# Whats the best way to breed roaches?



## cmmercer (Aug 6, 2008)

As per above...

Basically wanna finish with crix cos they is doing me head in!!!

So wanna know the best way to house and subsequently breed some dubias for me beardie!!  Don't worry I won't get over run, cos in the long run I intend to get me some more lizards!

Cheers all


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## Hiroshi (May 19, 2006)

Dubia Roach Caresheet

Here you go 
Best care sheet for dubia's around.


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## cmmercer (Aug 6, 2008)

cheers for that. Anyone got pics of their set-ups?!?! pleeeease


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## Emma Gecko (Apr 13, 2008)

I got 50 adult dubia roaches from 
SilverLight Ball Python they look really healthy and quick delivery and not a bad price. I have them in a glass viv with heat mat and some egg cartons. They seem to be happy will see when hey start having babies.


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## animal addict (Jun 1, 2008)

I just bunged all mine into a keep rub bought from Tescos - bit of heat - some egg cartons and throw in a handful of food from time to time and away to go they just keep breeding - I keep anhilating my colony though by being impatient and keep feeding out of it instead of leaving it 2 months or so to get substantial so have to keep buying more - DOH!!! my own fault though


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## Hiroshi (May 19, 2006)

I will try and get some pics up after work for you friend.
Although its fairly basic, a lage smoothe plastic container(which is best to be fairly deep) a heat mat on a matstat, some egg crates(i bought my crates from a farm, got 50 unused egg crates, each crates is for 30 eggs). I mist them once a day, and throw in some cheerios when they have eaten the food i have already given them. I sometimes put some veg or fruit in the container with them, but in a place that i can easily see and remove it if they have not eaten it within a day.

Although they are a feeder to my pets, sometimes i sit and watch them live their lives, they are really cool insects, specialy cool when you see two males fight.


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## cmmercer (Aug 6, 2008)

cool, thanks for that guys, it'd be great to see your pics hiroshi. I think they'd be fun to watch like! Well I think I'm gonna head out to the shops this morning and buy a suitable sized tub.


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

I keep them in a large RUB, don't give them a heat mat but they are kept in with the snakes. They have bred like crazy over the last month, in another month I will split the colony in two, and then leave another 4 months before I consider feeding from them, so 6 months altogether.

They are actually quite interesting to watch I agree, they will reach out with their legs for food and I can hand feed the adults, they are not as ugly as you think they will be when you watch them, their behaviour is acually quite cool.


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## zemanski (Jun 15, 2008)

the babies look very like woodlice - odd that i quite like them but still can't stand woodlice:lol2:


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## animal addict (Jun 1, 2008)

no I hate them they are horrid - especially the adults - they make my skin crawl and there is no way I would touch one and yes I am a baby lol!!!! Yeuch!!! I dont even watch them feed - they get thrown some food every few days and then the lid is quickly shut down and I shudder everytime I hace to go and get some out to feed the beardies with them - only their delight at getting them makes me keep them!!!


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## Lygo (Oct 2, 2008)

*The roach colonies*

Two 35 litre RUBs on the rack, sharing a 28x11 heat mat, no thermostat. RUBs have feet so they're not sitting directly on the mat.








The dubias, nothing to see in daylight, they hide;








...turn over the carton;








close up.








The lateralis colony;








turn over the egg carton;








close up;


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## cmmercer (Aug 6, 2008)

animal addict said:


> no I hate them they are horrid - especially the adults - they make my skin crawl and there is no way I would touch one and yes I am a baby lol!!!! Yeuch!!! I dont even watch them feed - they get thrown some food every few days and then the lid is quickly shut down and I shudder everytime I hace to go and get some out to feed the beardies with them - only their delight at getting them makes me keep them!!!



Haha, think my OH is gonna be a lot like that - 'cept she won't be feeding them or getting them out of the tub lol.

Cheers very much for the picks - really helpful.:2thumb:

Still struggling to find a decent amount of the egg tray type stuff (without buying like 200 sheets in bulk lol)


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## animal addict (Jun 1, 2008)

lol its terrible isnt it - my hubby is even worse haha - he refused to have them in the house first off - bigger wuss than me!! He didnt have much option tho when they turned up!! good luck with your colony


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## bilko (Oct 22, 2008)

these roaches are great for feeding T's, most of ours like them, and they don't stink like crix. in tubs, but you need to get a good colony started first before you start using them for food.


