# Which Roach colony should I start?



## Cookaaaaay (Mar 8, 2009)

Hello,

I'm hoping to get an Ackie Monitor this year and I figured that it would save me a lot of money if I bred my own livefood.

Which type of Roach is quickest at reproducing?

Which type of Roach is the easiest to breed and care for?

Thanks. :2thumb:


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## imginy (Jun 14, 2009)

I think turkistan roaches are the most popular at the moment they breed the fastest and take very little looking after just feed them every day or every other and clean them out once every couple of months.

Dubia are good to but they are really slow at breeding as they take 6 months to reach adults from birth.


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## Cookaaaaay (Mar 8, 2009)

imginy said:


> I think turkistan roaches are the most popular at the moment they breed the fastest and take very little looking after just feed them every day or every other and clean them out once every couple of months.
> 
> Dubia are good to but they are really slow at breeding as they take 6 months to reach adults from birth.


Thanks. 

Do you know how long it takes for Turkistan Roaches to reach adulthood from birth?

Thanks.


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## Gemstone Dragons (Jul 29, 2009)

To use roaches without your numbers going down i think dubai take 4-6 months and turks take 4-6 weeks. :2thumb:

If you want any advice on turks feel free to pm me : victory:


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## Cookaaaaay (Mar 8, 2009)

Gemstone Dragons said:


> To use roaches without your numbers going down i think dubai take 4-6 months and turks take 4-6 weeks. :2thumb:
> 
> If you want any advice on turks feel free to pm me : victory:


Thanks! :notworthy:


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## spirit975 (May 15, 2007)

I have lobsters and they breed like wildfire :gasp:


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## Cookaaaaay (Mar 8, 2009)

spirit975 said:


> I have lobsters and they breed like wildfire :gasp:


:lol2:

I'm torn between Lobsters and Turks. :bash:


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## spirit975 (May 15, 2007)

People think of lobsters as hard work because they climb. Big dollop of petroleum jelly and bingo, problem solved. Apparently they can fly too, but in the 3 years i've been breeding mine i've never had one fly. : victory:


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## Cookaaaaay (Mar 8, 2009)

spirit975 said:


> People think of lobsters as hard work because they climb. Big dollop of petroleum jelly and bingo, problem solved. Apparently they can fly too, but in the 3 years i've been breeding mine i've never had one fly. : victory:


Thanks.



Does anyone know which Roach reproduces quicker? Turks or Lobsters?
Thanks. :2thumb:


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## vr6_12v (Nov 10, 2009)

I have a lobster colony in the food classified if your interested. Never had Turkistan so not sure which is quicker to grow.


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## Cookaaaaay (Mar 8, 2009)

vr6_12v said:


> I have a lobster colony in the food classified if your interested. Never had Turkistan so not sure which is quicker to grow.


Thanks, but I don't have a lizard yet. Do you sell colonies regularly? or is this just a one off?


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## Gemstone Dragons (Jul 29, 2009)

spirit975 said:


> People think of lobsters as hard work because they climb. Big dollop of petroleum jelly and bingo, problem solved. Apparently they can fly too, but in the 3 years i've been breeding mine i've never had one fly. : victory:


I would say trying to be unbiased that turks are the same, they clinb but jelly stops that, they breed both about as quick as each other, the only difference i find is that turks fully grown are smaller than lobsters - i cant be arsed seperating sizes and all sizes of turks can be fed to adult beardies lol

Lobsters if you are ok seperating them to feed would be an easier collony to maintain from a starter point of view i guess as its obvious when you have enough breeding adults to start feeding from them :2thumb:


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

Do turks climb or not? I've heard that they do and that they don't. I'm also looking at starting a colony and i've got no idea what to work with. I had dubias before and that didn't go well, saying that I did try keeping the whole colony in a 9l RUB


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## Gemstone Dragons (Jul 29, 2009)

Yes i can say from experiance both dubai and turks climb, they have climbed RUB's, glass fishtanks and wooden viv walls, the only thing i have ever found neither can get out of are ceramic dog bowls as these are completely smooth.


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## madavies65 (Jan 21, 2009)

I have had no problem with Dubia Roaches climbing my rubber tote bins, or in fact any plastic container which is smooth. they will climb up anything that has a textured surface however such as the silicone of fish tanks or any roughened plastic sides.


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

So both turks and lobsters can climb glass then? I was going to order some turks- i'm not impressed with the growth rate of dubia.


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## madavies65 (Jan 21, 2009)

The growth rate of Dubia is the only negative most people find with them, though once your colony is sustainable then you wont notice the slower growth rate. (4-6 months to become adult)


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

So which species would you recommend for me then?


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## Gemstone Dragons (Jul 29, 2009)

mrhoyo said:


> So which species would you recommend for me then?


Sorry it is a personal choice lol

I chose to stick with turks as their 'get going' speed was ideal for me and i dont need to sort sizes, at 2-3cm adult size their all ok for beardies.

If you can wait 4-6 months before feeding from them then either would be ok.

My experience of dubai was that they climbed plastic rub's but then so do the turks.


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

Gemstone Dragons said:


> Sorry it is a personal choice lol
> 
> I chose to stick with turks as their 'get going' speed was ideal for me and i dont need to sort sizes, at 2-3cm adult size their all ok for beardies.
> 
> ...


Haha ok, the turks it is then. I suppose a bit of vaseline and a fine mesh lid would solve any problems I might have with escapees.
I assume their care is the same as other roaches, keep at about 32c feed them pretty much anything and provide decent ventilation with a reasonable humidity?


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## ExoticInsectsUK (Nov 15, 2008)

Lobsters (stink)smell the room out but there the fastest breeder 

Turks are fast breeders & i use these to feed most of my insects some of my reptiles.
I find they don't climb glass or plastic as long as its smooth but if these a scratch or dust on the side they will get a foot in.

Dubias are slow breeder but alot bigger so better with reptiles


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