Number 1 feeder insect

[Spikeleebd]

im righting this thread because i feel like alot of people ask what is the best feeder. I believe that dubia roaches are buy far the best. Thanks to ABdragons I have a successfully thriving and breeding colony. Back in November i started with 600 mixed dubias and now it is may i have a colony of 10000 dubias in 3 different bins i have my bins listed nymphs, mixed nymphs and adult colony. dubia roaches are by far the best roachs and insect feeders to breed alot of people are scared when they here roachs but they don't sing and cant escape tubs all you need is a dark room heat whater crystals a good vegatable diet and roach chow, a good heat source that reaches 85 to 95 and they will readily breed. be careful of moisture to much moisture will cause mold and mold can take out a colony. unlike other roaches like orange heads that eat alot of protein and tend to wing nip all you need is a bowl filled with water crystals and fruit. never use dog food because it is filled with vitamin A. i know alot of people will try and contradict what i am saying but bearded dragons and other herps can be at harm for too much vitamin A they need beta carotene (i appoligize if i spelled it wrong) instead of vitamin A. you also want to make sure your roachs or whatever insect you maybe breeding get a good balance of protein and greens. especially if your breeding a roach like orange heads. Orange heads are wing biters if they don't get enough protein and they love to drink water. some say they are easy to breed but i would put them in intermediate due to the fact that i have raise them and they are very aggresive roachs i have even seen that when attacked they will use their back legs with pincers attached to get free and they have a fowl odor that may cause your herp to defecate their food back out and discoids can be to large. also lateris roaches can climb and are fast and also are prefered by people that house chameleons.

 

[drgnfly2265]

The only problem with those roaches are that they are illegal in Florida, not sure about any other state. So it's really not the best feeder that I can say for Floridians. I had someone offer to send me some, but I really don't feel like getting in trouble over some roaches, lol.

My favorite feeders are Reptiworms. No shell and all protien, plus they have calcium in them. Not sure if anyone can breed them or not, lol. I loved how I could fill up their bowl with them and my beardies could eat them all day whenever they wanted too. And they couldn't escape

 

[Spikeleebd]

i am going to try those out they are the only feeders i haven't tried for them they just seem so small

 

[Em Lynch]

I can't access roaches either as i'm in the U.K feeding roaches to reptiles is unheard of over here, crickets (brown or black silents) are the main feeder, Willow loves Wax Moth larvae too, which are very similar to repti-worms i believe?

 

[Spikeleebd]

Em check out http://www.theroachhut.co.uk/ this guy breeds all kinds of roachs in the uk

 

[SouthernDissolution]

Dubia are by far the best...aside from hornworms, which are more or less treats...and expensive....

 

[ThDude]

i like the black crickets, they are toucher, die less, stink less, they are the supermen of the cricket world. it has also been said they have more meat and a thinr, easier to digest shell then brown crickets.

roachs still top black crickts but the black crickts are pretty good in my book.

 

[Spikeleebd]

are those black crix the jamacian crickets which are illegal in the us and are known to be more aggressive and their pincers can bite through would so watch out for your beardie

 

[Germ]

The Black Crix are known to be more aggressive than the brown ones & more likely to bite\feed on the BD particularly if missed or left in the enclosure at night.

 

[ThDude]

im talking about a commen black cricket known as Gryllus assimilis, found all ovr the place around her.

 

[Spikeleebd]

are you getting them from outside

 

[ThDude]

are you getting them from outside

no that could hurt my BD, i got them online. i was just pointing out they ar a commen cricket, better then a house cricket.

 

[Germ]

Those are also the ones that I am talking about, they are more aggressive than the brown ones, not that they are a bad feeder, they just are


EDIT: Sorry for the 'Brain Fart' & confusion, but I confused the Gryllus Assimilis with another type of cricket, this is apparently a newer species on the market, that I am not even sure whether they are available in Canada yet or not. Thanks Aleena for pointing that out

.

 

[ThDude]

Those are also the ones that I am talking about, they are more aggressive than the brown ones, not that they are a bad feeder, they just are

being more aggressive i can take for the pro's i get from them.

what i said was more aimed at spike when he asked if it was a cricket that was illegal in the USA.

so far none have bit me, and i pick them up by hand and hand feed them to Kyuubi, then again they are small ones.

some pet stores have gone to black crickets as they die less.

 

[Germ]

Yeah it's not a major concern, I didn't mean to make it sound like they are aggressive enough to devour you or your BD . Any Crickets left in the enclosure over night may nibble on your BD &\or bother it's sleep, just that the black ones may be a little more apt to do it.

 

[ThDude]

Yeah it's not a major concern, I didn't mean to make it sound like they are aggressive enough to devour you or your BD . Any Crickets left in the enclosure over night may nibble on your BD &\or bother it's sleep, just that the black ones may be a little more apt to do it.

iagreed, i make sure they are all out before lights out, and 10 mins after lights out i check again quick for anymore as crickets come out from hiding once its dark.

the black ones are very energetic thats for sure, hard to catch the little buggers in thir tank.

 

[Aleena]

Yeah it's not a major concern, I didn't mean to make it sound like they are aggressive enough to devour you or your BD . Any Crickets left in the enclosure over night may nibble on your BD &\or bother it's sleep, just that the black ones may be a little more apt to do it.

Got any proof to back that up? Cuz I posted an apologetic statement from what was it... crap I don't remember, but it was one of the bigger online ordering places that swore by black crix not too long ago. I'm gonna have to look that statement back up, aren't I?

 

[Aleena]

Here ya go:

http://www.ghann.com/gryllus_info.cfm

And it doesn't say everything that the article said. I'm going to have to take a picture of it and post it later or something.

 

[Germ]

You have lost me someplace here? Back what up & what apologetic statement where?

As far as aggression goes, only personal experience.

 

[Zen ReptileZ]

B. Dub! B. Dub! B. Dub!! I'm a roach superfan! freaked me the heck out when I first saw them, now I dig em! I can watch them for hours, they make me LOTS o free food, and my zoo has NEVER been healthier!!

I picked up 2,000 crickets at my local expo two weekends ago and I'm again reminded of why I don't deal with them anymore. However, a few of my cresteds have been chowin on em! My dragons are wondering when I'm going to bring back the roaches. I'm trying to give my colony a couple week break.

Go Roach or Go Home! or something.