Oily/wet stain around his poop

[amsdadtodd]

I'm not sure if you'll get babies at the lower temps, I guess you'll have to wait and see. How much lower are we talking? The fruit should be fine instead of water gel, in fact it may be preferable, as long as it doesn't ferment. Alcohol production will certainly set you back!

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

Well.. much lower. 65°F max (It got colder here). I understand, it is really low. But I don't know where should I put them. At the moment I have them in my garage, because my parents don't want them at home. I think I will put them in the basement. But still.. 73°F max.

 

[amsdadtodd]

yeah, that's pretty low. any chance you can pick up a cheap heating pad to boost it? They really will multiply fast if you get the temps up, otherwise your colony will just live as is while you feed them off to your livestock.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Another way to heat your roach enclosure is to use an overhead heat source. I use either a 25 or 40 watt incandescent bulb in a room which is about 70-75 ish most of the year. I rest the dome right on the screen top of my 10 gallon vivarium. I leave it on 24/7. The Blaptica dubia do reproduce. Just not as quickly.

You may be able to get free egg flats from a restaurant which serves a lot of breakfasts.

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

I think that these egg cartons I use are pretty fine. Those egg flats wouldn't even fit inside. I might be able to get another piece of heat cable to boost up the colony a bit. OR.. I just got an idea. I have that heat rock I won't be needing anymore. What if I put it inside?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I think that these egg cartons I use are pretty fine. Those egg flats wouldn't even fit inside. I might be able to get another piece of heat cable to boost up the colony a bit. OR.. I just got an idea. I have that heat rock I won't be needing anymore. What if I put it inside?

Your egg cartons are perfect. I just added that tip if you needed more. I trim the egg cartons so they fit. I leave 5 trimmed egg flats standing up vertical in the cage. Then the roach poop falls to the floor. I alternate them so they don't collapse (back to back, front to front). I spray the cartons some for moisture.

Like Todd suggests above, the roaches need more than apples. One thing that can be used to give the roaches good nutrition is Zoo Med's Natural Adult Bearded Dragon Food.

Don't spray their dry diet. You don't want mold.

I don't know about the heat rock. Your heat cable suggestion is better, I think. The heat cable will spread out the heat instead of concentrating it in one place like a heat rock will.

Did you notice kholtme's suggestion in the link I quoted in post #18? It has lots of pictures.

Click: http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...dubia-roach-set.html?highlight=cleaning+dubia

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

Did you notice kholtme's suggestion in the link I quoted in post #18? It has lots of pictures.

I did, thanks. I would like to keep it simple though.

Like Todd suggests above, the roaches need more than apples. One thing that can be used to give the roaches good nutrition is Zoo Med's Natural Adult Bearded Dragon Food.

Okay I will focus on the nutrition a bit more.

I don't know about the heat rock. Your heat cable suggestion is better, I think. The heat cable will spread out the heat instead of concentrating it in one place like a heat rock will.

The box is an enclosed space, so the heat should accumulate there. A man has as well just one fireplace at home not 6 around his home and still it is enough.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

......


Okay I will focus on the nutrition a bit more.


The box is an enclosed space, so the heat should accumulate there. A man has as well just one fireplace at home not 6 around his home and still it is enough.

/\ :biggrin: (about a man and one fireplace)

Don't spray the egg flats for moisture if a hot rock is in the box. Water and electricity are a dangerous mix.

Yes, regarding a dry diet for the insects. Remember that we are what we eat. One lid for a good dry diet. Another lid could contain chopped collard greens and/or pesticide-free dandelion flowers and leaves. Both are very high in calcium.

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

You don't want to be spraying the egg flats for moisture if a hot rock is in the box. Water and electricity are a dangerous mix.

I didn't say I would do anything like that. I already put the water bottle with holes in it to increase the humidity. Apples and stuff increase the humudity as well. Plus, if I did anything like that, I would just lightly mist the walls of the box in order to prevent the water to reach the stone.

About the diet.. I will be able to get some collard greens of course, I'm not sure about those dandelions though. They are hard to get here and no dandelions are growing outside anymore.
By the way, what about some dry cat food or something? Would it be suitable too?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

It's hard to know what anyone is thinking. On the internet we have mainly words to communicate.

I do not recommend either dry or wet cat or dog food. Some people use poultry feed with decent results. Just make sure the poultry feed does not contain diatomaceous earth.

If you were a neighbor, I'd share some of the dandelions that grow in my backyard.

