Dubia colony

[ChameLeon_]

So I've started my colony in March this year, giving it 6 months to establish. I've stsrted feeding off it recently as i got my little guy just now, and i already see a lack of roaches in there.. I've started with about 60 females and 10 males. Any ideas how i could boost their production rate? I also find dead roaches from time to time for some reason. I'm heating the bin with reptile heating pad and feed them fresh greens and fruits suitable for chameleon as well.. any ideas why they die off? Thanks.

 

[nightanole]

You need a dry feed/mix as well. You also need a cleaner crew that will eat the dead and shells.

But wow, 60 females would be firing out 20-30 babies every month, each... And they grow like crickets, so a month old baby would be good eatin size just like a 4-6 week cricket.


Keep em hot
Keep em dark
keep em moist
wet food
dry food
Do not disturb


I guess the last thing woud be what is the air temps in the tub? Even with a heater, if its not even in the lower 80's they are not going to nuk nuk much. By around 70 they dont even reproduce.

 

[ChameLeon_]

You need a dry feed/mix as well. You also need a cleaner crew that will eat the dead and shells.

But wow, 60 females would be firing out 20-30 babies every month, each... And they grow like crickets, so a month old baby would be good eatin size just like a 4-6 week cricket.


Keep em hot
Keep em dark
keep em moist
wet food
dry food
Do not disturb


I guess the last thing woud be what is the air temps in the tub? Even with a heater, if its not even in the lower 80's they are not going to nuk nuk much. By around 70 they dont even reproduce.

The temps are more hot than cold, i have to regilste the heating pad to not get above 30 celsius .. only thing I don't do from what you said is the dry mix, but that shouldn't affect the productivity that much from what i googled.. also 60 was a start, now when i counted them im down to 35 adult females and 3 adult males, rest died off.. but some young ones are growing adult slowly so it should replinish the adult numbers, in any case I'm going to probably buy more adults and babies to boost the numbers i think..

 

[dinomom]

The temps are more hot than cold, i have to regilste the heating pad to not get above 30 celsius .. only thing I don't do from what you said is the dry mix, but that shouldn't affect the productivity that much from what i googled.. also 60 was a start, now when i counted them im down to 35 adult females and 3 adult males, rest died off.. but some young ones are growing adult slowly so it should replinish the adult numbers, in any case I'm going to probably buy more adults and babies to boost the numbers i think..

As mentioned humidity makes a huge difference too

 

[ChameLeon_]

As mentioned humidity makes a huge difference too

I'm getting 50+ air humidity most of the time, mostly from the fresh veggies and fruits. That should be enough no?

 

[dinomom]

I'm getting 50+ air humidity most of the time, mostly from the fresh veggies and fruits. That should be enough no?

Probably so, although I did notice a difference when I moved mine to a room with 60%.