# breeding food for beardies



## niccky (Apr 16, 2012)

i have 2 beardies and a gecko that eat insects and was wondering if it would be worth while me breading some insects myself.

if so what would you reccomend that are easy enough to breed and dont smell to bad.

also what would i need to get started.

thanks


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## imginy (Jun 14, 2009)

The easiest thing to breed is cockroaches and they don't smell if done propperly, 
They breed slow so it takes 6 months or so of breeding before you can use them as food for your dragons but all you need is a plastic tub and a heatmat and some adult roaches and 1 min of your time everyday to throw some food in. 

Some of the other things like crickets and locusts breed a lot faster but require more effort. 

If you enjoy breeding live food its worth doing as it can save you money and ensure that your livefood is good quality but all in all if you only got 2 bearded dragons and a gecko to feed you are probably just best buying your food online.

You might find that you spend 6 months breeding roaches and 2 weeks later your bearded dragon decide they don't want roaches any more.


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## niccky (Apr 16, 2012)

thanks for thst will stick to buying for now then. currently i have a cricket keeper (for the crickets lol)

is it worth me buying a couple of boxes for others that i buy or wil they keep ok in the boxes they arrive in. i am putting veggies in the boxes every couple of days


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## popitgoes (Oct 24, 2010)

niccky said:


> i have 2 beardies and a gecko that eat insects and was wondering if it would be worth while me breading some insects myself.
> 
> if so what would you reccomend that are easy enough to breed and dont smell to bad.
> 
> ...



i would breed turkistan or dubia roaches

things you need

150 female - 30 male
62litre rub from staples (there home brand)
47/11" heatmat
thermostat
egg grates
food tubs (plastic ones from chinese will do sanded on inside and outside)
aluminium meshing

thats all 

cut a hole in the lid at 1 end and glue the mesh over the hole (hot glue gun is best)
then put the egg crates together but opened up for them to climb in 
food tubs on top 


have food always available feed them high protein dry foods such as cat-dog food/layers mesh/digestive biscuits etc

twice a week feed them fruit and veg 

also use water crystals

you can buy 90% of that from this site and also as alot of information on there also

The Roach Hut, Cockroach, Roach, Roaches, Cockroaches, Feeder, Livefood, Dubia, Turkistan, Litter Bug, Macropanesthia Rhinoceros, Lobster, Breeding, Reptile, Six Spot, Hisser, Tiger,

hope this helps 

if need any help feel free to PM me


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## imginy (Jun 14, 2009)

niccky said:


> thanks for thst will stick to buying for now then. currently i have a cricket keeper (for the crickets lol)
> 
> is it worth me buying a couple of boxes for others that i buy or wil they keep ok in the boxes they arrive in. i am putting veggies in the boxes every couple of days


I think it be worth getting a couple of boxs to keep your live food in then you can buy in bulk which saves you money and also it will make it easier to keep any live food alive.


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## niccky (Apr 16, 2012)

imginy said:


> I think it be worth getting a couple of boxs to keep your live food in then you can buy in bulk which saves you money and also it will make it easier to keep any live food alive.


what size boxes would you suggest? seen insect boxes on ebay but thinking lidded storage boxes with holes drilled in would do? plus egg boxes food etc


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## imginy (Jun 14, 2009)

Yes any box is good just put some air holes in the lid.


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## ExoticInsectsUK (Nov 15, 2008)

*roach feeders*

If your still looking to Breed then Blatta Lateralis roach turkistan roach.
These are the fastest breeders i have a colony of 20,000+ 
A colony of 1000 will produce about 3000+ a month and they grow very quickly they dont smell cant climb or fly these are a good substitute for crickets + there bright red and my bearded dragons love them:2thumb:
I sell them on here and lots of people sell them as a feeder on ebay:2thumb:


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## niccky (Apr 16, 2012)

purchased a small number of dubia roaches to see if my dragons liked them. they loved them ate about 15 each so think breeding them is the way to go.

should they take to the turkish ones as easy?

off to buy a tub


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## imginy (Jun 14, 2009)

niccky said:


> purchased a small number of dubia roaches to see if my dragons liked them. they loved them ate about 15 each so think breeding them is the way to go.
> 
> should they take to the turkish ones as easy?
> 
> off to buy a tub


Turksitan roaches are just as appealing but bearded dragons can have a hard time catching them there nick name is red racers or red runners.

I normally put mine in the fridge for 20 mins to slow them down. 

At breeding turks are the fastest breeding of all the roaches and dubia although they are great food they are slow at breeding.


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## ExoticInsectsUK (Nov 15, 2008)

red runners are a different roach which does climb they look the same but are different species.
The way i feed my bearded dragons is to put them in a livefood tub and wait for the dragons to flip it or shake the tub up which slows them down but all live foods will move and try to hide but as long as you know what you have put in there you should be able to control the amount left uneaten.
Dubia are a long term investment you can buy nymphs to raise and use as a feeder or buy adults and breed them first but its a long term thing whereas turks will produce from day one if you get 1000-2000 min 500 adults


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## imginy (Jun 14, 2009)

ExoticInsectsUK said:


> red runners are a different roach which does climb they look the same but are different species.


A few examples if you don't believe me Blatta lateralis turksitan aka red runners.

B. lateralis CS - Greg's Exotic Inverts

Buy Turkistan Roaches (red Runners)

Arachnoculture E-Zine :: Issue 5 :: Exotic Fauna

Breeding the Turkistan Roach (Blatta lateralis) for Live Food


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