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## spend_day (Apr 10, 2008)

*why*

sorry ot hijack

but why do people say u need roaches of all sizes to start a colony surely u just need adults


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## Lygo (Oct 2, 2008)

spend_day said:


> sorry ot hijack
> 
> but why do people say u need roaches of all sizes to start a colony surely u just need adults


 Using just adults would take longer to establish a self sustaining colony. A good colony has roaches of all ages.


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## blatta (May 21, 2008)

Yep, I always start colonies using large nymphs and young adults. Much easier to monitor progress, and they start breeding much quicker! For dubia, adult females live over a year, so you dont have to worry about replacing your breeding stock as sson as they become adults (allow 5 months to reach maturity). Blatta lateralis, the turkistan roach, has a much shorter adult lifespan, so you have to be a bit more careful, but they also grow much faster.

If you want to feed from the group though, for example nymphs of about 20mm, then you will have to wait a while before you have any to feed. This could be 2 or 3 months. Starting with smaller ones gives a few to grow on so you can start feeding almost immediately.


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## spend_day (Apr 10, 2008)

blatta said:


> Yep, I always start colonies using large nymphs and young adults. Much easier to monitor progress, and they start breeding much quicker! For dubia, adult females live over a year, so you dont have to worry about replacing your breeding stock as sson as they become adults (allow 5 months to reach maturity). Blatta lateralis, the turkistan roach, has a much shorter adult lifespan, so you have to be a bit more careful, but they also grow much faster.
> 
> If you want to feed from the group though, for example nymphs of about 20mm, then you will have to wait a while before you have any to feed. This could be 2 or 3 months. Starting with smaller ones gives a few to grow on so you can start feeding almost immediately.



yeah i guess that makes sense, ive just got 100 adult dubia and already have loads of babies (after less than a week) i was planning on leaving them a month or 2 to get up to size before feeding


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## The Roach Hut (Mar 29, 2008)

*re*

One thing i would suggest is to cut out the center of the top of your rub and add net curtain or something this will ensure you do not get any moisture buildup and lose your colony due to mold. I have thousands of babies running around all ideal for baby beardies and got 4 colonies on the go atm. i have left them for 6 months and its been hard not feeding from them. but il be ready for next season when all my beardies breed.

great thread by the way very informative for newbies to dubia


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## spend_day (Apr 10, 2008)

so what do people keep there colonies in, mine are in one of these B&Q Core Media Box (Includes Lid) Black Large, RO49863 and seem to be doing ok with a few air holes and a heat mat, mine do smell a little bit tho not as bad a crickets but i noticeable aroma,


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## cmmercer (Aug 6, 2008)

Well my roaches arrived yesterday. Have given Naboo a few as a bit of a treat and he seems to love them. I think I'm gonna find it hard now to resist the temptation to just start feeding him off them. But I know the colony has to build up. I have two pairs of adults to get me going, one of which already started moulting last night which was wierd to see an albino walking around last night lol. Mine are in a clear tub cos it was on offer at the local shop, but I'm gonna get it covered up tho, either with paint or wrap it in black paper. I am thinking that the heat mat that I have may not be heating it very much though, but cos I have no experience of heat mats before now I'm not really sure.

They are fantastic to watch though - and quicker than I thought they might have been too!!


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## jayc (Dec 9, 2008)

cmmercer said:


> Still struggling to find a decent amount of the egg tray type stuff (without buying like 200 sheets in bulk lol)


If you still need some of this I may be able to send you a few. :2thumb:


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## Fixx (May 6, 2006)

Make sure your cockroach enclosure is secure from skunks. Our Dubia colony was just beginning to take off when I came down one morning to notice a very unusual, very large black and white cockroach in the tank...which on closer inspection turned out to be a very full and satisfied young skunk, and he had eaten the lot apart from one dying adult.


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## loogielv (Dec 7, 2008)

Fixx said:


> Make sure your cockroach enclosure is secure from skunks. Our Dubia colony was just beginning to take off when I came down one morning to notice a very unusual, very large black and white cockroach in the tank...which on closer inspection turned out to be a very full and satisfied young skunk, and he had eaten the lot apart from one dying adult.


lol, i dont think that's a question i woulda known to ask before this thread when ordering dubias..or any roach. "yes that's a reasonable price, but how do your roaches fare against skunks? ooh..really?" haha. that's funny. Sorry to hear about the colony, but the situation just seemed funny to me


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