Self-cleaning dubia roach colony

[Bluesky1019]

So I finally have all my supplies for my colony, but I realized I was missing some crucial infromation. How do you clean your colony ? I don’t necessarily want to remove so many bugs ( especially the big ones) every month to clean it out, but I also don’t want it to start smelling and bacteria to from. I am more worried about the dead roaches, their poop and their shedded molts gettting out of hand and starting to smell. I have heard about a self cleaning colony but I’m not sure what it is. Has any one tried it? I heard people use soil and put super worms in so they eat the debris.

 

[Skybug]

So I finally have all my supplies for my colony, but I realized I was missing some crucial infromation. How do you clean your colony ? I don’t necessarily want to remove so many bugs ( especially the big ones) every month to clean it out, but I also don’t want it to start smelling and bacteria to from. I am more worried about the dead roaches, their poop and their shedded molts gettting out of hand and starting to smell. I have heard about a self cleaning colony but I’m not sure what it is. Has any one tried it? I heard people use soil and put super worms in so they eat the debris.

ive NEVER cleaned out my bin, and ive only had 3 roaches die on me (i think they were just old) , so have about two Inches of dirt on the left side, and an inch of pure sand on the side i mist, (i do not offer a water dish or crystals, they cause mold easily) BUT you will need other bugs, super worms arnt really “cleaner crews” they just move dirt for the small bugs to get at the debris to eat, while ur waiting order spring tails, isopods (no isopods that are specialty breeds) you want regular blue rolly pollys. I have other bugs in mine (pincher bugs, a couple toxic millipedes, “dermested” beetles to eat any shed exoskeletons)

 

[Skybug]

Its pretty easy to keep em tbh, so heres my bin, not the prettiest thing, but roaches are living in it after all, I forgot to mention the only thing i “clean” is after a few months their egg crates need to be swapped, but thats a non issue imo, i dont wanna go to in depth and scare u away, but if you have any questions please do ask, im shure others can benefit from this thread

 

[Hadenuffyet]

Its pretty easy to keep em tbh, so heres my bin, not the prettiest thing, but roaches are living in it after all, I forgot to mention the only thing i “clean” is after a few months their egg crates need to be swapped, but thats a non issue imo, i dont wanna go to in depth and scare u away, but if you have any questions please do ask, im shure others can benefit from this thread

On line roach suppliers sometimes sell “clean up crew” bugs for the colony. They are nice because they also breed and keep the dead veggies and molts to a minimum

 

[Bluesky1019]

ive NEVER cleaned out my bin, and ive only had 3 roaches die on me (i think they were just old) , so have about two Inches of dirt on the left side, and an inch of pure sand on the side i mist, (i do not offer a water dish or crystals, they cause mold easily) BUT you will need other bugs, super worms arnt really “cleaner crews” they just move dirt for the small bugs to get at the debris to eat, while ur waiting order spring tails, isopods (no isopods that are specialty breeds) you want regular blue rolly pollys. I have other bugs in mine (pincher bugs, a couple toxic millipedes, “dermested” beetles to eat any shed exoskeletons)

thank you! this was vey helpful. what kind of dirt do you use? I am curious, do the smaller roaches get lost in the dirt? Also, how do the roaches get water without water crystals?

 

[Skybug]

thank you! this was vey helpful. what kind of dirt do you use? I am curious, do the smaller roaches get lost in the dirt? Also, how do the roaches get water without water crystals?

Just regular potting soil will do fine, make sure there’s no fertilizers in it, and yes the babies burrow in it and hide, but roaches that are 1/4 and bigger dont hide, and they get water from the veggies i provide, and i mist the right side of the tub (dont mist ur cardboard, mold grows very easily , although ive never had a mold issue cause i got too many cleaner crew bugs in there)

 

[Bluesky1019]

Just regular potting soil will do fine, make sure there’s no fertilizers in it, and yes the babies burrow in it and hide, but roaches that are 1/4 and bigger dont hide, and they get water from the veggies i provide, and i mist the right side of the tub (dont mist ur cardboard, mold grows very easily , although ive never had a mold issue cause i got too many cleaner crew bugs in there)

thank you! do you recommend a website for the cleaner crews? Also, is sand neccasery?

 

[Skybug]

thank you! do you recommend a website for the cleaner crews? Also, is sand neccasery?

Ive actually gotten all my bugs from outside, You can get cleaner crews anywhere, just get spring tails to start off with, they’re super easy to keep alive, just a little bit of moisture and they’re good to go, and no the sand isn’t necessary, but if you want a self cleaning bin I recommend dirt and sand.