Zephyr Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 This will be the first of (hopefully) many cockroach of the week guides. Aside from it being a thread to discuss this weeks roach, specifically husbandry, it will also be the site of a weekly photo competition, with the winner (selected via poll) will select the next week's roach. Here are my submissions: Subadult and adult female B. dubia. Subadult male (top) and female (bottom) dubias. Adult male dubia. Dubia colony. Let the contest and discussion begin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddylee79 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Here are a few of mine.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 Alright, I'll trigger some discussion... Substrate. Anyone keep theirs on substrate? I've never really found it necessary; I've always kept mine on egg crate and done daily to every other day mistings to keep up the humidity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddylee79 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Alright, I'll trigger some discussion... Substrate. Anyone keep theirs on substrate? I've never really found it necessary; I've always kept mine on egg crate and done daily to every other day mistings to keep up the humidity. That sounds about how mine are kept. I use your standard tub setup with egg crate. My roaches are all kept in a "roach closet" with a fan and small heater(when needed) keeping them at a nice 80F. It stays fairly humid avoiding constant misting, but the winters are DRY... so I added substrate last winter to help hold humidity, but removed this spring because It was staying way to humid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 How about food? I do a great big mix of dog biscuits, chicken egg laying crumble, dog food, parrot food, game fish pellets, and cat food. Of course, I also supplement every week with carrots, yams, leftover veggies, or banana. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddylee79 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 How about foods..... I feed my dubias mostly carrots, sweet potatoes, and papaya for the fruits and veggies with the occasional strawberry and banana. For the dry food portion, I am lucky enough to have a near endless supply of Wellness cat/dog food. I am trying with some of the more orange ones a diet high in beta carotene. For this I merely added some red palm oil to the dry food. The carotene content of red palm oil is above 500 mg/kg. I am no chemist but its worth a try... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr Posted October 6, 2009 Author Share Posted October 6, 2009 Are the top two females you posted on this carotene diet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddylee79 Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Are the top two females you posted on this carotene diet? Indeed they are. The top one has been its whole life and is an offspring of the one female in my "My Girls" thread, and the bottom one is a new member to the "orange" colony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr Posted October 6, 2009 Author Share Posted October 6, 2009 Beautiful! I'll have to try that! Do you know any chain stores that carry that red palm oil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddylee79 Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Beautiful! I'll have to try that! Do you know any chain stores that carry that red palm oil? I do not...I had to find it online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Mine are on no substrate as well. I feed cat food and koi fish food, all of which as been crushed but there are still some small chunks. Once a week I add some fruit or veggies. Apples, carrots, nectarine, etc. It is really interesting on the different colors and patterns the female dubia's seem to have. I recently noticed a size difference as well. They also seem to enjoy cramming themselves into toilet paper rolls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BugmanPrice Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 I am trying with some of the more orange ones a diet high in beta carotene. Have you tried taking an adult that has had the high beta-carotene diet it's whole life and reverting it back to it's original diet? That’d be a fun experiment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr Posted October 6, 2009 Author Share Posted October 6, 2009 I see what you're saying... To see if the pigment would eventually fade? Like with Glowspots? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddylee79 Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Have you tried taking an adult that has had the high beta-carotene diet it's whole life and reverting it back to it's original diet? That’d be a fun experiment. I have not...but I will separate a few of the more colorful ones into a new enclosure and we will see what happens..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BugmanPrice Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 I see what you're saying... To see if the pigment would eventually fade? Like with Glowspots? Exactly, it's not too hard to get 'roaches to "turn" colors as they grow but it's another thing to do it when they are done growing, at least I think so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr Posted October 8, 2009 Author Share Posted October 8, 2009 Alright, tomorrow, the photos will be readied for voting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr Posted October 11, 2009 Author Share Posted October 11, 2009 Poll added! Voting closes tomorrow at 3! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 There just isn't enough activity on here for a poll im afraid....4 votes so far.... 3 of which were probably us, who posted the pics.... haha...we will see how it turns out though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr Posted October 12, 2009 Author Share Posted October 12, 2009 Alright, looks like I won? Maybe we should leave the polls open until tomrrow and pick the ROTW for next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddylee79 Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Alright, looks like I won? Maybe we should leave the polls open until tomrrow and pick the ROTW for next week. And what will the roach be this week???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr Posted October 12, 2009 Author Share Posted October 12, 2009 And what will the roach be this week???? I'm thinking P. aegyptiaca. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bricktop Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 I know this is totally offtopic but what kind of camera are you using there, my camera can't take any halfway decent pics of my roaches at all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddylee79 Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 I know this is totally offtopic but what kind of camera are you using there, my camera can't take any halfway decent pics of my roaches at all! Who are you asking??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 If suggestions are alright to put here: The next one should be Lucihormetica sp., it is lesser known and so could be publicized, as well as being very attractive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OBJ Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 If suggestions are alright to put here: The next one should be Lucihormetica sp.A little lobbyism must be ok... Another candidate could be A.tesselata - many could participate/contribute there... So Zephyr and Buddylee79 will now agree on this weeks roach and start a new thread since they have equal votes?? Or did somebody vote after closing date??? "Gentlemen, You now have the vote from the 'roach jury' - Please reveal your decision!" ...holding breath... Ole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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