Feeding Roaches to Juvies

[Chipepper]

Okay so I was against crickets cause of the biting, noise, smell, etc. and have started on mealworms. I was looking into roaches and have heard that they're more nutritious than mealies or crickets, and they breed much easier, so now I'm inclined to try them out. I had a few question regarding them:

1. What's the best kind nutrition wise and chitin wise (what one's have the softest shell to avoid impaction)
2. Can a juvenile eat them? If so, what one's are best for juveniles (size and breed)?
3. I never see my guy eat, so idk how long bugs are in the tank for. So if they're crawling around all night, how well does vitamin powder stick on them? Will it stick on them until eaten? I know my mealworms' vitamin powder falls off if they don't stay in their bowl.

Thanks

 

[Russellm0704]

I would not worry about how well the powder sticks to your feeders. I leave repashy calcium plus in the food bowl at all times and the geckos will lap some up if they need more.

I do not feed roaches myself but have heard only good things about dubia roaches. Superworms are easier to digest than Mealworms. However, I have always fed my geckos nothing but mealworms with no problems.

 

[JessJohnson87]

I feed my adult Dubia roaches and he loves them. You can order them in different sizes or you can order a starter colony from most of the places that sell the roaches. Dubia and turkistan roaches have a better meat to exoskeleton ratio than crickets or mealworms, more meat than chitin. Difference between them is the turkistan roaches are a little faster and the dubia are a little slower and easier for a not so great hunter to catch and eat.