Starting new Roach colony advice.

[felo1812]

I like banana roaches because they don't look like roaches! They just look like little leaf insects

I know!! Pretty too in my opinion, I was considering them, but my wife would freak out if she see them fly! It would take good amount of convincing? maybe I could try haha

 

[NashansCamos]

I know!! Pretty too in my opinion, I was considering them, but my wife would freak out if she see them fly! It would take good amount of convincing? maybe I could try haha

do they fly?

edit: I just looked it up and it looks like they can!

 

[coastal_chameleon]

Agreed. Roaches have the ability to store uric acid in large amounts. It's a survival technique of there's. Downside is, it turns them into uric acid bombs if they're fed excessive protein.

FOR BREEDING YOU KINDA HAVE TO GIVE PROTEIN RIGHT ? THEN SORT THEM OUT AND ONLY FEED FRUITS AND VEGGIES FOR A WHILE . I WENT A WHILE ONLY OFFERING MY DUBIA COLONY FRUITS AND VEGGIES AND I NOTICE THEY SLOWED DOWN A BIT IN BREEDING .. ONCE I STARED TO OFFER THE BSFL FISH FOOD MY NUMBERS WENT UP AGAIN .... I COULD BE TRIPPIN THO .

 

[jamest0o0]

FOR BREEDING YOU KINDA HAVE TO GIVE PROTEIN RIGHT ? THEN SORT THEM OUT AND ONLY FEED FRUITS AND VEGGIES FOR A WHILE . I WENT A WHILE ONLY OFFERING MY DUBIA COLONY FRUITS AND VEGGIES AND I NOTICE THEY SLOWED DOWN A BIT IN BREEDING .. ONCE I STARED TO OFFER THE BSFL FISH FOOD MY NUMBERS WENT UP AGAIN .... I COULD BE TRIPPIN THO .

Yeah they do need some protein, I like to just use vegetarian sources as they're not as densely packed with protein. Things like seeds, oats, bee pollen, grains, etc.

 

[jamest0o0]

I know!! Pretty too in my opinion, I was considering them, but my wife would freak out if she see them fly! It would take good amount of convincing? maybe I could try haha

The nymphs don't climb or fly. The adults can, but rarely do IME

 

[jamest0o0]

Oh and yeah, instead of water Crystal's I like to use carrots

 

[coastal_chameleon]

Yeah they do need some protein, I like to just use vegetarian sources as they're not as densely packed with protein. Things like seeds, oats, bee pollen, grains, etc.

ALSO I WAS WATCHING SOME VIDS ON YOUTUBE AND THIS DUDE HAS MASSIVE COLONIES AND HE OFFERS CALCIUM POWDER AND CUDDLE BONE ... IS THIS A MUST ?? I DONT THINK IV EVER GIVEN MINE CAL .

 

[jamest0o0]

It's not necessary and may even be harmful to insects

 

[Tony_S]

I have my breeding colony that I feed crushed oats, wheat bran, oranges, and carrots to. I usually grab a few 1/4" nymphs that hitch a ride when I swap out the leftover orange peel after they are done eating it. I put in a half of an orange so it makes a nice little bowl that they will sit in the bottom of. I then have a separate container that I raise them on the normal gut load that I feed to my chameleon when they reach around 1 1/2"-2" in size

At my local feed mill I paid $9 for a 50# bag of crushed oats and $6 for a 50# bag of wheat bran.