Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Was wondering about feeder roaches since they have a better nutrional level than crickets. Do they smell like crickets do, or not so much. Also, what's a good non-climbing, and non-flying type of roach to get?
Non-Flying is a diffinant must! I'm gonna be feeding them to bearded dragons (only have 2)
First pic, my male Glutany
Seacond pic, the one that stands out is my other male the rest in the pic's my friend's

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1.0.0 Bearded Dragon (Rex- "normal" orange fire)
1.0.0 Bearded Dragon (Glutany- German Giant Mix)
0.1.0 Okeetee Corn (Okatee)
1.1.0 Spotted Python (Hotdog and Shoelace)

Roaches do not smell. A non flying species, that is great to keep, is Madagascar hissers. The climbing issue can be solved by creating a ring of vasalene around the rim. They cannot get past that. Or, just to be safe, you could get a jar of bug stop. False death heads are good, although they look it, they cannot fly. If you want thousands of roaches in no time, go for the lobster roaches. They are relatively cheap, and reproduce extremely fast. Problem is that they don't get as big as hissers.

>>Roaches do not smell.

In general they don't smell, but females who are about to give birth DO put out a nasty smell or ammonia like smell..dunno if it's like a warning scent to tell others to leave her be or what. I've noticed it with both hissers and lobsters.
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PHWyvern

I have raised blaptica dubia roaches in the past in a Rubbermaid tub. They never smelled. I cut out the center of the lid and siliconed window screening from the inside to cover it. Heat was supplied with a Zoomed reptile heat cable taped (with furnace tape) to a piece of plywood. Fed them oranges quartered, and ground up dry dog food. Crickets suck, they stink and the death rate isn't, in my opinion, worth the hassle.
Blaptica dubia multiply quickly, and they dont climb or fly. Another plus to them was I could easily sell a dozen of them in assorted sizes for $10...cant do that with a dozen crickets..
Hope this helps. Bill

what size rubbermaid do you use? and about how many can that hold?
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1.0.0 Bearded Dragon (Rex- "normal" orange fire)
1.0.0 Bearded Dragon (Glutany- German Giant Mix)
0.1.0 Okeetee Corn (Okatee)
1.1.0 Spotted Python (Hotdog and Shoelace)

I believe it was a 17 gallon...it was about 30"long x 12" or so wide and probably 20 " tall. I used the egg crate sheets you get when you buy a box of 7 dozen eggs..I stood them vertically.(not stacked horizontally) You could keep hundreds in that with no odor. Honestly I think I actually cleaned out the tub once in 6 months. The young nymphs also eat the fras (droppings)
It is also is easy to tell the males from the females. The males have wings ( but cant fly) and the females don't. I would feed off adult males. Oh yeah, they dont fight and eat their young like crickets do..Adults can be housed with nymphs and do very well...try that with crickets..haha
They are live bearers and so no egglaying ect. I had used water crystals for a while but that was messy, and giving them the quartered oranges (peels attached) they were getting loads of liquid. I forgot I also fed them ripe bananas, they like sweet fruit..and ground up dry dog food was always available.
I had about 80 tarantulas at the time..different sizes, and the all ate them. I would give them to my friends that had bearded dragons they too devoured them. Sugar gliders, short tailed possums ect...all will eat them.
Sorry this was so long..Hope it helps.
Bill

wasn't long at all and it really did help alot ^_^ So now with my next pay check i'm gonna order me 50-100 or so blaptica dubias. being easy to sex will make it easier to sepreate them if i ever need to.
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1.0.0 Bearded Dragon (Rex- "normal" orange fire)
1.0.0 Bearded Dragon (Glutany- German Giant Mix)
0.1.0 Okeetee Corn (Okatee)
1.1.0 Spotted Python (Hotdog and Shoelace)

Good luck Black Wolf, I would just get 50 and raise them up..

Bill