How many B lateralis needed to start a colony?

[laservet]

I have seven T's from 1/2" to 2", and have everything set up for a new colony but the roaches. I'm looking at roaches from "roachingaround" on ebay, in lots of 200, 350, or 500, mixed sizes of which about 10% are adults (with more females than males), overcount of about 10%.

 

[Enrgy]

I’ve never bred them but I would imagine it wouldn’t take a lot of them. Hence the saying “breed like roaches”

 

[cold blood]

With 7 ts, you need a roach colony like a hole in the head....so to speak.

Unless you have 25 or more ts, its not worth it unless you want to get into the roach selling business.

You just need a couple to start a colony....the fewer you start with, the longer it will be before you can use them as feeders.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

I started mine with 100 or so, I have 59 tarantulas and a leopard gecko and they don't even make a dent in the population, I have to sell off loads every now and again just to keep their numbers to a manageable level.

 

[laservet]

My wife would be happier if I don't have a roach colony, but it's quite a bit less expensive to raise them than to buy them online and have them shipped as I need them. They aren't available anywhere locally, only dubias.

 

[dragonfire1577]

Probably at least a dozen would be needed to start up a breeding population for eventual use as feeders in a reasonable amount of time but of course the more you start with the sooner you can feed them off. I mean in theory you could start with one pair and reach colony size lol but that's not very practical.

 

[Ellenantula]

I started with just 3 tiny juvies. I had two pinhead B lats (who grew too big for my sling) leftover from an order and then one other B lat pinhead (who also grew too big for my sling) leftover from another order a month later. (B lats grow much faster than slings!) So, I put the remaining three small juvies together, lucked out on genders and have raised many thousands from just those 3 leftover pinheads in the last 4+ years.

Granted, mine took a few months before maturing to the point of giving me ooths. I think it was 7 months (possibly longer) before I could start feeding some of the larger juvies raised from the colony (I didn't have a huge T collection anyway). And once B lats start producing, they really start producing. If you started with a few adults you'd be in business sooner!

With 7 ts, you need a roach colony like a hole in the head....so to speak.
Unless you have 25 or more ts, its not worth it unless you want to get into the roach selling business.

True. In fact, I ended up buying a bearded dragon just to help use up some of the surplus.

Good luck OP!

 

[laservet]

Thanks. Since I already have the setup, the water crystals, and the roach food (Mazuri, made by Purina) I'll populate it with individuals that outgrow my T's before they are consumed and just let it happen. On of my employees has three crested geckos and I will give her the excess adults once it is rolling. If it's too much trouble I'll sell or give them away.

Thanks for all the advice!