Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am going to start using roaches as feeders for my panthers.
I saw the prices on orange heads so what would be a good number to start with (adults)?
Are Discoids and Orange heads about the same as far as reproductive rates?
I know all about their care just looking for insight on breeding. I won't need them for a few months as food.
Any insight would be appreciated.

We started with 200 adults, and left them alone for about 5 months. By then it looked like there were 5 times that, so then we started feeding off the wingless sub-adults. After another few months, a few winged breeders died off, so we got a new batch. We sometimes feed off 200 per day.

The best advice: keep them very warm! We keep the colony around 95 degrees F, this seems to prompt reproduction. Keep dry food and veggies available all the time. Instead of water - we use squashes; pumpkin; sweet potato; carrots and the ocassional fruit.

We keep the vertical egg flats (like our cricket set up), and ofen lay one flat on top with veggies. We keep a 100watt bulb on them during the day, then rely on the heatmat for night-time heat. I have heard that some folks keep the heat on them 24/7... but they seem to be breeding just fine for us.

Someone else will have to comment on the comparison between Discoids and Orange-heads as far as the reproductive numbers - we've never counted them.

Good luck!
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What if a pregnant roach got loose in a cage and was uneaten. If it gave birth in the cage, what are the chances of the roaches becoming a house hold problem. I had some South american roaches that were huge. I had 3 adults, and left them in my car for 2 weeks in Semi-Winter weather and they survived without food or water. I want to start a colony, but I'm having second thoughts. I know for sure that crickets jump out of the feeding cup and hide in the corners of the cage and under plants. Any one have bad experiences?

Yup... it can happen.

That is why we hand feed every roach... if the cham doesn't eat it when offered - they lose out. The roaches don't get left in the enclosures!!!!!

I remember someone had roaches infest a aluminum frame/screen cage and had a heck of a time getting rid of them.
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