Roaches

what do you use to heat your colonies? i purchased a uth, but it says not to use it on anything other than glass... can you use it on the rubbermaids anyway?

Originally Posted by RowingMunkeyCU

what do you use to heat your colonies? i purchased a uth, but it says not to use it on anything other than glass... can you use it on the rubbermaids anyway?

I use Flexwatt for all my tubs. I do use a thermostat as well to control the heat. While I have never used a traditional UTH on my tubs, I would have to think as long as you are using a thermostat it should be fine.

Right now I'm using a UTH, but it isnt touching the plastic directly.. seems to be working fine.

Were you just pouring water in there? Don't they drown?

I guess I will go without the bran then.. the site's care sheet I read that on sales red bran so that may have a bit of influence on their care sheet saying it is the absolute best hahaha.

If I find dog/cat food that has the guarenteed analysis of protein, fat, fiber, and moisture that they need I can just feed them that and potatoes or do I feed them that, potatoes, and oatmeal? Oh, can oatmeal be a staple diet?

Originally Posted by Chris Steele

Right now I'm using a UTH, but it isnt touching the plastic directly.. seems to be working fine.

Were you just pouring water in there? Don't they drown?

I was filling up the water dishes.... that is why I have folded up paper towels in the water dishes... so they wont drown. Never had a single drowning issue.

Originally Posted by Chris Steele

I guess I will go without the bran then.. the site's care sheet I read that on sales red bran so that may have a bit of influence on their care sheet saying it is the absolute best hahaha.

If I find dog/cat food that has the guarenteed analysis of protein, fat, fiber, and moisture that they need I can just feed them that and potatoes or do I feed them that, potatoes, and oatmeal? Oh, can oatmeal be a staple diet?

Roaches need a high protein diet. Discoids specifically need about 18-20 percent protein minimum. Other species demand even higher protein percentages.

Ultimately Discoids will eat pretty much anything you throw at them. But you want to make sure they are getting the protein they need and also some fresh fruits and veggies every week.

if I give them potatoes for hydration and dog/cat food with the right nutrition in it I won't need to feed them any type of meal?

on the subject of meal, will all kinds of meal work for mealies?

I am not following you, what do you mean by meal?

oatmeal, cornmeal, etc

For roaches you need to feed them a high protein diet. Be it a commercial insect diet like from cricketfood.com, reptayls.com, progeckos.com, etc.... or a diet you grind yourself. Yes you can grind dog/cat food as a diet as well as long as the ingredients make up a healthy diet. Ideally you would offer fresh fruits/veggies once or twice a week as well. As far as oatmeal,etc... you can offer it occasionally if you want but it is not a requirement.

Mealworms are not the most nutritious feeder out there. Using one of the commercial products I listed above will help increase the nutrition value of the mealworm. Just plain oatmea/cornmeal/bran/etc is not going to give them the nutrition they need need to make them worthwhile feeders.

Many people will keep their mealworms in bran, then 24-48 hours prior to feeding them off they will move the amount they are planning to feed over to a commercial gutload like cricketfood.com to get more nutrition in them and make them better feeders.