All 57 roaches just died

[Akuma223]

Okay so I went to check on my dubia roach colony about 10 minutes ago to find them all dead. All 57. I don't check on them everyday, the last thing I did was give them some food. I gave them half a strawberry,a few blueberries, banana, a grape tomato, and some lettuce. Just about all of their food (which I did wash before hand) was untouched except the banana suggesting that they must have died soon after I fed them a few days ago. I had them in a little tuber ware container on ecoearth bedding. Does anyone know what killed them? Truth be told I didn't have ventilation holes but it never was a problem before with them :/ their bedding was moist and the only mold I noticed was on the strawberry when I checked a few minuets ago. Could it have been pesticide from the fruit? I didn't have cleaning products anywhere near them ever. Lack of ventilation? I did find one roach that appeared to have been dead a little while longer than the others, could his decay have killed them?

Could it be at all safe to feed them to my lizard? Their bodies are pristine without any visual decay or mold, and I would be absolutely angry if they went to waste after I killed them with my stupidity. I put them in the freezer for now...

I'm so angry with myself I could cry right now :(

[Starbuck]

If you just introduced a/several new adults, it could have introduced a fungus or bacterial pathogen into your colony. otherwise, i'd suspect either a pesticide on the fruit or extreme environmental conditions (prolonged heat?).

sorry for your loss :( hopefully you can get another one up and running soon.

[Akuma223]

There was no prolonged heat and all of the roaches were from the same colony :/

[formica]

pesticides are a good bet, unforteuntly washing food isnt always enough, best not to buy 'value' foods, supermarket suppliers drench food in pesticides from seed to store many times over, if you can source organic easily then I would recomend that every time, even then it is worth soaking foods in cold water for a while before rinsing again and feeding to your colonies

[Akuma223]

Do you think perhaps it could be safe to feed to my monitor still? I really don't want them to go to waste.

[formica]

Do you think perhaps it could be safe to feed to my monitor still? I really don't want them to go to waste.

I wouldnt risk it to be honest, if there are no other obvious reasons for the die out, its not worth the risk of adding pesticides to your monitors diet, despite the claims by the chemical companies that make them, they are not in the slightest bit safe for any animal


also worth having at least 2 colonies of feeders on the go, this wont be the last time you loose a colony of feeders, unless you have insane luck...in which case you should start playing the lottery too :)

[Akuma223]

damn well I guess I'll toss the little things in the garbage. So fricken irritating, I don't have the slightest clue as to when i'll be able to get any roaches again.

[rmfsnakes32]

Proper air holes is important I have had the same Roach colony for close to 3 years now with very few deaths I use strictly organic diet. I don't even use pesticides in my house ( I have tarantulas too) and I use wheat bran as substrate kept dry any excess humidity will kill them good luck if you have anymore questions feel free to ask. Also Roach cafe ships roaches across the USA

[Akuma223]

okay thanks :)

[mmarchl23]

I got my starter colony from backwaterreptiles. They do free feeder shipping and have a ton of other feeder options.

Oh and they have a variety of colony sizes.