Best way to heat a roach colony?

Mikoh4792 · 06-03-13, 06:05 AM

Let's say you are raising a colony in a tub or bin. What do you use and where?(side, bottom..etc)

Also I've read that temps should be kept at around 85-95 for successful breeding. How low should one drop it at night? And do I always keep it at 85-95 for the life of the colony or only when I want breeding to ensue?

franks · 06-03-13, 09:28 AM

Best way is a large UTH on a thermostat. I keep it in the mid 80's when I do not want them to breed, and crank it to 95 with some oranges and very little brown sugar when I want more roaches. Its been working for me.

Mikoh4792 · 06-03-13, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by franks

Best way is a large UTH on a thermostat. I keep it in the mid 80's when I do not want them to breed, and crank it to 95 with some oranges and very little brown sugar when I want more roaches. Its been working for me.

Where do you keep the UTH? Do you give it a night drop and if so at what temperatures?(when breeding and also not breeding)

Danimal · 06-03-13, 11:11 AM

I keep my tape at 90-95 24/7 and I run the tape under 2/3 of the bin. I just try to keep the bin around 90deg.

Mikoh4792 · 06-03-13, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danimal

I keep my tape at 90-95 24/7 and I run the tape under 2/3 of the bin. I just try to keep the bin around 90deg.

Damn they need to be kept really hot lol.

smy_749 · 06-03-13, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikoh4792

Damn they need to be kept really hot lol.

They don't need to be kept as hot as danimal does. But if you do keep them that hot, they will reproduce much faster (with smaller adult size generally, but still, much faster). You can keep them in the eighties as well, though the temps danimal said are better. They are a tropical species.

Mikoh4792 · 06-03-13, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smy_749

They don't need to be kept as hot as danimal does. But if you do keep them that hot, they will reproduce much faster (with smaller adult size generally, but still, much faster). You can keep them in the eighties as well, though the temps danimal said are better. They are a tropical species.

Okay and even for the largest beardie, is there a certain age group of roaches I want to keep them away from?(Like for example the oldest or youngest roaches). I could be mistaken since I haven't seen a dubia roach in person, but from pictures and videos the old ones look way too big for even a fully grown bearded.

formica · 06-03-13, 12:26 PM

nice bit of info there! can roaches climb plastic or metal? I'd like to use a metal bin, nice heat conduction, but i dont want escapee's, and i dont really want to use a glass tank coz that means going into my loft again (its a mission i tell ya!)

I'm looking at insects to breed for my Sav, and frankly I am sick to death of the smell of crickets haha plus they will soon be more of a snack once he's grown up a bit

apologize for hijacking thread

Mikoh4792 · 06-03-13, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by formica

nice bit of info there! can roaches climb plastic or metal? I'd like to use a metal bin, nice heat conduction, but i dont want escapee's, and i dont really want to use a glass tank coz that means going into my loft again (its a mission i tell ya!)

I'm looking at insects to breed for my Sav, and frankly I am sick to death of the smell of crickets haha plus they will soon be more of a snack once he's grown up a bit

apologize for hijacking thread

No hijacking here. It's all under the same subject. I think one of the upsides to keeping roaches is that they are poor climbers of smooth surfaces such as glass, and plastic. I don't know about metal since some metals can have striations which may be easier to climb for insects.

jarich · 06-03-13, 12:35 PM

I heat my roach tubs by placing them on top of another enclosure that is warm. For me its my monitor enclosure, just above the lights. Keeps it nice and warm for them and costs me nothing extra (no extra heat elements/thermostat/extra electricity)

smy_749 · 06-03-13, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikoh4792

Okay and even for the largest beardie, is there a certain age group of roaches I want to keep them away from?(Like for example the oldest or youngest roaches). I could be mistaken since I haven't seen a dubia roach in person, but from pictures and videos the old ones look way too big for even a fully grown bearded.

