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- Thread starter Emmily
- Start date
Pat B
Super Moderator
- Messages
- 1,469
- Location
- Columbia SC
LOL! I am finally into bigger crickets and not very many a day. Maybe 10 or so at the most. I am not so sure I could go the roach route. Living in SC there are these big a** roaches and they just creep me out.
Yeah maybe I just order too small of crickets and I need to go bigger cuz she grows fast and its hard to get the right size of crix when theyre the right size one moment and a few weeks later theyre too small! lol I just thought about roaches cuz I feel they would fill her up more cuz shes going through crix like nothing! So I might just buy bigger crix this time around. See if it solves my issue. Just I can get 1000 crix for 25$ and like 500 roaches is like idk 80$ so yeah no hahah
- Messages
- 4,493
- Location
- North America
The trick with the roaches is to start your own colony & never ever have to buy another feeder other than for treats 
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- Messages
- 4,493
- Location
- North America
Roaches are much easier to start, care for and contain. The only problem is that it can take a long time for a colony to become established if you start with young roaches, because it takes them 3-5 months to mature to breeding age. If you can get hold of some adults, particularly females (ratio of 3-4 females per male) things will happen much quicker. But even the nymphs will take time to grow to feeding size, depending on the size of BD being fed. One female will produce 20-40 nymphs every 4-6 weeks.
- Messages
- 4,493
- Location
- North America
Nope, no substrate needed, their Frass (poop) quickly turns to hard little pellets & will serve as substrate, hiding & even somewhat as food for the nymphs. They have virtually no smell as opposed to crickets. Just need a dark Rubbermaid tote with a metal screened hole cut into the lid for ventilation or lots of 1/8" holes drilled into it (Window screen size holed screen), some used egg flats or cartons, a way to keep their temps in the 8o-90F range & some roaches.
Pat B
Super Moderator
- Messages
- 1,469
- Location
- Columbia SC
Too much work for me....I'll just go to my 'favorite' pet store PS and buy crix!!
Beardie123
Juvenile Dragon
- Messages
- 104
- Location
- Massachusetts
trust me i started my colony about a week ago i have like 1 mature male and like 2 or 3 mature female and tons of nymphs it is not hard to care for them only 2 have passed since i had them they dont die off every day like crixs eventualy when you can try to start one but i baught 4 deli cups with like 20 roaches in each for 20$ at the NY reptile expo 
just more pricey online 
just more pricey online
- Messages
- 4,493
- Location
- North America
This coming from one who always complains on the prices of crixToo much work for me....I'll just go to my 'favorite' pet store PS and buy crix!!
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Pat B
Super Moderator
- Messages
- 1,469
- Location
- Columbia SC
This Sat/Sun there is a Reptile show in Columbia SC. We plan to go and see what it is all about. I am most curious about the roaches. Can they be kept outside all year round? When you get too many do you just throw some of them to the wind? What do you feed them? They gross me out but I plan on keeping my dragon so I might have to cave in and take the roach road.
- Messages
- 4,493
- Location
- North America
I feed the colony dog food as their staple diet, halved potatoes, carrots, melon rinds, table veggie scraps for moisture. I keep the feeders in a separate smaller container, in which I gutload them properly as you would\should crickets prior to feeding.
They are tropical roaches so in order to breed & grow, their environment must be kept relatively humid & at a temp of 80-90F, so keeping them outside is likely not an option at all. Once you feel that your colony is established enough, you can feed them smaller & more of them to help control the numbers, you can stop heating them & keep them at room temps to somewhat curb breeding & growth, although this is not really recommended.
They are tropical roaches so in order to breed & grow, their environment must be kept relatively humid & at a temp of 80-90F, so keeping them outside is likely not an option at all. Once you feel that your colony is established enough, you can feed them smaller & more of them to help control the numbers, you can stop heating them & keep them at room temps to somewhat curb breeding & growth, although this is not really recommended.