# are tortoise pellets a good food source for roaches?



## Jamesferrassie (Jul 14, 2011)

Or is dried cat food the best source?


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## PhillyDee (May 17, 2010)

Dried cat food is better, the higher protein content is preferable to all veg.


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## Spreebok (Jul 4, 2012)

I've just today started feeding my Dubia colony JMC High Protein Fish Food. It's pretty cheap, but good quality, and seems to last forever with my fish, so I figured I'd try it on the Doobs


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## Jamesferrassie (Jul 14, 2011)

Spreebok said:


> I've just today started feeding my Dubia colony JMC High Protein Fish Food. It's pretty cheap, but good quality, and seems to last forever with my fish, so I figured I'd try it on the Doobs


you will have to let me know how they take to it 



PhillyDee said:


> Dried cat food is better, the higher protein content is preferable to all veg.


OK cool! call me thick but im assuming dried cat food is cat biscuits haha?
also, any ideas as to where i get egg crates from?


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## Emma30 (Apr 18, 2008)

Yeah dried is cat biscuits :lol2:
I use cat biscuits, dog biscuits, fish food and cereals, mix it all up in blender so its like a fine powder. I find it lasts longer this way I keep topping it up everyday as they seem to love it, also lots of different veg and fruit, mine love carrots and oranges

I get my egg crates from ebay around 100 and posted for £9.99 : victory:


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## Jamesferrassie (Jul 14, 2011)

Emma30 said:


> Yeah dried is cat biscuits :lol2:
> I use cat biscuits, dog biscuits, fish food and cereals, mix it all up in blender so its like a fine powder. I find it lasts longer this way I keep topping it up everyday as they seem to love it, also lots of different veg and fruit, mine love carrots and oranges
> 
> I get my egg crates from ebay around 100 and posted for £9.99 : victory:


 
OK great! SOunds like a good idea, may have to do that!

do you give them fresh veg daily? Also how long will i have to leave the colony before i can start feeding from it? Ive heard lobster roaches breed really quickly. Im really keen on getting it to size where i dont have to buy live food ever again haha. 

Ive heard, the hotter they are the faster they breed, is that right?


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## Emma30 (Apr 18, 2008)

I have dubias, had lobster roaches I dont like them personally as they *DO* climb smooth surfaces, very fast and great at escaping!!

I have always kept my temps at 30, so cant answer that about temp breeding, mine breed good enough amounts for me at these temps.

If you have a small colony then it might take some time before you can see the benefits of them.

I always give them fresh veg + fruit everyday


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## Jamesferrassie (Jul 14, 2011)

haha yeah, i've made sure ive put plenty of petroleum jelly around the top of their RUB (a good 3 inches). I had dubias but ran out and thought id give Lobsters a go purely for the fact they are cheaper.

Ok cool, ive got a heatmat in there at the moment but need a bigger one as its pretty useless haha. Ive got about 800 mixed sizes, no where near enough to support 2 beardies and 3 ackies permanently.

I'll make sure i feed them veg on a daily basis. what veg and fruit do you offer them?


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## Bradley (Aug 26, 2009)

I use tortoise pellets so there is no animal protein in their food. This stops gout forming in the lizards they are fed too.


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## Emma30 (Apr 18, 2008)

Jamesferrassie said:


> haha yeah, i've made sure ive put plenty of petroleum jelly around the top of their RUB (a good 3 inches). I had dubias but ran out and thought id give Lobsters a go purely for the fact they are cheaper.
> 
> Ok cool, ive got a heatmat in there at the moment but need a bigger one as its pretty useless haha. Ive got about 800 mixed sizes, no where near enough to support 2 beardies and 3 ackies permanently.
> 
> I'll make sure i feed them veg on a daily basis. what veg and fruit do you offer them?


All kinds really as we eat veg alot so they have a varied diet, but i have found they prefer carrots and oranges to a lot of the other fruit and veg



Bradley said:


> I use tortoise pellets so there is no animal protein in their food. This stops gout forming in the lizards they are fed too.


I didnt know that :gasp:


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## Bradley (Aug 26, 2009)

Emma30 said:


> All kinds really as we eat veg alot so they have a varied diet, but i have found they prefer carrots and oranges to a lot of the other fruit and veg
> 
> 
> 
> I didnt know that :gasp:


Yeah animal protein can cause gout in excession. I know chameleon keepers avoid it so i would assume its the same for most reptiles.


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## Emma30 (Apr 18, 2008)

Hmmmm might have to have a rethink of their chow ingredients, although I have been feeding roaches with the chow for over a year now with no problems to my leos, but you never know, i will be doing some research tonight!!


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## regtuck (Oct 7, 2012)

I agree with you. Apparently when the roaches eat the high animal protein cat biscuits/dry food, it is converted into uric acid in the roach. The beardie, or whatever, that eats that roach is effectively overdosing on uric acid which is a causal effect of gout.
I only found this out a few days ago and have withdrawn all food containers with what I thought was a good gutload mix of ground-up kitten biscuits and calcium. They are all on greens only now.


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