b. dubia colonies

[K-TRAIN]

well, me and two of my friends are interested in starting a small business, and because they know i have experience breeding reptiles that it might be better to go towards that path.

i decided that the first thing i need is to get a new colony of feeder animals going, and im going to have two feeders. crickets and roaches, and i hae never tried using roaches as feeders (parents wouldnt allow it but im just going to buy them and keep them hidden)

how fast could i get a constant population of b. dubia started? how long do they take to breed?

 

[mike12348]

B. dubia are pretty slow breeders unless you have alot of roaches to start with. I would suggest B. lateralis or lobster roaches because both are quick breeders and neither dig in substrate (lobsters climb though). Just my opinion.

 

[mike12348]

how fast could i get a constant population of b. dubia started? how long do they take to breed?

Sorry forgot to answer this. I say 6 months is enough time to have a constant suppy of B. dubia. Just make sure to keep them warm and they should do fine.

 

[K-TRAIN]

B. dubia are pretty slow breeders unless you have alot of roaches to start with. I would suggest B. lateralis or lobster roaches because both are quick breeders and neither dig in substrate (lobsters climb though). Just my opinion.

well when looking for roaches my main concern was how easily can they escape. my parents wont know about them, and i prefer they dont know.

i was told that B dubia cant climb glass

 

[skips]

well when looking for roaches my main concern was how easily can they escape. my parents wont know about them, and i prefer they dont know.

i was told that B dubia cant climb glass

To get a good population going you're going to want to buy a big rubbermaid tub. Glass poses a few problems. Heavy and and expensive, also I wouldnt count out their ability to climb silicone--though it's probably rare. You're going to want to start with at least a few hundred dubia and then it may take 6 months to get big enough, obviously depending on how many animals you wish to feed. Lateralis will grow fast. I'm actually havinga problem trying to get them not to breed at this point. I believe that some people cannot get them to breed below certain temperatures, but im at 65 degrees for a good part of the day right now and they're still booming. I had escapes when I used a more open type tub. Now I use one with a snapping lid. I cut a whole in it and hot glued aluminum mesh over it==>no escapes.

For most of these species you're going to need a heat source, you can use infrared or a heat mat. If the heat mat then you need a thermostat so it doesnt get too hot and burn down your house...it has happened to people I know.

I will say though that hiding a roach tub of the size you probably need would be difficult. Given I breed a few different things, my set up takes up a whole closet.

 

[recluse]

Dudes, many of us bug keepers have learned on our own through hard work and patience. I suggest you do the same. Your business will not feed you per say in the way you are intending. I trade to support my habit (oops hobby). Good luck and I hope you are doing it for the right reason.

Hans

 

[mike12348]

Dudes, many of us bug keepers have learned on our own through hard work and patience. I suggest you do the same. Your business will not feed you per say in the way you are intending. I trade to support my habit (oops hobby). Good luck and I hope you are doing it for the right reason.

Hans

That is some great advice. :clap:

 

[K-TRAIN]

Dudes, many of us bug keepers have learned on our own through hard work and patience. I suggest you do the same. Your business will not feed you per say in the way you are intending. I trade to support my habit (oops hobby). Good luck and I hope you are doing it for the right reason.

Hans

im not doing it to put food on the table for me and my future wife, im doing it for a few other reasons.

i used to breed animals for money, just to support them becasue i had so many.

after i stopped i missed the hobby and decided to get back into it, and a after a few days of thinking about some ideas my friend told me hes interested in learning how to run businesses.

seeing how i ran a small landscaping business, co ran a painting business with my family, and a few other jobs i decided to use the breeding business as a way to help me get back into the hobby i love and to help my friend learn.

my life is about three things.

-supporting the girl im plannin to marry/my future family
-music
-animals

(no particular order just listed)

but anyway i figure this time around instead of selling just animals, im going to try to make products and sell feeders too, so i can hopefully inprove the hobby in some way for future generations.

im really not doing this for tons of money, i get my money working graveyard shifts and such when im not at college or at home working with animals.

i guess what im saying is i know that breeding doesnt make alot of money, and im lucky if my hobby is self supported by it, and i got the priorities straight for starting a business that involves living creatures.

the money i may make though would probably be on products anyway if the animal sales are good. thats a chance though.