Different roaches = feeder diversity?

[RedMountainHome]

Hi there!

I understand that a varied diet is important part of keeping a healthy chameleon. I enjoy raising feeders and already have a strong dubia roach colony going, and just purchased a seed colony of orange headed roaches. Are those different enough animals to be considered 2 parts of a varied diet, or are they basically the same type of food?

Regardless of the answer I do still plan on feeding other types of food as much as possible.

Thanks for any help!

 

[KLowery88]

Hi there!

I understand that a varied diet is important part of keeping a healthy chameleon. I enjoy raising feeders and already have a strong dubia roach colony going, and just purchased a seed colony of orange headed roaches. Are those different enough animals to be considered 2 parts of a varied diet, or are they basically the same type of food?

Regardless of the answer I do still plan on feeding other types of food as much as possible.

Thanks for any help!

They're still pretty close, but I think Orange Headed when freshly molted have a bright orange color that's pretty stark. Something more different might be like Green Banana Roaches.

 

[MSMorgan]

Hi there!

I understand that a varied diet is important part of keeping a healthy chameleon. I enjoy raising feeders and already have a strong dubia roach colony going, and just purchased a seed colony of orange headed roaches. Are those different enough animals to be considered 2 parts of a varied diet, or are they basically the same type of food?

Regardless of the answer I do still plan on feeding other types of food as much as possible.

Thanks for any help!

RMH,

Without looking at the specs of the particular roach, I'd say a roach, is a roach, is a roach. However, Mr. Nick Barta may have some specifics for you and they maybe quite different from the typical dubia as far as nutrition goes. I'd count it as a separate feeder. Nonetheless, I like your comment that your planning on feeding as much variety as possible.

 

[Davecameos]

I think roaches can be so different amongst them. I would consider them different feeders and even more if you do not gut load them with the same things.

 

[leedragon]

I am counting them as different feeders. try P niva too

 

[cyberlocc]

I wondered this as well. I would say yes, some have more chitin, and they all process nutrients slightly different I am sure. So ya I think they are different.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

I breed 13 species of roaches and they are absolutely different. Some have more fat, other have more "meat" to shell than others, some have softer chitin and others have harder and more indigestible chitin. Some prefer more fruits, others prefer more protein. I think including other feeders is the ideal, but an array of roaches would make for a very inclusive and healthy, staple, diet.

 

[nick barta]

I don't know of any studies that compare roach species, in protein levels, fat levels, Calcium levels, Phosphorus levels, Calcium to Phosphorus ratios, etc. Because of no studies being done, I would only hypothesize the following.

Offering different species of roaches in size, color, color patterns, shapes, and types of movement, is advantageous to trigger feeding, especially in chameleons which are visual predators. That alone is reason to offer variety in roach species and other insects as well. We tend to want to stay away from all hard shelled insects, but some hard shell in the diet is not a bad thing, I would guess that roughage is needed for digestion, so even the harder bodied roaches have value to feeding chameleons, bearded dragons, monitors, and other lizards.

As Extensionofgreen said, there are differences in the different roach species, and adding more variety ups the odds of supplying missing vitamins and minerals the chameleon would get in the wild. We are still still shooting a shotgun hoping to hit the target when it comes to nutrition, so variety is the best way to hit the target.

Gut Loading is the primary way to ensure a wide spectrum of nutrients get into your chameleon, no matter what species of roach, worm, or cricket you use, feed those bugs well!!

CHEERS!

Nick