Getting some Lateralis... need some tips!

[OxDionysus]

I got rid of all my Dubia because I was allergic to them and now I am going to try my luck with Lateralis. I did the search and looked at hundreds of posts but it seems there are lots of contradiction with them all. I am going to start small with about 1000. I hear if I use substrate it will help with keeping moisture in but also make the smell more noticeable. Some people say they have no smell and some say its a horrible smell.

I live in Michigan so how likely am I to get infested if some get loose?

How do you guys feed them? With my dubia (i really loved that colony) I just used tongs and smashed the head and My Ts ate them like candy. So I do the same with these?

Thanks!

 

[OxDionysus]

wow no one has anything??

 

[flamesbane]

Your thread is less than a day old, so just because no one has posted doesn't mean that they won't...

Here are some threads that answer most of your questions.

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=156852&highlight=lateralis
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=152396&highlight=lateralis


I don't keep substrate in mine, as it makes cleaning more of a pain.

They do smell but it isn't bad compared to crickets...most of the smell comes from dead roaches, the cleaner you keep the enclosures the better they will smell.

B. lats need high temps (78° F plus) and high humidity (45% +) to breed. Further more you will start to see deaths at sub 45° F temps so infestation is not likely unless you live in the southern most states.

Feed them out like you would any other feeder.

 

[bigdog999]

Don't keep them in fishtanks because they can climb the silicone. They can and will infest if they escape. I'm still fighting an infestation in Massachusetts.

 

[Moose9]

I have a large colony o close to 5000+ and the smell isn't bad, especially compared to crickets. I find if I keep oranges in there bin for them to eat it smells more like citrus.

No substrate, high temps (up to 95F) with moderate humidity to allow eggs to hatch. Prolific breeders and great feeders for tarantulas and scorpions.

I live in the deserts of S. California. Although we have them outside every summer, we have never had an infestation in the house. They'll come in the house though the front door and end up in my room because of all the other roaches and food. I have escapes every now and then while feeding. To catch those, just put down a bowl of water. The roaches find the water and drown.

If you find you have difficulty keeping your humidity up, just remove the egg cases and put them in another container with damp substrate and lid. Keep warm and babies will pop out in 2-3 weeks.

 

[gvfarns]

Yeah this is the insect forum. It doesn't move as fast. You have to wait a few days sometimes. Also your questions weren't very specific, and threads like that tend to run a little slower.

They won't infest in Michigan. Many lateralis keepers will tell you what I have learned by experience: these guys have to have the right conditions to breed. If they get out into your house, they will live for a while and either dry up and die or get old and die without reproducing. Lateralis themselves are comparatively tough little roaches and when they do reproduce they do it like crazy, but conditions must be right, which they are not in your home.

To get them to breed you really need the temperatures up and you need to keep the egg cases from drying out. That's the usual reason people keep substrate under these guys (humidity for the egg cases), though it is more of a pain to clean. On the other hand lots of substrates absorb stink so they delay cleanings. Dead roaches smell to high heaven, though. To be avoided.

 

[flamesbane]

Don't keep them in fishtanks because they can climb the silicone. They can and will infest if they escape. I'm still fighting an infestation in Massachusetts.

If your RH is high enough to allow the ooths to hatch then you must have mold/mildew problems as well...

 

[blazetown]

Ox...oranges for faster reproduction and coco fibre sub to keep the ooths humid. If you have issues hatching them put them in a seperate container with moss or coco thats damp and put it near a heat source.

 

[Lucille]

Just wondering how it was going. It would seem that if you are allergic to dubia, you might be allergic to other types of similar insects.

 

[OxDionysus]

It is going good so far...weird thing is I kept Dubia for 2 years with no problems at all. Then one day while cleaning out the bins I broke out in rashes all over my hands and arms. Then i started getting them every time I touched one. Then after the rashes my sinuses would go haywire and I started sneezing over and over and over and coughing up mucus and my face would swell up. It would last about an hour or 2 after I touched them and then go away.
I thought I was going to die when I packed them all up to ship out lol

Never had a problem with any other type of insect before.

 

[TalonAWD]

I just placed an order for some B. lateralis as well. Although I don't seem to be allergic to them, I just want a smaller feeder other than crickets. (They just die off too fast.)
Plus these do not climb as I hear and pretty much just like the Dubias other than size.
I need the dubias due to me having large species tarantulas (L klugi, L parahybana, A genic, N. chromatus ) and for the ease but these other lateralis may just be perfect instead of crickets. As far as smell, I'm sure if kept clean they won't smell that bad. Maybe the food they eat has something to do with it. Crickets smell worse dependant on their diet I noticed. Its just too much maintenance with crickets. Everyday I have to pick out a couple dead bodies

 

[gvfarns]

Plus these do not climb as I hear and pretty much just like the Dubias other than size.

Good call. Though they run about a million times faster than a dubia of that size would. And they are way uglier.

I need the dubias due to me having large species tarantulas (L klugi, L parahybana, A genic, N. chromatus ) and for the ease but these other lateralis may just be perfect instead of crickets. As far as smell, I'm sure if kept clean they won't smell that bad. Maybe the food they eat has something to do with it.

Well I can't criticize having multiple types of feeders. A good idea really. To save on space and hassle, though I got rid of my dubia and stuck with only lateralis. My A genic doesn't mind. She just gets more than one at a time.

 

[CAK]

Ok, i'm reviving a dead thread. I got an order of 2000 lateralis, almost all the adults came in dead and had to be thrown. So, I have a bunch of egg crates in a big rolling plastic garbage can. (same thing my dubia are in.) I have no idea if I am doing something wrong, but everything is damp in the bottom and the stench is atrocious!!!!!

I am not using substrate and don't have a heat pad on the side of the bin at the bottom quite yet.

I haven't wanted to invest the money in the heater if these lats aren't going to work.


What is making them stink so bad?


My thoughts, is to dump everything into a 5 gallon bin and try sort the live ones from the dead ones and try again! My dubia smell like cat food and oranges... My lats smell like stale beer and my neighbors grandma.

 

[flamesbane]

It sounds like the dead roaches are what is smelling so bad. Try to clean up the dead ones, and make sure you are only providing enough food/water(gel) to last 1-3 days. If food and water(gel) are sitting in the bin then frass will get on it and really stink.

 

[Travis K]

I got rid of my Lats as I could not stand the smell.

 

[CAK]

Thanks Flame! I'll try that or I will be forced to hang stick ups in the bin!

 

[JC]

Thanks Flame! I'll try that or I will be forced to hang stick ups in the bin!

Things that will help keep the smell down:


1. Good ventilation

2. Do not leave food in bin. Feeding according to how much they consume within 2 hours, then remove the rest.

3. Don't use water crystals.

4. Don't feed so much dog/cat food. Try adding more vegetables/fruit and less protein and see what happens. The effects will be noticeable about one week after changing their diets.

5. Do not mist too much and don't(for goodness sakes) spill water onto their feces/substrate.


And I will leave this here:

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=56044

 

[CAK]

Things that will help keep the smell down:


1. Good ventilation

2. Do not leave food in bin. Feeding according to how much they consume within 2 hours, then remove the rest.

3. Don't use water crystals.

4. Don't feed so much dog/cat food. Try adding more vegetables/fruit and less protein and see what happens. The effects will be noticeable about one week after changing their diets.

5. Do not mist too much and don't(for goodness sakes) spill water onto their feces/substrate.


And I will leave this here:

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=56044

Thanks JC! I'm still fighting this battle and really need to get more ventilation in there! The food is another part of my mess.

I will get in and do another clean up and try that! Thanks a million for responding!