Fussy eater

[BeardedDragon65]

What I think ill do with dubias is get a good 1000 adults or mixed size to start, then have one container for roaches i feed, one for breeding, and one for future breeding when my adults die.

 

[Hdrydr31]

What I think ill do with dubias is get a good 1000 adults or mixed size to start, then have one container for roaches i feed, one for breeding, and one for future breeding when my adults die.

Don't do all adults each female will produce every month 30-40 nymphs and can live for 1 12/ -2 years and the males 1 1/2 years.. just do a mix along with around 10-15 females do the ratio 3:1 then the mix will give you all sizes as it will take about 6 months for a juv to become adult..

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

be careful buying off ebay as you don't know what they've been feeding them etc... I used to get mine from Armstrongs as well

Good point. Gotta find a reputable seller and ask him a few questions first

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

Don't do all adults each female will produce every month 30-40 nymphs and can live for 1 12/ -2 years and the males 1 1/2 years.. just do a mix along with around 10-15 females do the ratio 3:1 then the mix will give you all sizes as it will take about 6 months for a juv to become adult..

That's perfect! I'll start a colony.

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

yes Brandon sixofwandstattoo is great!!!! let me know if you can't get ahold of him I have contact info sometimes he doesn't check the forum often. I've gotten 2 shipments from him and they are great!
They are super easy, don't smell like crickets (I raised them for 5 years and I am soo happy I've switched to dubia)

Thanks! I sure will!

 

[Hdrydr31]

That's perfect! I'll start a colony.

let me know if you need help, 3:1 ratio female : male is what I do and works sometimes I do 4:1 just kinda depends on how they are producing and the # of adult males I have..
the hardest part was leaving the main colony alone long enough for them to get busy so having to keep buying them when I had 300 sitting there... lol but it's pretty accurate here's a tip I wish I had known if you open the lid and see a female with a red tube deal sticking out her hind end well that's the egg sac she has the ability to protract and retract the eggs to regulate their temp then once they are ready she live births...if you see that female DO NOT disturb her just give the fresh water, orange and leave them as if you mess with her she will drop the sac and the nymphs never finish. lost several due to moving them around checking for baby nymphs..

let me know if you need any other help I know in one of these threads I've typed out the how to's I can find it if you need it. but it's here somewhere

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

let me know if you need help, 3:1 ratio female : male is what I do and works sometimes I do 4:1 just kinda depends on how they are producing and the # of adult males I have..
the hardest part was leaving the main colony alone long enough for them to get busy so having to keep buying them when I had 300 sitting there... lol but it's pretty accurate here's a tip I wish I had known if you open the lid and see a female with a red tube deal sticking out her hind end well that's the egg sac she has the ability to protract and retract the eggs to regulate their temp then once they are ready she live births...if you see that female DO NOT disturb her just give the fresh water, orange and leave them as if you mess with her she will drop the sac and the nymphs never finish. lost several due to moving them around checking for baby nymphs..

let me know if you need any other help I know in one of these threads I've typed out the how to's I can find it if you need it. but it's here somewhere

Thanks Hdrydr31! I'm going to get some in March and I'll be sure to message you if I have any issues. I heard that a good way to keep a stable ratio of the sexes when breeding is to start by taking the big males and feeding them to your animals first before the females.

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

let me know if you need help, 3:1 ratio female : male is what I do and works sometimes I do 4:1 just kinda depends on how they are producing and the # of adult males I have..
the hardest part was leaving the main colony alone long enough for them to get busy so having to keep buying them when I had 300 sitting there... lol but it's pretty accurate here's a tip I wish I had known if you open the lid and see a female with a red tube deal sticking out her hind end well that's the egg sac she has the ability to protract and retract the eggs to regulate their temp then once they are ready she live births...if you see that female DO NOT disturb her just give the fresh water, orange and leave them as if you mess with her she will drop the sac and the nymphs never finish. lost several due to moving them around checking for baby nymphs..

let me know if you need any other help I know in one of these threads I've typed out the how to's I can find it if you need it. but it's here somewhere

Actually now that I think about it you still have to check on them to give them fresh food and water and get rid of rotting stuff plus get a few out to feed the animals. That won't disturb them too much will it?

 

[Hdrydr31]

yep that is correct and that's what I do then I go for the females to slow them.
Yea I just got some from him little over a week ago before it got into the neg's weather here in WI he does a good job for shipment.

 

[Hdrydr31]

Actually now that I think about it you still have to check on them to give them fresh food and water and get rid of rotting stuff plus get a few out to feed the animals. That won't disturb them too much will it?

