To people who feed their roaches dog food

[Rochelle]

I've noticed that chicken mash seems to a have very high calcium content.....
Fish are very sensitive...And I trust Mina explicitly.

 

[pinkfoot]

We've also learned that we can greatly control volunteer flies; by deliberately introducing 'cobweb' spiders to the tanks. They have colonized the upper parts of all the tanks; are completely harmless to humans; don't bother the roaches and have all but eliminated all unwanted flying crapbags... :clap:

Hope this helps!
[/COLOR]

My spiders were an involuntary invasion, but are settled nicely, and yeah...no flies either.

 

[BestRoach]

Mina's suggestion is a good one....my feed is very similar to what would be in a commercial trout chow. I would avoid dog food and cat food if possible.

Gamebird and turkey food are other good options. Lower calcium content then laying feeds, and higher protien. Can be purchased for around 25-35 cents a pound.

 

[HcUnderoath]

i use ferret food, but my instincts say that is probably not the best food for em

 

[syndicate]

We've also learned that we can greatly control volunteer flies; by deliberately introducing 'cobweb' spiders to the tanks. They have colonized the upper parts of all the tanks; are completely harmless to humans; don't bother the roaches and have all but eliminated all unwanted flying crapbags

That is an awesome idea!I will def start doing that as I hate fruitflys!!!
Roach crack lolz!Might have to try and offer some flakes and see how they like them.

 

[loxoscelesfear]

i havent tossed dog food to my roaches for awhile, but i feed em just about anything, and they have been breeding like mad for 4 yrs now. started w/ 30, and have had 1000s and given 1000s away

 

[scolex]

Dude they are roaches Just feed them cardboard.

 

[dtknow]

dude our pets are eating them, make sure to feed them good quality food. :}

 

[Rochelle]

Roaches are easy to keep - but it takes more attention to make them thrive for high production.

Anyone can merely keep them alive.....

 

[bhoeschcod]

Dude they are roaches Just feed them cardboard.

yeah but have you heard you are what you eat cardboard isnt healthy or is it....

 

[GiantVinegaroon]

yeah but have you heard you are what you eat cardboard isnt healthy or is it....

cardboard is fine for them. you can keep roaches alive on cardboard alone.

 

[Xaranx]

They might live on it, but they won't thrive and reproduce which is the point of a self sustaining feeder colony. Need a source of moisture and some decent food to get them reproducing. they won't waste their energy on reproducing when they are being fed cardboard only.

 

[Rochelle]

Why on earth would I feed cardboard to a feeder roach, that I'm about to give to a $500 T.?

I've said it before and now I'll say it again... there is a world of difference between the Keepers ~ and the captors.

:wall: :wall: :wall:

 

[CT9A]

Like Rochelle is trying to say. We are feeding these roaches to our valuable pets, and we want the best for them.
Its kind of like feeding what your roaches are eating to your tarantulas (not literally but in some way it is true.)
In the long run its common sense that feeding roaches fed on nothing but cardboard would have some
effect on the animal consuming the roach

 

[BestRoach]

Keepers and the captors.....

Nice way of putting it Rochelle!

Seriously though, to the guy who said feed them cardboard. I raise roaches as feeders for my own animals primarily, and as such I want my roaches to be as healthy as possible so that health in turn is passed on to my bearded dragons. Secondly, as a large scale breeder, I must provide a diet that is conducive to the rapid reproduction rate required of my roach colonies.


Feeding your roaches cardboard (or other cheap foods), counters one of the best reasons for raising your own feeder insects, proper gut loading and quality control. By raising your own, you can make sure they are of the highest nutritional value before feeding them to your pets. If you simply feed them garbage like cardboard, then you might as well feed your pets cardboard.



All that said, I doubt the poster was serious. It was most likely a knee jerk reaction to the thought of roaches....regardless of their superiority as a feeder insect.
Thankfully my guys don't eat card board....if they did, I would have to find another way to ship them

 

[gh0001356]

bump for a good thread. Anyone try the Purina Game Fish Chow? I tried looking for "trout food" at my local feed suppliers but they only carry the Purina GFC. It comes in three different sized pellets and contains 36% protien.

 

[bluefrogtat2]

i have fed mine iams adult formula for years now and can say all are doing great.
(just what i feed my dog)
andy

 

[samthebugman]

Stay away from dog foods with DYES in them! I know someone who fed some dog food with red dye in it and it crashed his colony also killed 4 beardies who ate those roaches!

THIS IS NO JOKE!

 

[patrick86]

I feed my B. dubias and crickets a combination of non-medicated chick mash, oatmeal, honey and nut O's and fish flakes.

They get big and fat, reproduce like bunnies, and I've never received a complaint from any of our tarantulas.

 

[RoachGirlRen]

I don't tend to feed dog food; I toss cooked chicken/turkey, krill, or meat based baby food in there about weekly instead. Largely, my guys eat soaked oats, greens, fruit, veggies, and dried oak leaves all mixed together in a chopper. Most of my hissers live over three years and my feeders are highly reproductive w/little or no cannibalism, so I must be doing something right ::shrugs::

If I were to feed dog food, I'd probably aim for a puppy food due to the higher protein content and stick to something with recognizable ingredients. Honestly I prefer not to feed much in the way of processed foods though, as I like to have a firm handle on what kinds of ingredients are going in to the animals I'm keeping as pets or feeding to pets. Animal feed crop standards (US) permit a much higher usage of pesticides, and with all the corn and soy in most dog foods I'd imagine there's probably a fair amount of nasty stuff floating about in it that might not be great for roaches or the critters we feed them to.