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Roach tank


Cliff

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Hello all, I've been looking on this board for a few months.

I'm going to be starting a roach colony soon with the purpose of feeding my bearded dragons and other pets. I'm not sure if I'll be doing dubia's or lat's. I think dubia would be best because they grow bigger, bear live, and I've read are very bad climbers.

I have 2 36 inch tanks I can use for a roach colony or I can buy a plastic store container. I might be getting a 6ft tank for cheap I think that would be very interesting to have. I'd just place it in my bedroom and cover the sides with paper or cardboard.

I'm going to be buying 2k-3k Dubias xsmall/small and a few adults to start off., or I 8k xsmall/small lats and some mixed/adults.

I'd love to see my colony grow... I think lats would be more interesting just because I'd have more, and they would explode so fast... But I don't know much about them and breeding I know they lay eggs but am not sure if you have to remove the eggs...

- Cliff

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Hi Clift, no expert here, but what u have should be fine, I also don't make my cages dark, they come out at night, so I figure they can hide in the daytime, just give em something to hide in like bark pieces or egg flats, some use pieces of wood too. I dont remove the young, but some do. all up to u! :D

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Hi Clift, no expert here, but what u have should be fine, I also don't make my cages dark, they come out at night, so I figure they can hide in the daytime, just give em something to hide in like bark pieces or egg flats, some use pieces of wood too. I dont remove the young, but some do. all up to u! :D

I plan on using egg crates and toilet paper rolls. I like the rolls because they are free, and they've worked great for the crickets I keep.

Dubias are better overall for what I want... but lats would be much cooler I think. I'd have a million of them :D

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I plan on using egg crates and toilet paper rolls. I like the rolls because they are free, and they've worked great for the crickets I keep.

Dubias are better overall for what I want... but lats would be much cooler I think. I'd have a million of them :D

I like lats better then dubia. Zephyr has orangeheads, which are even better then dubia--pm zephyr .

What you're doing sounds fine... BTW welcome tho the forum!

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I like lats better then dubia. Zephyr has orangeheads, which are even better then dubia--pm zephyr .

What you're doing sounds fine... BTW welcome tho the forum!

Thanks for the welcome.

I've been looking on these forums for a while, just never registered.

I'm liking the idea of lats for a few reasons, the price is one... I'd like to be able to have a instant colony but on a large scale, I want to have too many roaches! I want to have a giant tank of roaches for show and feeding my lizards. I plan on getting a leopard gecko for my girlfriend for valentines day (She wants it). I'm going to get a dragon or two more... I'd like to have moreeeeeee than enough food for them (I know I will).

I'll have to look into orange heads. I looked at them before but noticed they are more expensive. I'm not trying to be impatience but I want to be able to feed asap... I'll still be buying roaches as my colony grows, and I don't think with orange heads I would be able to buy enough to do this.

I might try them out a buy a small colony to start.

- Cliff

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Thanks for the welcome.

I've been looking on these forums for a while, just never registered.

I'm liking the idea of lats for a few reasons, the price is one... I'd like to be able to have a instant colony but on a large scale, I want to have too many roaches! I want to have a giant tank of roaches for show and feeding my lizards. I plan on getting a leopard gecko for my girlfriend for valentines day (She wants it). I'm going to get a dragon or two more... I'd like to have moreeeeeee than enough food for them (I know I will).

I'll have to look into orange heads. I looked at them before but noticed they are more expensive. I'm not trying to be impatience but I want to be able to feed asap... I'll still be buying roaches as my colony grows, and I don't think with orange heads I would be able to buy enough to do this.

I might try them out a buy a small colony to start.

- Cliff

Ok cool--get the lats then :D

Maybe you and Zephyr can cut a deal? He's done it with me before.... pm him he has the best prices!

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Ok cool--get the lats then :D

Maybe you and Zephyr can cut a deal? He's done it with me before.... pm him he has the best prices!

After looking at orange heads, it sparked my memory they were my first choice for when I did some research a few months ago. Lats are fast growing, producing and cheapest... but the other are better for size and other reasons...

I'll just have to get all 3 in the future, and talk to Zephyr and see the prices on orange heads before I make my decision on which to get first.

- Cliff

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Lats are fantastic for young, growing dragons that are going to be consuming massive of amount of insect matter - mine would inhale upwards to 100 appropriate sized crickets daily during growth spurts. Their speed is also going to encourage movement which young dragons crave in hunting and need to develop properly.

