# Noobie at roach breeding advice needed!



## lewkini (May 12, 2009)

As the title says im considering breeding some roaches for my beardie 

Ive reaserched it quite a bit but still a few questions i need answering : victory:

Ive watched this vid and quite like how he stores them, in a racking system and the shallow rubs (skip to 11.11 if you want to see what i mean) also he makes it look very easy to keep them!

Roach care and breeding. (Blaptica dubia) - YouTube 

Now my questions are

How many rubs would i need? 
How often do i need to separate the babies from adults?
Will the shallow rubs work?

Do they 100% need heat to breed?

Now here is the important part I've read that dubia's CANT climb is this 100% TRUE as i don't want a infestation!! 

My plan was to get a unit to use as a racking system about 1 meter in length by ruffly 60 cm deep but i'm unsure on the height as that depends how many rubs i need.

If the shallow ones wont work as well id switch to deeper ones but then i may only be able to fit 2 in the size unit I'm thinking of.

Finally i don't understand how people say a roach colony takes 6 months to get going!! I'm a noobie so bear with me but surely if i buy some of various sizes and ages and still buy some of the right size i need to feed will it still take 6 months. 

Cheers for any help or advice you may give

Lewis : victory:


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## lewkini (May 12, 2009)

Anyone?:flrt:


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## imginy (Jun 14, 2009)

lewkini said:


> Anyone?:flrt:


You have so many questions one sec I will try to answer them all : victory:


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## imginy (Jun 14, 2009)

That guys setup does look very neat and tidy but it would be a lot more effort than just keeping them in a large tub. 

So to answer your question about how many rubs, I personally only use one large tub but if you wanted to house the adults separately you would need two tubs. 

If you wanted to keep the adults separate you could just pick them out as and when you see them. 

I find nice deep tubs better because there is less chance of the accidentally escaping. Which wouldn't be an issue with a really small colony but you start getting a 10000 in a small tub and they be accidents like eggs tray to high up and they climb out or accidentally knocking it over. 

To breed well they need heat of around 85f and anything less than 75f and they wont breed or very little. 

Dubia can't climb smooth plastic or glass but they can climb anything with a bit of grip like rough plastic or dirty glass. 

As for infesting your house the risk is very minimum they don't breed well unless they have heat and food. 

If your only feeding one juvenile dragon and you start off with lots of different sizes then you could feed off a few roaches straight away. 
The reason people say 6 months is because that's how long it takes for the first lots of babies to get to adults and start having babies of there own which is when your colony really gets going. 

I showed you the other link of my breeding http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/feeder/552178-guineas-guide-roaches-lots-pics.html 

The only thing I do different now is bigger tubs and have the heat mat hanging off the wall and this is the easiest way to heat them with box insulated and a lid on. 

Would be very hard to heat a rack up to right temperature with out a lid and heat mat.


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## Dragon Farm (Aug 7, 2009)

What Imginy says is 100% correct.

As has already been said, there is no point in having 10 tiny colonies. What I see in that video is ridiculous. If you have one or two large colonies, it is much more time and space efficient. In small colonies it is very difficult to get the feeding of wet foods right. In my big colonies I can add 1 kilo of chopped up veg daily, and I know the next day it will be eaten. No waste, no dried up bits to remove. 

There is no point in seperating out the different sizes until you need to use them in different sizes for you reptiles. In fact there are positive disadvantages to seperating them out.

Often what I see on You tube instructional videos is terrible advice. Anybody who knows what they are doing would have a minimum of 20 times more roaches in a colony than you can see in that shallow box in the video. My smallest colonies have at least 100 times more roaches than are seen in that shallow tray. No disrespect to Imginy but he is a hobbyist not a commercial breeder, and his colonies wouldI reckon be alot more than 20 times the sizes you see in that video.


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## Dragon Farm (Aug 7, 2009)

I had another look at the video. I just know that most of the veg you see at 8.20 in video will end up uneaten. Its just terrible advice. I can't get over it. Don't do it that way. Unless you want to be throwing away dead roaches all the time like you see in the video.


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## lewkini (May 12, 2009)

Really appreciate the replys!! 

Ok I hear what your saying, so one big rub, does the heat mat need a stat? Won't it melt the plastic? 

