Dubia Roach Food & Water Questions.

Roy1982

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 5, 2016
Messages
24
Alright, so I finally got my 25+ Dubia Roaches like almost two days ago from Josh's Frogs.
I just put them in a larger container, White 2.5 Gallon Food Bucket from Lowes.

Three different types of cat food, and three different types of dog food. Wellness CORE Grain Free, etc. etc. etc.

Which I had already, and feed to my Dogs & Cats. All Grain free, high quality stuff.

So I cut up a little bit of an orange, and put a couple slices in there.
So now they have the crushed Cat & Dog food, and couple slices of oranges in there.

After I crushed the dog and cat food, I ran the mix through a fiberglass screen, so all I was left with is what looks like coarse powder. It's very fine, but not powder.

So that's in the bucket.

Q1. Do I really need Water Crystals?
Q2. What are the water crystals really called? Do they have an actual name, like Silica Gel is called Silica Gel.

I did a little research today, and figured they weren't anything like Silica Gel in the packets. They are a super absorbent polymer. What are they called?

Q3. Is that stuff safe, toxic, or safe for even myself to ingest?

I have the orange slices in there, and it seems like they have eaten a little of the orange slices.

So obviously, whatever they eat or drink, my Adult Female Chinese Mantis will ingest as well.
 

Gretsch

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 31, 2016
Messages
17
You can check your local lawn and garden store for Miracle Grow Water Storing Crystals. The stuff is pretty safe. I like using it in my roach colony not only for providing water, but it also helps keep the humidity up a bit without having to worry about getting the frass all wet.
 

Roy1982

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 5, 2016
Messages
24
You can check your local lawn and garden store for Miracle Grow Water Storing Crystals. The stuff is pretty safe. I like using it in my roach colony not only for providing water, but it also helps keep the humidity up a bit without having to worry about getting the frass all wet.
I've seen it, thanks. I also found out that I don't have to include water crystals. The fruit provides the moisture for their diet.
 

Hisserdude

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 18, 2015
Messages
2,453
First off, grinding up the food is completely unnecessary and only creates a mess, they can eat off ofthe whole pieces just fine.

Secondly, as long as they always have fresh fruit available, you shouldn't need water crystals. They will get all the moisture they need from the fruit.

Hope this helps! :)
 

Roy1982

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 5, 2016
Messages
24
First off, grinding up the food is completely unnecessary and only creates a mess, they can eat off ofthe whole pieces just fine.

Secondly, as long as they always have fresh fruit available, you shouldn't need water crystals. They will get all the moisture they need from the fruit.

Hope this helps! :)
Thanks.

Yeah, I grinded it up because that's what I saw everyone else on YouTube doing. I also switched the food from Cat food & Dog Food to..

Oal Meal, Gram Crackers, Different various cereals, and idk, a couple other things, I can't remember what they were. But that sure as hell beats Cat food and Dog food. I also put a couple more slices of Oranges into the bucket too. So hopefully that's better.

As for the crystals.. Thanks for replying and confirming that they really aren't nessary, I mean, I could go and get some, but I honestly don't want to use them, as cool as everyone says they are.

I also recently hot glued some screening to the sides and etc. etc. But now she's clinging to the sides now, and I think the fiberglass screening is much better than the cold steel mesh lid. I also opted out, and made a plywood lid, and cut holes with a hole saws, and then put screening over the holes on both sides of the plywood. Then I have the regular steel mesh lid on top of that. Did it for a couple reasons, those being 1. For my cat, to not kill the mantis, even though she wasn't really getting to her, that I know of, and 2. Idk, I wanted to reinforce the lid, so now I can go to bed now, and not worry about her clawing at the mantis when the mantis does choose to cling to the top. She's gotta get threw the steel mesh lid, and then two layers of fiberglass screening with a 1/2" piece of plywood in between.

etc.
 
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