BUT: I rather dilike lats for adult/sub-adult dragons when they begin to decrease their insect intake and get some size on them. The lats are just too small (even th adults) and move quite quickly. They aren'y bad to have around to mix it up and feed on occasion, but my adults really favor the dubia. If you had a substanstantial colony at the ready - dubia and orange heads are going to set you up for any life term of the dragons life, both through the juvenile and adult stages of life.

My recommendation for cost efficiency: Get a good colony of lats going and get starter cultures of dubia and/or orange heads. The lats will be your feeder colony until the other species begin to take off and can handle being fed out of excessively. At which point you can begin to sell excess lats or do as you please with them and keep just a small colony around for another herp or to add some variety to the diet.

I'm working on getting my orange head colony up to size, but Kyle claims his dragons much prefers them over dubia. I know they have a great meat to shell ratio and they certainly get nice and big and meaty nymphs. Dubia and orange heads are both great to have for any age dragon so thats up to you = )

Any of these species will work your your GF's leo, but cost effectively feeding bearded dragons (particularly multiple) is going to take you down the lat route for youngins while simultaneously rearing a start culture of a larger species.

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Lats are fantastic for young, growing dragons that are going to be consuming massive of amount of insect matter - mine would inhale upwards to 100 appropriate sized crickets daily during growth spurts. Their speed is also going to encourage movement which young dragons crave in hunting and need to develop properly.

BUT: I rather dilike lats for adult/sub-adult dragons when they begin to decrease their insect intake and get some size on them. The lats are just too small (even th adults) and move quite quickly. They aren'y bad to have around to mix it up and feed on occasion, but my adults really favor the dubia. If you had a substanstantial colony at the ready - dubia and orange heads are going to set you up for any life term of the dragons life, both through the juvenile and adult stages of life.

My recommendation for cost efficiency: Get a good colony of lats going and get starter cultures of dubia and/or orange heads. The lats will be your feeder colony until the other species begin to take off and can handle being fed out of excessively. At which point you can begin to sell excess lats or do as you please with them and keep just a small colony around for another herp or to add some variety to the diet.

I'm working on getting my orange head colony up to size, but Kyle claims his dragons much prefers them over dubia. I know they have a great meat to shell ratio and they certainly get nice and big and meaty nymphs. Dubia and orange heads are both great to have for any age dragon so thats up to you = )

Any of these species will work your your GF's leo, but cost effectively feeding bearded dragons (particularly multiple) is going to take you down the lat route for youngins while simultaneously rearing a start culture of a larger species.

I guess if two people are thinking the same thing it must be a good idea.

I think I'm going to buy lats just so I can feed them sooner.

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thats actually whay i started out with the lats first. because they are cheap and breed fast, but at the same time i started a colony of Dubias. it also helps because if you ever have a colony crash you not in trouble because you depended to much on one species.

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that actually what i did started out with the lats first because they are cheap and breed fast, but started a colony of the Dubias at the same time. it also helps because if you ever have a colony crash you not in trouble because you depended to much on one species.

Lats are one of the best feeders for leos!

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I have no idea on the smell stopping a beardies appetite but they certainly do have a pretty rancid defense odor. I prefer dubia for large feeders because their leg spines are less stiff and will likely never hurt your pet, orange heads however have terribly stiff leg spines similar to Hissers.

When talking about speed of reproduction you just can't beat lats, even my Americans have trouble keeping up with them and they are considered to be a pest, lol. My lats have somewhere between 120-150 ootheca sitting in their enclosure, I hope about 20% of those actually hatch because if all of them did I would have thousands on my hands without enough animals to eat them. I only have like 100 or so adults too; I can't imagine several thousand adults!

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I have no idea on the smell stopping a beardies appetite but they certainly do have a pretty rancid defense odor. I prefer dubia for large feeders because their leg spines are less stiff and will likely never hurt your pet, orange heads however have terribly stiff leg spines similar to Hissers.

When talking about speed of reproduction you just can't beat lats, even my Americans have trouble keeping up with them and they are considered to be a pest, lol. My lats have somewhere between 120-150 ootheca sitting in their enclosure, I hope about 20% of those actually hatch because if all of them did I would have thousands on my hands without enough animals to eat them. I only have like 100 or so adults too; I can't imagine several thousand adults!

*MAGIC* :lol:

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My brother just got money.. and want's to invest into something.. I was thinking of buying 800 females... and putting them in a 6ft tank, and lay 5ft worth of egg crates and paper rolls (I think the paper rolls would be good ? dunno works with crickets).

Then selling then cheap... I'd stop feeding for a bit to control it if needed, I also thought of buying 2 fire extinguishers for if they get loose some how (In mass... to kill them? dunno if that would work but.. haha that would suck!)...