Yes you have to go in you keep the water, oranges, and dry food at the cooler end so I pop the top off and change those out (I do them daily but that's just me)
You have your breeder tub then I have my feed off tub I take out the extra's from the breeders like any nymphs, extra males then extra juvs after I've done my 3:1 ratio split. that's why I said get extras so your not feeding off your breeder colony until they are producing enough to keep your supply going.

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

Yes you have to go in you keep the water, oranges, and dry food at the cooler end so I pop the top off and change those out (I do them daily but that's just me)
You have your breeder tub then I have my feed off tub I take out the extra's from the breeders like any nymphs, extra males then extra juvs after I've done my 3:1 ratio split. that's why I said get extras so your not feeding off your breeder colony until they are producing enough to keep your supply going.

Fantastic idea! I have an old bin in the basement that will will do great for a large colony and I can put feeders in something smaller

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

yep that is correct and that's what I do then I go for the females to slow them.
Yea I just got some from him little over a week ago before it got into the neg's weather here in WI he does a good job for shipment.

Crazy! I live in Wisconsin too and even here in the southern half it's 11.5 degrees with possible snow showers tomorrow! This is a horrible to place reptiles, it's unfair. I was on edge when I ordered my tomato frog and she was so cold when I put her in her warm tank!

 

[Hdrydr31]

Crazy! I live in Wisconsin too and even here in the southern half it's 11.5 degrees with possible snow showers tomorrow! This is a horrible to place reptiles, it's unfair. I was on edge when I ordered my tomato frog and she was so cold when I put her in her warm tank!

I'm close to Appleton I think your down the Madison way right? it was about 10 here today it's 8 right now with -5 tonight whopping 23 tomorrow.

Make your tubs dark so if it's clear like mine I taped dark folder paper on them after all they are roaches so they don't like the light I bought a bunch of egg flats and cut them in half got some wood kabob sticks and stuck the flats thru so they stand up to let the fras (their poop) to fall to the bottom.. Don't remove this fras let it build up when it gets more than 3" then take some out leaving 1-2" this is what the nymphs eat it is what they burrow in to hide as well.. after time it will be a mix of fras/molts/dry food. the only thing I remove is any big roaches that might pass on for whatever reason..
I use red heat lamps and a space heater in a small room in our basement that I can really regulate what I need. I put a bowl of water in there to get 25-35% humidity so they can molt.

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

I'm close to Appleton I think your down the Madison way right? it was about 10 here today it's 8 right now with -5 tonight whopping 23 tomorrow.

Make your tubs dark so if it's clear like mine I taped dark folder paper on them after all they are roaches so they don't like the light I bought a bunch of egg flats and cut them in half got some wood kabob sticks and stuck the flats thru so they stand up to let the fras (their poop) to fall to the bottom.. Don't remove this fras let it build up when it gets more than 3" then take some out leaving 1-2" this is what the nymphs eat it is what they burrow in to hide as well.. after time it will be a mix of fras/molts/dry food. the only thing I remove is any big roaches that might pass on for whatever reason..
I use red heat lamps and a space heater in a small room in our basement that I can really regulate what I need. I put a bowl of water in there to get 25-35% humidity so they can molt.

I'm in the southeast, right on Lake Michigan so the weather is a bit unpredictable. Space heaters already keep my room nice and toasty so they'll probably multiply pretty good.

 

[Paarthurnax]

Funny you said "Southeast" I thought down my way (Mississippi) I LOLed when seen Lake Michigan.

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

Funny you said "Southeast" I thought down my way (Mississippi) I LOLed when seen Lake Michigan.

Yep! Closer to Milwaukee. Weather's really unpredictable here because of the lake.

 

[MillieD]

My Beardie is also a picky eayer and often leaves most types of veg. He loves however;
Beans
Blueberries
Rasperries
Rocket
so maybe try these

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

My Beardie is also a picky eayer and often leaves most types of veg. He loves however;
Beans
Blueberries
Rasperries
Rocket
so maybe try these

I'd certainly love to offer him greater variety but I'm being careful because I read on a list of safe vegetables and fruits on blackninjakitty.com that many fruits and veggies contain goitrogens and oxalates which can cause a lot of health problems. A lot of fruits have these things apparently

 

[PatsyB]

I'd certainly love to offer him greater variety but I'm being careful because I read on a list of safe vegetables and fruits on blackninjakitty.com that many fruits and veggies contain goitrogens and oxalates which can cause a lot of health problems. A lot of fruits have these things apparently

Fruits should be something occasionally. The sugars aren't the best for them. Here are a few sites that most people use to get ideas from.
http://greathousefarm.com/Greathouse-Reptile-Nutrition-List.pdf
http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

Fruits should be something occasionally. The sugars aren't the best for them. Here are a few sites that most people use to get ideas from.
http://greathousefarm.com/Greathouse-Reptile-Nutrition-List.pdf
http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

Excellent! Thanks so much. I'll be sure to look that over