Roaches not breeding..

[Pixel]

I've had my "colony" for 2 months. Feeding a mix of ground up Harlan Teklad 18% lab blocks, layer pellets, fish food,and oats. water crystals at all times, and oranges once a week. Temp is kept at 89-90. They are growing but are not breeding. I have 3 adult females, 3 adult males, and about 100 sub adults. Am I just being impatient? I feel like I should have had at least one batch of babies by now. I don't need a huge colony, as I only have the one juvenile beardie, so I prefer to not have to add to what I have now.

I'm still spending $15 a week for crickets, the roaches were bought to avoid this cost..but they aren't proving to be as efficient as I would like lol.

If anyone has any tips on what I could be doing wrong, please let me know!

 

[Brett]

They do take a while your looking at 6 months to a yr to get a good colony going. They probly are breeding but i do believe they only give birth one at a time I may be wrong. I believe they give live birth also so you wont see any eggs laying around.

 

[Spikeleebd]

yes they only give live birth and it is a couple at a time you have to be very patient with them though if your waiting on babies you can order 100 for 15 dollars and they come in 3 days you can message my guy americanbeardeddragon and he will give you his info and the feeders are 100% alive and he ships them on monday and they come on wednesday

 

[joshjack90]

i seperate my breeders in another bin so i know if i have babies. also they need high temps to breed. try putting a heat mat under the breeding bin. I would say mid 80's or higher up to 90's for the most activity

 

[Spikeleebd]

what about heating tape i was wondering if the heating tape is really good to use because i was going to go get the heat tape instead of a spending 20 to 40 dollars on a undertank heater or probe

 

[TheWolfmanTom]

I keep my bins around 95 + degrees.
Your running to cool. They may breed at that temp but you will take forever to get going.

 

[Spikeleebd]

do you put your temps on 12 hours or do you keep it the same temp constantly

 

[americanbeardeddragons]

I keep the same temp 24/7 around 92 to 97

 

[Pixel]

I have a heating pad under the bin, I'll raise the temp to upper 90's and see if that helps. It is a constant temp.

Thinking I'll order 300 small from American Bearded Dragon..as much as I didn't want to have to buy more, seems as though I'll have to until my colony gets going...

Thanks for the help!

 

[joshjack90]

If you raise the temps you should have babies in about 2 weeks. I know after a month I had a few hundred Babis in my adult bin

 

[Spikeleebd]

thats who i buy my dubias from and they are nize size nymphs too you'll really like em

 

[adam]

buydubia roaches are probly cheap just saying thats wear i perfer they got the biggest roaches anywhere so far just wait the babys will pop out of nowhere will you got 1000 lol goodluck

 

[Spikeleebd]

well anyways my dude american bearded dragon have good size nymphs they are little giants already

 

[adam]

also i think its important to keep it humid in there i fill up a deli cup of water with a top on it and leave in on the hot side of the roaches bin. i started with 15 females and 3 males and now last months i count i had 500 somthing only been a few months.

 

[Spikeleebd]

i have a regular 10 gallon tank and a big tot with 75w basking bulbs suspended above them with a cup of water also with a lid and my roaches are more busy when the temps are high

 

[adam]

roaches dont like light so and and you have them in a clear gallon tank? im not a roaches expect but i heard they get stress and more comfortable in dark areas i had a light on mine too when i first started to breed them but i didnt get any thing untill i start to get the heat pad and then after that they exploded lol but yea higher temps always a plus. i higher my roache bin uth on high it makes it around 105-115 sometihgn when i do it on high i keep it on high for a few hours thought they day and then lower to mid keep it around 95

 

[Spikeleebd]

the lights i have are heat emitters so the roaches get heat but no light

 

[Pixel]

Just thought I would update... I upped the temps, and am happy to say I finally have babies!!! Only about 6, but its a start!

Thanks for the tips everyone