As I mentioned to you ill be housing it in a cabinet does this matter if its pitch black in there all the time? As a new idea I have is having doors on the front to hide it all away?

I have more questions but can't think of any right now lol

Cheers 
Lewis


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## imginy (Jun 14, 2009)

lewkini said:


> Really appreciate the replys!!
> 
> Ok I hear what your saying, so one big rub, does the heat mat need a stat? Won't it melt the plastic?
> 
> ...


Hi Lewis, 

Dark all the time is good. 

Heat mats don't melt plastic they only get warm so you don't need them on a stat.... But they will breed better with a stat keeping temperature steady at 85f.


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## lewkini (May 12, 2009)

Right ive got my colony setup now all in one box heatmat on etc

BUT.....

How do i know if they are ok? as ive heard to much distubance can halt the breeding, how do i know if ive got the right temps, humidity, ventalation etc if i cant check them?

Ive had them a week and altho i know i cant feed from them for months how do i know they are breeding and ive got babies if i cant check them? how soon should i see babies as im unsure of the gestation period!

Any help appreicated

Lewis


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## Dragon Farm (Aug 7, 2009)

What you need to do is ignore some silly 'folk lore' idea that they cannot be disturbed. It is nonsense. Gentle disturbance is fine. 

How else can you feed them without disturbing them a little ?

You have no idea if any of the females were already gravid or not. So young could be produced on day one. 

No offence meant, but just look after them well, relax, and they will do the rest.


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## lewkini (May 12, 2009)

Thats great thank you for the advice.

Couple of other things, people say i can leave them too it and clean them out every 2/3 months, well ive had mine 2 weeks this friday and they are starting to smell a bit:devil: When feeding them ive seen quite a few dead ones could this be the smell? any tips? cause if i clean them out that is major distubance :devil:

Secondly any way to speed things up so i can start feeding from them? i know the answer is probably no though. Can i add more adults? To be honest i have no idea if there are babies or even if they are mating!

Thanks in advance

Lewi:2thumb:


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## ConnorTrussell (Apr 5, 2012)

lewkini said:


> Thats great thank you for the advice.
> 
> Couple of other things, people say i can leave them too it and clean them out every 2/3 months, well ive had mine 2 weeks this friday and they are starting to smell a bit:devil: When feeding them ive seen quite a few dead ones could this be the smell? any tips? cause if i clean them out that is major distubance :devil:
> 
> ...


The smell could be a number of things- but generally smell is a bad sign: here's what it could be
1. Not enough ventilation- you haven't provided enough ventilation and the air is going stale- producing a smell.
2. Over-feeding- over feeding wet food will cause the food to go funny and eventually smell, if mould gets on the food this can be vital to your colony
3. Not cleaning out dead ones- dead ones need to be removed from the tub ASAP, I know many people leave them in for a while to let the roaches eat the dead one, but this is the number 1 cause for disease IMO

Do not worry about disturbing them, they're roaches. They were born to breed. Aslong as you're not poking them every 10 minutes you'll be fine.

Adding new adults will speed up the process and add new bloodlines to your colony, upping their temps will also increase reproduction

I would offer you to buy some of my adults but unfortunately I have pretty much stopped shipping until march-April time now due to the temperatures outside, I'm sure some people do still ship though

Connor


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## lewkini (May 12, 2009)

Ventilation could be one of the issues as ive got 4 70mm round holes in the lid on a 45l RUB is this not enough? but also I've got a shelve right over the lid with a feeder RUB on top of the shelve like this




Top RUB is the feeder and bottom RUB is the breeder although at the moment im buying roaches whilst the colony gets going so they are going in the top rub.

Could there not be enough air flow between the lid and the shelve?

My other option if this is the problem is just have one big RUB but then im going to be going in twice a day rummaging through the egg cretes to pick the right size roach. 

I put in one leaf of spring green every other day and theres hardly anything left when replacing it.

So how often do you get the dead ones out?

Thanks for the reply 

Lewi


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## ConnorTrussell (Apr 5, 2012)

lewkini said:


> Ventilation could be one of the issues as ive got 4 70mm round holes in the lid on a 45l RUB is this not enough? but also I've got a shelve right over the lid with a feeder RUB on top of the shelve like this
> 
> 
> [URL=http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m32/Gleeson_2006/A4FA39C1-90ED-49E3-8345-D9AE9CADAB0B-6065-0000047D33C372FA_zps8ede460b.jpg]image[/URL]
> ...