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

It's hard to know what anyone is thinking. On the internet we have mainly words to communicate.

Well, if I didn't say that how do you know that I was thinking about that? Sorry, but I miss the logic here.

If you were a neighbor, I'd share some of the dandelions that grow in my backyard.

Thanks ;-)

 

[amsdadtodd]

OH my, you two certainly seem to have been burning the midnight oil on this thread! And to have the topic be how to grow more and healthier roaches, only herp people can read this and not be skeeved!

Since Elizabeth has more than adequately covered everything, I can only weigh in and support what she's already said. I particularly want to comment on the heat rock though. I would have concerns about trying to use it in my setup, but each of us knows more about our own situations than anyone else. If you think you can integrate it into your roach colony and solve the heat problem, without cooking roach eggs, then go for it. If it doesn't work you can always undo it later.

The other thing she mentioned is feeding roaches on adult bearded dragon food. This is what I use, and since I've been doing that, the health and vigor of the leo's eating the roaches (and also crickets, I use this in my holding tank for them as well) has been noteworthy. I can't stress this enough! I think if there is any one thing I've ever done to most improve the health of my gecko's, this is it!

Good luck, please let us know what you end up doing and how it works for you!

Todd

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

I don't wanna argue here, I just feel a bit offended by "It's hard to know what anyone is thinking. On the internet we have mainly words to communicate.", because I don't know what did I do. My idea of raising the humidity was to use the bottle and Elizabeth's to spray the cartons. I did not comment on that and in the next message she replied "Don't spray the egg flats for moisture if a hot rock is in the box. Water and electricity are a dangerous mix." I replied: "I didn't say I would do anything like that. I already put the water bottle with holes in it to increase the humidity.". So I think it was just a misunderstanding and in words: We should not continue in this dispute.

About the stone, I will try to set it up in order not to hurt both eggs and roaches and not to burn down my garage.

You use exclusively the bearded dragon food or you add some greens as well, Todd?

 

[amsdadtodd]

I occasionally add some greens, or flukers orange cubes, but if they aren't eaten overnight I remove them. Primarily, I keep them on the adult bearded dragon food. The thinking is that this stuff is formulated to provide exactly the nutrition most lizards need. Since leopard gecko's will only eat moving prey, the way to get this nutrition into them is in the bodies of that prey.

I doubt that Elizabeth had any intention of offending you, she's one of the most helpful and diligent posters on this board. That's really all I want to say about that aspect.

Have a great day, it's snake feeding time for me!

Todd

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

That sounds really clever. I will get some bd food as soon as possible. Mr. Spanky ate 6 roaches today and wanted even more :lol:

Good luck feeding and have a nice day too.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

That sounds really clever. I will get some bd food as soon as possible. Mr. Spanky ate 6 roaches today and wanted even more :lol:

Good luck feeding and have a nice day too.

Be sure to buy the adult product. This Zoo Med Natural Adult Bearded Dragon Food is also manufactured in a juvenile formulation.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

It's hard to know what anyone is thinking. On the internet we have mainly words to communicate.

Well, if I didn't say that how do you know that I was thinking about that? Sorry, but I miss the logic here.


Thanks ;-)

I only "know" what you type. I'm sorry if I offended you in any way. I try to be as clear as I can. Since I just speak English, I wished to make certain that the words I chose were good.

I spray egg flats and/or egg cartons so that my roaches have water to drink. That's their water source. Room humidity here is usually about 50%.

Let's go forward.

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

I only "know" what you type.

I agree and yes, let's move forward.

I will try to find the "Adult" bearded dragon food, but I'm not promising anything. Local petshop really sucks.
By the way, I already managed to persuade my dad to let me use his old aquarium. I bought the heat cable, eco earth and got some flat granite stones from local quarry. I guess it will look nice. How thick should be the eco earth layer?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

I agree and yes, let's move forward.

I will try to find the "Adult" bearded dragon food, but I'm not promising anything. Local petshop really sucks.
By the way, I already managed to persuade my dad to let me use his old aquarium. I bought the heat cable, eco earth and got some flat granite stones from local quarry. I guess it will look nice. How thick should be the eco earth layer?

I had been thinking that your dad said "Yes!".

:yahoo: on the heat cable and flat granite.

Where are you using the Eco Earth?

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

The flat granite will be placed on the layer of eco earth and the cracks between them will be filled by it. I don't wanna use sand. And I trust Eco earth and finally decided to use it, so please no comments on Eco earth :biggrin:

What about 3cm thick layer, would it be sufficient?