Regarding how I keep roaches . . . I keep them un aquariums with some form of substrate on the bottom, either pine shavings or dirt. The substrate is important if you have a cannibalistic type of roach, so the babies have a place to burrow into. I also stack egg crate in the aquariums, to give the roaches places to hide and to give them a maximum amount of surface area. The more surface area, the higher the population of roaches in a container can be. On the lip of the container I smear a 1 to 2 inch line of vaseline all the way around, because the roaches feet are unable to get a purchase with their feet on vaseline. You have to make sure the line of vaseline is thin and smooth, because roaches can find their way over a thick, goopy line, and you need to check the line every now and then to see if there are any spots you'd need to reapply vaseline. I do have roach proof lids on my aquariums, but the vaseline allows me to work with the roaches without having to worry about them all crawling out. Feeding is easy for me . . . once a week I'll give them a handful of cheap dog food, pieces of bread, anything lying around I think a roach might like. Moisture can be given in the form of fruit or vegetables, or just lightly wetting a paper towel or cloth and sticking it in their container. I don't want a huge colony, so I don't feed or water them as often as other people do. They need to be kept in a warm environment, but if they overheat they can die.
When you first start a colony you might not want to harvest the roaches for a while, to make sure they start breeding well. This varies depending on the species, and how many specimens you start out with. My discoid roach colony originated from just three adults, but it took a year before the colony was large enough to start harvesting. My golden roach colony started with 50 adults, and I was able to start harvesting within a month.
When you first start a colony you might not want to harvest the roaches for a while, to make sure they start breeding well. This varies depending on the species, and how many specimens you start out with. My discoid roach colony originated from just three adults, but it took a year before the colony was large enough to start harvesting. My golden roach colony started with 50 adults, and I was able to start harvesting within a month.
