Nutritional needs of adult hissers vs nymphs

[George]

I started with 7 adult hissers a few months ago. Since then, each of my 3 females has had a brood. The colony is thriving. I made an interesting observation about their eating habits.

I've always given them carrots, along with a mix of oats and crushed cat food. The initial couple tablespoons of crushed cat food lasted a couple months when I only had adults. They'd eat the oats around it. This lined up with what I'd heard about their protein demands (that they don't really need much).

The nymphs have opposite tastes. They're crazy about the cat food. They eat around the oats. I have to fill the dish every few days when it dwindles to stray oats and frass.

It seems to be just the stuff they need, because they're bigger every time I look. Bolder, too, so I see more of them. The audible scuttling of all those tiny legs grows louder by the day.

[Marlon]

After your post, I started watching my dubias.  Sure enough, the babies are always hanging out around and in the pig chow which is 15% protein.  With adults only the pig chow lasts a long time and instead they are always eating up fruits and vegetation.  When I put in a bunch of babies the pig chow disappears quickly.  Not exactly scientific but I do think I am seeing the same thing you are.  I like pig chow because it is a lot cheaper than cat food.     Unfortunately they've only eaten 1/8 of a pound, out of a 50lb bag... need more roaches!

[Axolotl]

I've noticed this too, not as much with my hissers, but with my B. giganteus. Adults won't touch the roach chow, but the nymphs go nuts for it. I gave them a small bowl of oatmeal the other day and the same thing happened: nymphs finished it off in mere minutes, but the adults didn't have any interest. 

Kind of makes sense though... more protein for growing healthy stronger bodies.