Reptile & Amphibian Forums

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AlphaDragonZ
www.AlphaDragonZ.com

Hopefully Bennet will answer this too, but it really doesn't take much more then buying some HIGH quality roaches from a great source. I always quarintine all new roaches for several months, and then send two off to the vet to get tested for any parasites of mites ect. I HAVE gotten parasite positive results back on roaches from what looked like good places.

Then get a rubbermaid tub. If you pick a climbing species, rub some vasoline around the top in a 3 inch stripe. Put some egg crates in upright.

I feed mine a powder mixture I make with my husbands coffee grinder, hehe. I use chick starter, VERY expensive puppy food and about 1/2 as much expensive kitten chow, powdered milk, nutritional yeast, baby ceral, Total High Protein cereal, and a bit of Repcal calcium and herptivite.

I give them fresh fruit daily too. I give them greens, carrots, potatos, and oranges. I also give them ANYTHING that I have left over from feeding the crickets or dragons. Sometimes they get leftovers from out meals too...
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boy your roaches are spoiled. LOL

I dont go that far in feeding. I have found they pretty much eat things without special preperation.

get a rubbermaid tub and put a couple inches of bran or you can leave it bare bottom. the bran has the advantage of being a food. stand up egg flats for hiding places. it is best not to glue them together. I put a little tub in for chick feed. if you use climbers (hissers, lobsters...) put 2-3" of vasaline as a barrier along the top. You can buy teflon based blocker but I preffer not to use it. when the roaches touch the vasaline, they don't like the feel of it so they will not walk on it.

as for food, I give them chick feed and leftover fruit and veggies. some also eat meat so they get turkey, chicken and meat. Roaches don't smell but their uneaten food does. don't give them more than one days food at a time. Even if you have climbers, I have found babies prefer to eat from the ground rather than a bowl.

if you feed them the right foods and keep the temps up they will grow big and fat for your BDs or anything else that loves roaches.

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Bennett

www.beardiedragon.com

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Signature edited for TOS violation.

Edited on August 23, 2004 at 00:26:11 by phwyvern.

I change the tubs every 3-4 months for large colonies. you can go longer but I don't recomend it. you need 3 tubs. the main one, a second for tranferring adults to when cleaning, a third for babies and juvies and then a dumping tub. The dumping tub will help in sorting out the wast from the roaches. digging through poop and bran is time consuming. simply dump it all in a tub, put in a couple egg flats and let them come out of the bedding. shake the flats into the juvie tub. hope that makes sence. any questions just ask.

btw here are some web sights
http://www.angelfire.com/oh2/Roaches/
http://www.ex.ac.uk/bugclub/roach.html
http://www.cockroachguy.com/
http://www.thehissingroach.com/roach/
http://www.hissingcockroach.com/
http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/youngnaturalistawards/1998/cockroach.html
http://yucky.kids.discovery.com/noflash/roaches/pg000096.html

and my supplier
http://www.angelfire.com/wy/roaches/

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Bennett

www.beardiedragon.com

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Signature edited for TOS violation.

Edited on August 23, 2004 at 00:25:34 by phwyvern.

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>>AlphaDragonZ
>>www.AlphaDragonZ.com
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AlphaDragonZ
www.AlphaDragonZ.com