How's my roach colony doing?

I decided it would be best to separate the feeders from the breeders to decrease disturbing my breeders as much as possible. It was the first time since I've really gotten into my setup to see all of my roaches since I purchased my initial colony of 250 mixed, 10 females, and 5 males. Here are some pictures to show what it looks like. Let me know what you think and if it's on par with the timeline.

Emptied tub with all the roaches scattered around and close ups of small parts of the tub, looks like a decent amount of nymphs.
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...8/IMG_7825.jpg
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...8/IMG_7824.jpg
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...8/IMG_7823.jpg
Feeder KK, I took pinches of debris to get out nymphs. I seemed to get around 5-10 nymphs per pinch.
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...8/IMG_7835.jpg
Setup with old crested geckos diet, mixed blended dry foods, and produce.
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...8/IMG_7826.jpg
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...8/IMG_7834.jpg

Looks fine to me, but just try to keep the tubs cleaner to minimize problems.

I clean mine e very 3 days. I feed a high protein chow with water crystals and carrots. They eat the chow First then touch the other stuff.

Ive never will separate them as they will breed as long as your not over crowded. Ive gotten few babies here and there but the 500 i ordered are jut not starting to get to adult hood.

You don't want to clean to often. They like high population density and the babies eat the frass of the adults.

I have been keeping Dubia for over 3 years now and I clean my tubs around every 6 months or so. I also like to separate sizes. I separate them into 3 sizes ,small,med,and large. I run 2 tubs, so after a clean out the small, and larges go onto one tub ( breeders), the mediums into the other (feeders).

Keep them hot and well fed and they will reward you with tons of babies .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AGoldReptiles

You don't want to clean to often. They like high population density and the babies eat the frass of the adults.

I have been keeping Dubia for over 3 years now and I clean my tubs around every 6 months or so. I also like to separate sizes. I separate them into 3 sizes ,small,med,and large. I run 2 tubs, so after a clean out the small, and larges go onto one tub ( breeders), the mediums into the other (feeders).

Keep them hot and well fed and they will reward you with tons of babies .

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See the cleaning part is a huge debate with them. The babies ive seen that were born here go nuts for the chow and dont touch the fecal or anything else.

They get a full plate of chow,veggies and crystals every day and its gone in about 2 hours.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RichsBallPythons

Looks fine to me, but just try to keep the tubs cleaner to minimize problems.

I clean mine e very 3 days. I feed a high protein chow with water crystals and carrots. They eat the chow First then touch the other stuff.

Ive never will separate them as they will breed as long as your not over crowded. Ive gotten few babies here and there but the 500 i ordered are jut not starting to get to adult hood.

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I've heard that is one of the easiest ways to get your breeding colony not to breed. As AGold said they thrive by being crowded, hiding in the frass and eating the debris. That would be pretty cool if that worked for you, every thing I've read and watched on them said otherwise. How long have you been breeding roaches?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AGoldReptiles

You don't want to clean to often. They like high population density and the babies eat the frass of the adults.

I have been keeping Dubia for over 3 years now and I clean my tubs around every 6 months or so. I also like to separate sizes. I separate them into 3 sizes ,small,med,and large. I run 2 tubs, so after a clean out the small, and larges go onto one tub ( breeders), the mediums into the other (feeders).

Keep them hot and well fed and they will reward you with tons of babies .

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I would love to have a few different bins to separate by size, but I don't have enough space besides just the one large tub and a space for a small feeder bin. Hopefully one day.

When I clean its not a 100% clean, I just use small hand held broom to clean up most of it id say about 80% of the frass.

I just bought my 500 4 months ago and their just now producing as I finally have adult males. I bought them at nymphs -1/2". Prolly have about 200 adult females and about 5 adult males so far. There is about 100 nymphs now in there about 1/4".

Forgot to say, i only keep them at 80F to minimize production. Didnt want to give them a 90F hot spot to increase production since I dont plan on selling them.

Only have 2 pets eating them.

what do you feed ..what is the high protein chow..im feeding my roaches oranges,leafy greens,rodent block,and fruits and veggies i have around the house..and i have water crystals ..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bulldog73

what do you feed ..what is the high protein chow..im feeding my roaches oranges,leafy greens,rodent block,and fruits and veggies i have around the house..and i have water crystals ..

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IMO keep doing what your doing :)