The largest beardies can handle the largest dubia. Especially if you crank the heat and have smaller adults. You only want to feed the adult males (the ones with wings) to keep your colony strong. 1 male to every 3, 5, or even 10 for that matter, males.

They aren't as big as they are in pictures. Maybe 2 inches or so (guessing).

Also, metal bins ....not sure if they will be able to climb that. The reason glass works well is because it is so smooth and perfectly veritical. However they can climb the silicone seams as nymphs. You want to get a plastic tub with vertical edges (no slant on them, some of the nymphs can climb this and I made that mistake).

Get the clear plastic tubs with as close to 90 degree angles on the walls, or even a garbage pale works and you won't even need a top as they don't climb or fly or jump. If your still worried , you can put clear packing tape strip near the top, and if they reach it, they will slide back down and fall into the bin. Or a strip of vaseline will work as well, but its messy and they get stuck in it and can die. I don't advise it :P (and you won't need any of that anyways with the right bin)

Also, Jarich's idea is the best way to heat if you have the right spot to put it. Since its just ambient air heating the bottom of the enclosure, and no direct contact with any heating element, there is less worry about having something melt or need to be hooked up to a thermostat, and its cheaper since its reusing the wasted heat as it escapes through the lid.

Don't use dog food or cat food, keep it organic with veggies and dandelion greens etc. etc. , put them in a food dish so you can remove it and clean the left overs as they rot, and you won't have any smell whatsoever in your enclosure (I Had this problem and stephenbakir gave me those tips, worked great)

Mikoh4792 · 06-03-13, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smy_749

The largest beardies can handle the largest dubia. Especially if you crank the heat and have smaller adults. You only want to feed the adult males (the ones with wings) to keep your colony strong. 1 male to every 3, 5, or even 10 for that matter, males.

They aren't as big as they are in pictures. Maybe 2 inches or so (guessing).

Also, metal bins ....not sure if they will be able to climb that. The reason glass works well is because it is so smooth and perfectly veritical. However they can climb the silicone seams as nymphs. You want to get a plastic tub with vertical edges (no slant on them, some of the nymphs can climb this and I made that mistake).

Get the clear plastic tubs with as close to 90 degree angles on the walls, or even a garbage pale works and you won't even need a top as they don't climb or fly or jump. If your still worried , you can put clear packing tape strip near the top, and if they reach it, they will slide back down and fall into the bin. Or a strip of vaseline will work as well, but its messy and they get stuck in it and can die. I don't advise it :P (and you won't need any of that anyways with the right bin)

Also, Jarich's idea is the best way to heat if you have the right spot to put it. Since its just ambient air heating the bottom of the enclosure, and no direct contact with any heating element, there is less worry about having something melt or need to be hooked up to a thermostat, and its cheaper since its reusing the wasted heat as it escapes through the lid.

Don't use dog food or cat food, keep it organic with veggies and dandelion greens etc. etc. , put them in a food dish so you can remove it and clean the left overs as they rot, and you won't have any smell whatsoever in your enclosure (I Had this problem and stephenbakir gave me those tips, worked great)

Can I feed them commercial Roach food? How about Oats and cereal?

Also, what size colony do you reccommend for only a few lizards? For example 2 beardies and 2 leopoard gecko juvie/adults?

^ obviously there are many variables and factors but if you had to make an estimate how many roaches should I start out with?

formica · 06-03-13, 01:43 PM

nice one thanks for all the info! I too heat my cricket colonies above the lighting inside enclosures - I am going to need to build a large viv for my monitor before winter, I wonder if building a roach breeding section into the top might be a good way to kill 2birds! thanks again all

KORBIN5895 · 06-03-13, 06:33 PM

There is a so much jumbled and confused facts in this thread it's not even funny.

formica · 06-03-13, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

There is a so much jumbled and confused facts in this thread it's not even funny.

considering the vast and varied habbitats that all these creatures occupy and thrive in, maybe it doesnt matter so much?

feel free to add your own factual information