starting a breeding colonies

randomryan007

New Member
ok I was wondering if 276 dubia roaches with 3 adult females and 2 adult males would be a good starter colony? and would it be ok to put them in oatmeal?

I already bread meal worms and super worms and crickets. now onto a new project.

also I thought about breeding grass hoppers.

input would be greatly appreciated
 
No substrate is needed. The more adults the better for getting started. It also depends on how many you will be feeding. I personally have 3 chams I'm feeding and I started my colony with 100 mixed nymphs and then 50+ adult females and 50+ adult males. I keep mine in a rubber 30 gallon tub and use a heating pad to get the temps in the 90s. I feed mine a mix of oranges, potatoes, and organic baby food mixes. They seem to be doing very well. I check them every few days to change food.
 
We started our colony with a mixed group of 50 about a year ago. My wife thinks there were a couple of adults but I am not so sure. We are keeping the colony between 700 to a thousand roaches continuously now, it reached that size very quickly once breeding started. It took a month or so before we started seeing nymphs.

We use a 30 gallon rubbermaid container with screened top and a ceramic heater on one of the screens. We found oranges as the water source really seemed to boost the production when we are looking to grow the colony. Normally we use water crystals. Nymphs can climb so a thin layer of petroleum jelly around the top of the container prevents them from climbing out.

I regularly cull out a good portion of the males as my animals dont seem to like them (too much wing) and when the males get over populated they tend to try (and do) find their way out. Double sided duct tape around the top inside prevents this as seen in the bottom of the open container picture you can see one stuck to it! Its been stuck there for about 2 months now with no food or water and is still alive! I like to think of it as a warning to the other roaches. :D

As was said, no substrate. The nymphs eat the droppings and they all eat the shed exoskeletons so they seem exceptionally clean and DONT STINK! WHOO! NO NOISE! WHOO!

I love love love my roach colony!! LOL

Including some pics!

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