Green Banana Roach Care

[Kenny C]

Hey guys so I just got some GBR and I have been reading a lot about different bugs they should be kept with to help maintain the enclosure, I ordered 50 dwarf white isopods Trichorhina tomentosa as well as a springtail starter culture.

From some of the other things I have read they are saying I should also throw in some mealworms and there beetles, not too sure how I feel about keep all of these in the same tank that seems like a hell of a community.
But at the same token I would like it to be self sustaining so I don't have to clean it as often if at all which was one of the things that attracted me to the species.

Any tips or tricks you guys may have?

 

[Andee]

I would not put the meal worms or beetles in. They are too dangerous with the green bananas. However you have a plenty food cleaning crew with the others you bought. Green banana roaches can be picky with what they eat, my guys love banana and apple. So far I have yet to find anything else. Definitely 80% humid, and 82 degrees heat. They like pieces of wood to hide under, and enjoy moss.

 

[distortionz]

I've had my colony going since February and it is booming now. I don't even have a clean up crew.. Just about 2-3 inches of moist coco fiber and aspen mulch mix.. I pretty much only feed them apples and bug burger. They are voracious eaters for their small size. They probably eat more than my hissers, dubias, or Orange heads. I keep them on a reptile heating mat and the colony has exploded in no time.

 

[nick barta]

The above posters have hit the important points. I use a cleaner beetle crew in all my roach bins that is a mixture of Buffalo Beetles, Peanut Beetles,
and Dark Mealworm beetles. All the adult beetles grow to be the same 1/8-inch length, and the worms are 1/2-inch long. You can see them on my classified ad under "Feeders" the title is "Feeders for a happy chameleon."

I have a detailed care sheet available for anyone who wants, it, just make a request to my email, [email protected].

As a side note, I keep the coco fiber substrate moist, but not dripping when squeezed. That being said, I have had the coco fiber drenched, and production did not seem to go down.

CHEERS!

Nick