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How can I use a glass tank for roaches if it has the glue on the insides?

Non glass climbers can't really grip that silicone glue well. I've only ever had nymphs able to climb it and not well, never had an escape.

As for an investment? If you're willing to deal with selling and shipping and all the legality that goes along with it, then yes, it could be profitable and therefore a worthwhile investment. Otherwise he should invest in something a bit more stable, like rare coins or art. I just can't bring myself to view my inverts as an investment, it's a fun hobby to me and not much else.

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Non glass climbers can't really grip that silicone glue well. I've only ever had nymphs able to climb it and not well, never had an escape.

As for an investment? If you're willing to deal with selling and shipping and all the legality that goes along with it, then yes, it could be profitable and therefore a worthwhile investment. Otherwise he should invest in something a bit more stable, like rare coins or art. I just can't bring myself to view my inverts as an investment, it's a fun hobby to me and not much else.

I guess the investment would be the money upfront to be able to never pay for feeders for my bearded dragons. I don't know how crazy it is but I'd like to breed bearded dragons. It's something I really need to research before even considering doing so. I think starting with the roaches would be the best thing. It would allow me to get some money for rent, and maybe being able to save up for more dragons to breed.

I believe it's a hobby I will enjoy. I'd like to have a nice naturalist hisser tank with a nice giant log they can climb on., I think a giant dubia tank would be really cool.

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I guess the investment would be the money upfront to be able to never pay for feeders for my bearded dragons. I don't know how crazy it is but I'd like to breed bearded dragons. It's something I really need to research before even considering doing so. I think starting with the roaches would be the best thing. It would allow me to get some money for rent, and maybe being able to save up for more dragons to breed.

I believe it's a hobby I will enjoy. I'd like to have a nice naturalist hisser tank with a nice giant log they can climb on., I think a giant dubia tank would be really cool.

sounds cool :D

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sounds cool :D

I'm excited for everything. But I think starting with roaches is smart and can have some profit for me. But mostly I'm excited to see the colony grow, and once my dragons are old enough in a few months I would like to try to breed dragons. Once the roach colony is going and established it opens up many doors for me. I can try to sell them, I can breed dragons, geckos, other stuff. Much research is needed for me, but this is a start. Even if I don't breed, or sell as much as I'd thought. I still have infinite supply of roaches. I can now buy tarantulas, geckos, frogs, ect. It allows me to have pets! Heck I'll be trading dubia's for other roaches to other people even.

I've always loved "animals", My mother made my brother and I amazing tanks when we were children. They looked like something from a freaking zoo. So naturalistic and many species of newts, frogs, ect that lived together. It's something I'd like to remake when given time and money. Having infinite feeders that work for many species, opens up so many doors for this, I'm so excited :lol:

- Cliff

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I haven't looked into many methods of heating the roaches. I was thinking reptile under tank heaters pads? I looked into "Heat tape" but you need a thermostat for it, I don't know the price or how complicated it is.

How do you guys heat your Dubias or other roaches? I saw vfox uses lights and reflecting heat tape (something like that). That seems really smart and would work well for me I think, but if possible I would like to not have to use lights.

- Cliff

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I haven't looked into many methods of heating the roaches. I was thinking reptile under tank heaters pads? I looked into "Heat tape" but you need a thermostat for it, I don't know the price or how complicated it is.

How do you guys heat your Dubias or other roaches? I saw vfox uses lights and reflecting heat tape (something like that). That seems really smart and would work well for me I think, but if possible I would like to not have to use lights.

- Cliff

They breed at room temp., but my house is always 90 F upstairs where they are (so cal)

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i have them right next to a little stand alone electric oil heater that heat my room but i have use UTH with thermostats before to and that worked ok. most of the people who deal with in the gecko community usually recommend you use a thermostat with a UTH or heat tape in case any thing goes wrong and it over heats. heat bulbs work well and you could also look into ceramic heat emitters too.

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If you don't want to deal with spending a lot of cash on a thermostat you can buy a rheostat (dimmer). You can find little lamp dimmers for about $10 at home depot, lowes, etc where you plug the heat source into the dimmer and the dimmer into the wall. If it gets too hot simply dim it down a bit.

Costwise heat tape is the cheapest by far, it ends up being about $4-5 per square foot wired and it uses a rediculessly low amount of wattage compared to a lot of other heat sources. I've also never clocked mine ever peak greater than 120 degrees F on the surface, so they don't get so hot that they are an easy fire hazard.

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