one day fasting).

There may still be some ideas on the link above—other feeders with percentages in the ballpark of crickets (e.g. grasshoppers).
Quite a few folks here are now raising silk worms; they're not roaches, but they seem to grow fairly quickly. There are several threads.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/search/1564442/?q=silkworms&c[title_only]=1&o=relevance

It's still early, and a relatively slow day. I'm sure others will have some ideas.

 

[Lindasjackson]

I to add a couple crickets in with my Dubias just to keep the Dubia moving around so my Cham will eat them. I feed more Dubia right now than crickets. I also feed bsfl also known as Phoenix worms and calci worms. My guy loves them. Welcome by the way!

 

[corynnonthecob]

Hello all I’m looking for some help in finding a replacement for crickets. I have 2 roach colony’s right now a dubia and orange heads what are just now starting to get wings. My question is is there a roach that can reproduce fast enough to feed my chams so I don’t need to go to the store and get crickets every other day? Thanks in advance!

hey there! i have a bsfl bin on my back porch. black soldier flies are very easy to feed: they taste good, they don't jump, they dont make noise, they don't run very fast, they don't even smell (if you feed them exclusively green material)! i take a couple every day and they just replenish so fast. chameleons also like to eat the flies, and the bin can be kept away from sun on a porch and provide lots of food. i got my starting amount from a local startup and they were kind enough to provide me with 750 worms to start with, and the worms took my avocados and cucumbers and flew with it, almost literally. these are only a good idea if your house has a garage for the cold months, or you live in the south. they don't reproduce as well during the winter cold. but here in Texas, its 82 degrees, perfect breeding grounds.

on the other hand, they are expensive if you're buying a starting amount, and if you need them now, you will be out of luck for a couple of weeks. but they just thrive once they take off.

 

[MissSkittles]

I’m not sure, but I think dubia are one of the quicker reproducing roaches. How are you keeping them? I have discoids and found they were barely reproducing until I gave them a bioactive bin. Temps will also make a big difference and they prefer to be around 90f.

 

[Persnickety Parson's]

Hello all I’m looking for some help in finding a replacement for crickets. I have 2 roach colony’s right now a dubia and orange heads what are just now starting to get wings. My question is is there a roach that can reproduce fast enough to feed my chams so I don’t need to go to the store and get crickets every other day? Thanks in advance!

Red Runners are fast breeders, can't climb either.

If you don't mind climbers, Periplaneta may work.