Blaberus boliviensis/dying adults & malformed wings

[jebbewocky 2]

Heyo, it's been awhile since I've been on.

Anyway, my trust colony of Blaberus boliviensis seems to be having some issues.

Specifically, I am having more malformed wings and more issues with adults dying quickly.

Either they literally die as they are molting, or they die shortly after.

The colony as a whole is doing rather well and I have many adults that are fine.

The usual suspects are protein deficiency, overcrowding, or humidity.

I doubt it is protein deficiency as I have been using Mazuri gutload as a dry food (though, now that I think of it, I do not recall this before using that? Hmmm). My colony doesn't seem overcrowded to me, but I'm not sure about humidity.

Any other suggestions?

[Hisserdude 887]

Sounds like what happens to B.giganteus, those guys like a roomy enclosure, and if the fresh adults are pestered too much by the nymphs, they die. Perhaps the same thing is happening with your B.boliviensis?

I would also be sure that the humidity is high, as low humidity often leads to mis-molts and deformed wings.

[Bufo Bill 17]

I've had roaches die from using too much Layer's Mash in the diet, it was causing too much calcium to build up. This manifested itself as high mortality at moulting time. Could it be that the gutload food is too high in calcium?

All the best from Bill.

[MrCrackerpants 0]

Do the adults have a way to escape the moist substrate? Can they climb into a dry area such as a Styrofoam egg crate? If not, I would try adding some egg crates to the top of the substrate. I have had this same problem in the past. That has solved it for me in the past and my colony is now back with a high reproduction rate.

[jebbewocky 2]

Actually, Mazuri is a higher Ca gutload. I was using it to the exclusion of other powdered foods. That may well be the issue.

I am currently keeping them without substrate, in an 18gallon rubbermaid bin with some 2" screened vent holes.

I'm trying out a different diet for them. If that doesn't work I'll add substrate again.

[jebbewocky 2]

I just got some chickfeed and alfalfa pellets and am offering that in a 50/50 mix after hesring about it on the Chameleon breeder podcast. They seem to like it.

[jebbewocky 2]

Update: I added a good 3" or so of coco-coir and that like..chunky coconut husk and sprayed it down. The increase in humidity seems to have helped out with my death rate. No idea about the wings yet, but I am hopeful.