Starting a new colony

[jarich]

Ok so after reading all the threads on roaches, Ive decided to start up a colony. Having raised crickets in the past, Im all too aware of their smell and noise.

However, what are your recommendations as to species? I have been feeding Hissing Roaches to my monitor, and they are HUGE. It seems from some of the reading Ive done that they are the biggest, but maybe also do not breed as quickly. Is that why Dubias are so popular? Do they breed faster than the Hissers? Are there any other species that people would recommend over these two? (I have seen some hybrid species for sale that look interesting too)

Thanks!

[youngster]

I heard that hissers aren't good feeders but I dunno. I know dubias are best but someone will have an answer.

[stephanbakir]

For monitors hissers are fine, they have a hard shell but big monitors just dominate them.
Dubias breed faster, don't climb, are silent, can't infest your home, grow faster

[infernalis]

For monitors hissers are fine, they have a hard shell but big monitors just dominate them.
Dubias breed faster, don't climb, are silent, can't infest your home, grow faster


This is why Dubia rein supreme as feeder roaches..

[Lankyrob]

Dubias all the way, no smell, no noise, cant fly, cant breed outside the colony (not in the UK anyway) and they are kinda cute!

[stephanbakir]

That being said, whatever floats your boat, I'm looking forward to getting 20 hissers this weekend, was toying with the idea of housing them with my dubia, but if they breed and I end up with dubias that hiss and climb walls... SIGH

[jarich]

So hissers can climb? Ya, thats a big negative then. Ok I guess I got my answer, thanks for all the help everyone.

[stephanbakir]

If you need any info on breeding them, just ask.

[jarich]

If you need any info on breeding them, just ask.

I got 1000 mixed sizes from one source and 200 from another. (just gonna say that 1000 roaches in a single clear container is both heavier than expected, and slightly gross in an Indiana Jones kind of way). I mixed them together and then separated them in two different Rubbermaid tubs with a screened hole on the top. I've got water crystals, dry mix (oats, Cheerios, fish food and vitamin supplement), a half potato, and egg crates inside. One I put on top of the monitor tank (temp about 92) and the other on top of the python tank (about 86). The room humidity is around 50%. Does that sound good? Anything I should change?

[Lankyrob]

Any reason why you separated them? Just curious...... ;)

[jarich]

Any reason why you separated them? Just curious...... ;)

The tubs I have are only five gallon tubs, so I thought that was a little small for that many roaches. Plus the scientist in me kind of wanted to have the ability to test out different scenarios to see which group bred faster, got bigger, etc.

[youngster]

5g is tiny. You can get 25g tubs at Home Depot for $14

[jarich]

I was told by the person I got them from that this was big enough, but again I have no idea myself. Is this too small for them? I mostly got the small ones because they are easy to store and are less visually obtrusive. If those of you that raise them think I should go bigger I would quickly do so.

[Lankyrob]

I just bought a 48l tub for my 150 plus whatever i buy in the next couple of months roaches. Am probably gonna have around 300 or so in there,

[jarich]

So Rob, you think I should increase the size of the tubs?

[youngster]

I know nothing about roaches, so don't trust my judgement alone. But I think that's small.

[Lankyrob]

Am no expert either but i always try to give all my animals as much space as possible.

[KORBIN5895]

When I was looking into doing it the stuff I read said 500 adults or 100 breeders and young per 10 gallon.

[KORBIN5895]

Oh and a female lays about 25 eggs then puts them in a pouch for about a month. Theyare then born "live". It will take about 2 months after birth for the babies to reach sexual maturity. The best part is that males and females are easy to tell apart.

[stephanbakir]

ALL roaches are easy to sex if you look at their belly scales. With a magnified glass I can sex newborn roaches easy. holding them is the tricky part:P
Dubias are by far the easiest species, but not the only one.

[millertime89]

nice to see you again stephan :D

[stephanbakir]

Yeah, my computer took a dump for a while :P