I defo would have more ventilation, I keep mine without a lid and there is no smell at all

I have mine in a 100 litre tub, go in like 3 times a day, breed like crazy, seriously I don't know where the "disturbing" them has played a part in the hobby, 90% they breed at night when you don't need them

I get the dead one out as soon as I see it, look for them once a day


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## lewkini (May 12, 2009)

You think this is my smell problem then? 

Lewi


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## ExoticInsectsUK (Nov 15, 2008)

Hello looking at your setup you need to cut the side out at least half of it and glue some mesh in. also because you have a wooden door I would put some vents in, viv vents will do.
That should help them breath and get rid of the smell.:2thumb:


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## ConnorTrussell (Apr 5, 2012)

lewkini said:


> You think this is my smell problem then?
> 
> Lewi


Definitely. Stall air and frass is a rancid smell.

Connor


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## lewkini (May 12, 2009)

ExoticInsectsUK said:


> Hello looking at your setup you need to cut the side out at least half of it and glue some mesh in. also because you have a wooden door I would put some vents in, viv vents will do.
> That should help them breath and get rid of the smell.:2thumb:


Is it possible to add vents to the rear of the unit as the front door is gloss and didnt really want to be cutting holes in it?

Although if i need to then there may not be a choice!

Lewi


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## lewkini (May 12, 2009)

ConnorTrussell said:


> Definitely. Stall air and frass is a rancid smell.
> 
> Connor



Thanks for your help


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## Corfel (Apr 29, 2013)

Vents in the wood at the back should be fine but you def need some more vents on those tubs

Mesh on the sides as suggested is a good option


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## ExoticInsectsUK (Nov 15, 2008)

lewkini said:


> Is it possible to add vents to the rear of the unit as the front door is gloss and didnt really want to be cutting holes in it?
> 
> Although if i need to then there may not be a choice!
> 
> Lewi


Yes as long as there enough room to get a good air flow. You will want the mesh at the back side as well if putting vents in the back.
Good luck and I hope this works for you:2thumb:


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## vukic (Apr 9, 2010)

lewkini said:


> Thats great thank you for the advice.
> 
> Couple of other things, people say i can leave them too it and clean them out every 2/3 months, well ive had mine 2 weeks this friday and they are starting to smell a bit:devil: When feeding them ive seen quite a few dead ones could this be the smell? any tips? cause if i clean them out that is major distubance :devil:
> 
> ...


The easiest way to speed things up is buy more adults.. But that'll only increase the amount of babies produced.. You would still need to wait for the nymphs to reach a feedible size... 

And I think from what you've wrote is the smell is due to poor ventilation.. Add more to tubs and vent the cabinet they are in.. 

Sent from my ST26i using Tapatalk


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## lewkini (May 12, 2009)

Thanks for all the replys. Ive now added a bigger mesh to the lids and also taken the door of the front of the unit!

They still smell although i havent been taking the dead ones out could this be why?

Also ive taken the lid of yesterday and i saw quite a few tiny flys fly outis this normal or something wrong?

Lewis: victory:


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## ConnorTrussell (Apr 5, 2012)

lewkini said:


> Thanks for all the replys. Ive now added a bigger mesh to the lids and also taken the door of the front of the unit!
> 
> They still smell although i havent been taking the dead ones out could this be why?
> 
> ...


Yes the dead ones will leave a horrible smell especially black adult females- I would encourage removing dead ones as soon as you find them so disease is not spread


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## lewkini (May 12, 2009)

Thats fine but it does mean major disturbance as id have to lift all the egg crates out:gasp: Is that ok?


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## Dragon Farm (Aug 7, 2009)

Its fine as long as you play them some soothing music. Roaches as we all know are extremely sensitive creatures. 

I wouldn't dream of doing anything with my roaches without putting this music on first. 

Vaughan Williams ~ The Lark Ascending - YouTube


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## ExoticInsectsUK (Nov 15, 2008)

But I put kiss on when im in my roach hut & im feeding them or sorting sizes.
For hours every day
Every now and then they get a bit of absolute 80s:lol2:


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