They're Bigger, Badder, and Better. The best protein for chickens!

[OkChickens]

This sounds really cool! What do the roaches eat? Are they easy to take care of? I would like to have these if they are easy to take care of!

-Nate

 

[drdoolittle]

Pet Duck Boy wrote:

So you have them by now? How are they?

Well, the package that was at the P.O. yesterday was not my roaches, but something else I bought on here. I was so worried---they had been shipped on Mon, and I was sure they wouldn't make it. But, the P.O. called again this morning, and I went and got them, and all of them survived! I am so totally excited about having my own colony! I don't plan on even feeding any of them to my lizard or chickens for at least a few months----I want them to get going really well. The only regret I have is that I only bought an 18 gal. tote to keep them in----I will have to upgrade to a bigger one (possibly a 40 gal.) although I don't want one so big that Hubby starts asking questions! LOL

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

Quote:
Well, the package that was at the P.O. yesterday was not my roaches, but something else I bought on here. I was so worried---they had been shipped on Mon, and I was sure they wouldn't make it. But, the P.O. called again this morning, and I went and got them, and all of them survived! I am so totally excited about having my own colony! I don't plan on even feeding any of them to my lizard or chickens for at least a few months----I want them to get going really well. The only regret I have is that I only bought an 18 gal. tote to keep them in----I will have to upgrade to a bigger one (possibly a 40 gal.) although I don't want one so big that Hubby starts asking questions! LOL

Congrats! You do, like you stated, have to give them some time to establish. An 18 gallon can hold 1000 roaches without much of a problem, and for a small colony, crowding is good. (You do want to get something bigger eventually, though I would steer from a 40 until you colony is in the several thousand range) Along with their normal high protein food, feed them lots of citrus (About once a week) too. Many people believe that oranges and such stimulate the females' ovaries. While this is true or not, no-one is sure. After a heaping of florida oranges though, I'm always guaranteed to see several matings pairs and females forming their oothecas. I don't think it makes the development of the nymphs inside the female is any faster, but it does make newly molted females want to mate.

 

[donnavee]

After reading this post, I ordered from the Roach Guy and have a colony going. After the initial ewwwwwwwwwwwww, they aren't that bad. My colony is still growing, but I did get a few out the other day and the girls went crazy over them. I find them incredibly easy - had no luck growing meal worms. I just feed them the roach chow and they also seem to enjoy carrots and lettuce which I add to the bin about once a week. I also use the water crystal. The colony seems to be growing and I can't wait until it's large enough to feed them to the girls on a regular basis. The duck might even like them??

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

Quote:
Of course it will like them, mine goes crazy for roaches.

 

[WallTenters]

So I'm reading through this thread and thinking... hmmm.... I could fit a tote in the bottom of our iguana's cage... the only problem is - where to find a heat pad that would always stay on> the new ones turn off after so many minutes, and our iggy likes his cage temps kind of cool, so we take it down to 65F for him at night or else he's very restless and can't sleep. Would it be okay to put a CHE inside the tote? That way our ig couldn't get to it?

The only reason I'd put them in the iggy cage is DH is squeeling (like a little girl, literally) right now at the thought of roaches in the house. And, he hates the iguana and won't go in his cage unless I force him to, so really the two could go hand in hand

. In all fairness, our iguana is a devil lizard that we think may be some sort of prehistoric dinosaur reborn to destroy the human race. I have the scars to prove it.

I was thinking of getting the 125 mixed kit w/ 1 adult pair from the roach guy. I would be fine with letting the colony grow for a long time before feeding any to the chickens, and they sound low-maintenance enough that I could just let them be.

Any suggestions on the heat source dillema? And what about humidity - do they need a minimum? We live in the high desert - it's about 10% humidity naturally in the winter here

.

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

Quote:
I use a reqular human heat pad set on high, one from CVS pharmacy. On cold days I'll turn on the heat lamp pointed to the side. I would reccomend at least 30% humidity, this species is very forgiving but any lower than that and you'll have shedding issues and cannibilism. A dish of water gel, some fruit, and a gentle mist to the side (Not near the dry food) should be enough for humidity. Also, what do you mean by CHE?

 

[WallTenters]

Sorry, Ceramic Heat Emitter. Thanks

I don't think 30% should be a problem, especially if they're in Petrie's room. We try to be good igg parents and refill his humidifyer every day but if we leave for the weekend I don't ask the pet sitter to do this and I don't want to kill the whole colony

But the humidifyer lasts all of one day and part of the next, and it gets the room up to 60% or so and his cage up to 80%+ so that should do well

Thanks again! Great idea!

 

[sabella]

Nope. Can't say that raising roaches will ever ever ever be an option for me.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Ok, someome was bound to ask sooner or later
I figure it might as well be me




How do they taste?