stinky turkistan roaches

[Singbluemymind]

a couple weeks ago i got 1000 of these from aaronpauling.com and from the time i open the box they have had a very poopy smell. i thought is was the box but the smell has been very presistent. any idea on what may be causing it or what i can do to help? any thoughts or comments would be greatly appriciated

 

[Galapoheros]

I was about to try these, some people really like them as feeders. But there is a local pet store here that said they had them and got rid of them for the same reason you mention here. But, I raise crickets too and don't have a problem with odors while many other people complain of cricket odors. I've kept a few roach feeders and haven't had a problem with smells there either. What I do is keep roaches in a plastic tub or terrarium, I don't use egg crates, I use tree bark for hides. I put down about half an inch or less of coco fiber. I add the dwarf white isopods mentioned on this site before. Then I never clean the containers out, no odor problems, I've gone years without cleaning the tubs out. Sometimes I add something like 3 cups of dead leaves(live oak) every few months, feed them veggies, something like apples, fish flakes, organic cat food. I only add water about once every 2 months, when it's really dry in there, I just pour some in. It's only then when I add water that I may get a smell that's not too bad and lasts a couple of days. The soil builds up over time, I use it sometimes for fertilizer.

 

[Marijan2]

The key is in ventilation, like, have the container you keep them in without lid. Also, they smell more when they are hungry and have been given food(when roach find food source he start to stink to signalize other roaches that he found food), so make food available for them all the time so they never get hungry in large numbers in one moment. when you meet those 2 requirements the smell should disappear.

 

[Travis K]

They are great roaches.... other than the smell. I don't keep them anymore due to the stink, and some people get used to smelly smells that smell

 

[catfishrod69]

The smell doesnt really bother me too much. Alot better than crickets. If your feeding true spiders, pedes, trapdoors, assassins, small slings, lizards, etc. They are the perfect feeder. They wont burrow, dont hide much, run around attracting attention, very soft bodied.

 

[poisoned]

My only have dog food smell. I always thought it's because of food that's given to them.

 

[Introvertebrate]

I've heard people say that they stink with cat food. Not as much with dog food.

 

[Singbluemymind]

thanks for all the feedback. i keep a mix of highend dog or cat food mixed with bee pollen availble at all times and put in fresh fruit or veggies every other night (last night i even gave them turkey they didnt like it as much as the orange heads but they did gobble most of it up) i put them in a container with a mostly screen lid added some live plants to the room theyre in and an air filter and it seems to be working pretty good. for anyone interested in them they make an excellent feeder, i give them to my salamander my gecko and a good portion of my T's ( i use the orange heads for the bigger ones)