i have a starter colony of about 200 lobster roaches...i'm just wondering if any of you more experienced colony keepers have deaths here and there and is it normal? i mean...i'm sure each roach doesn't get the same nutrition and whatnot but do roaches fight each other??? should i be worried when i see dead roaches in my colony??
unexplainable deaths?
- Thread starter macjizzle
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adults only live for so long. some of them dying is quite normal.
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if you don't want to have to constantly pick out deaders you can try to acquire some dermestid or other small detritivore beetles to eat your dead
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they just pop up in ppl's roach or cricket bins from time to time
if you can't find any i should have a decent enough amount to give you a starter shot of them
if you can't find any i should have a decent enough amount to give you a starter shot of them
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Dermestids are VERY handy, I've got so many of the things I find them in my bed when I wake up. Don't worry it wont happen to you if you're careful, I'm just a scruffy mess! I figure boxes in my room are just for keeping food in, everyone seems to come and go as they please.
Dermestids will devour any dead in there and keep the place clean, it will completely eliminate any smell and chance of mould spreading from a body if you have enough. At least that's my experience!
My colony started from 3 - 4 I found in cricket boxes that I decided to keep, I now have 500+
If you're like me you'll find them more interesting than the inverts they are lookin' after
Dermestids will devour any dead in there and keep the place clean, it will completely eliminate any smell and chance of mould spreading from a body if you have enough. At least that's my experience!
My colony started from 3 - 4 I found in cricket boxes that I decided to keep, I now have 500+
If you're like me you'll find them more interesting than the inverts they are lookin' after
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scruffy... but cute, choo
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sounds like you got 'em already!
they will multiply pretty quickly (as these things go). one gravid beetle can produce a fair number of eggs and a decent percentage will make it to maturity
i actualy prefer the beetle species i have (non-dermestid) as the larva are extremely reminiscent of tiny mealworms. i totally use them as minifeeders
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maybe what your seeing are molts? i mean they look like smashed roaches. and are dermestid larvae safe for feeding?
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dermestid larvae is too small to feed to much, I think my baby assassins munched a few.
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i know i mean to smaller slings or mantids or even dartfrogs
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perhaps, I've never actually looked at the nutritional content of the things, and I haven't seen anyone actually study what's in them so I can't really comment.
A friend of mine claimed his dragon hoovered up a few in his time, it's up to you! ;p
A friend of mine claimed his dragon hoovered up a few in his time, it's up to you! ;p
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i guess ill find out the next time i have a tiny sling