Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey Everyone,
Haven't seen much life over here lately..
So here it goes... What's your favorite fruit or veggie, for your roaches?? And why?? Why is it better?

On a side note.. How crucial do you think it is for a large colony, to have a good air flow? In a deep 35gal. container, is the top alone going to provide enough air turn over? Keep in mind, I'm talking about a huge colony, and heat is provided from below.(heat pad) Hopefully a lower heat source will cause the air to move.... Any opinions?? Or advice??

RogueHerp

My main staple for moisture & food source are carrots. Reason: they do not mold or grow fungus as rapidly as other sources. Carrots supply: moisture, sugars(carbs), and beta carotene, potassium & other minerals. I balance this with greens that are high in calcium & minerals. I use fruits occassionally as a moisture/carb. source. Use dog/cat chow in conjunction w/ non-med chicken laying mashes (protein, carb., vitamin & mineral source).

Air flow is important, but it doesn't need to be a wind-tunnel. I use a small fan in my roach room. The airflow should be directly proportional to the room's humidity level. Too much humidity encourages: bacteria, mold, fungus & promotes mite infestations. A heat source from below with an open top(mostly screen top) should work with low humidity. With higher humidity, I would suggest using a fan in the room. Tropical roaches are more active & breed more at temperatures between 85-95 F.

Hope this helps out. Hopefully, others will add some additional info.

That's really close to what I use for most of my collection.
I prefer carrots w/the mealworm colony. (like you said, mold..) But citrus fruits for my roaches as a staple. And I toss in other random veggies, I happen to bring in for myself from time to time. (bellpepper, cucumber, squash) I've found that cutting across the wedges, and putting it rind down in their dishes. Inhibits mold and increases access. The citrus seem to hold their moisture longer that other sources, I've tried.

I've tried different forms of H2O crystals. Both commercial and home made. (Agar agar) But never liked any thus far, so I don't use them. My reasoning is it's not natural to their native environment. And an added expense, better spent elsewhere.

I also currently use the same dry regimen. I've been toying with the idea of trying out Lab diet rodent pellets on a test colony. Since I already use them for my feeder rodents.

I only recently started carrots for the mealworms. Wish I'd thought of that one sooner. Glad to hear 'bout the air flow too.
Thanx for the info., much appreciated.

RogueHerp