Woodie Colony Startup Size

[saximus]

I was just wondering if people could help me out with the approximate size I'd need to start a colony. I used to have one going ages ago but never really ended up using them so I don't know how many I would need. At the moment I am only feeding 4 small varanids so I guess I would only need about 20-30 per week. I am thinking maybe starting with about 250. Is this a reasonable size? Too big? Too small? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Wally]

If you are going to be feeding out of the colony straight away I would get a bulk pack of 500g. Equates to around 1000. You may only be feeding 20-30 per week, but you need to take into account the time it takes to grow them up to suitable size. I'd defiantly get a mixed pack of medium and large so you have adults that will begin reproducing straight away, and the mediums will reach adult size down the track and continue the cycle.

 

[Sean51]

hey sax that should be plenty just make sure you breed them for a while before you start feeding them off just to be sure you have enough. i have little colony of about 100 adults and thats is enough to feed 2 geckos and 2 small monitors. hope this gives you a bit of an idea

 

[ollie]

Get a minimum of 1000 mixed sizes. Split them into two tubs and keep one tub as your breeder tub you never touch and the other as your working tub. That way you'll never overharvest the colony. Keep nice and warm, feed vegi scraps and dry dogfood, provide egg cartons for them to hide in- good luck with it, you'll save a heap of money breeding them yourself

 

[saximus]

Thanks guys it sounds like you all agree on a general number so long as there is time for them to grow out

Get a minimum of 1000 mixed sizes. Split them into two tubs and keep one tub as your breeder tub you never touch and the other as your working tub. That way you'll never overharvest the colony. Keep nice and warm, feed vegi scraps and dry dogfood, provide egg cartons for them to hide in- good luck with it, you'll save a heap of money breeding them yourself

With this method do you just rotate every so often between which is the breeder tub and which is the "working" tub?

 

[Chris1]

i started with a kilo of mixed sizes, every now and then i top then up (7 beardies, 4 shingles and 7 geckos like them)

if youre using heat cord they will breed much faster than without additional heat (even in summer)

i dont use the breeding (winged) roaches for feeding, just pick out the nymphs,...then april and may each year i feed off all my breeders.

the reason for this is roaches have a 1 year lifespan, and that way my breeders are starting fresh at the start of each eating season, rather than having no idea how old and useful they still are.

 

[Wally]

i started with a kilo of mixed sizes, every now and then i top then up (7 beardies, 4 shingles and 7 geckos like them)

if youre using heat cord they will breed much faster than without additional heat (even in summer)

i dont use the breeding (winged) roaches for feeding, just pick out the nymphs,...then april and may each year i feed off all my breeders.

the reason for this is roaches have a 1 year lifespan, and that way my breeders are starting fresh at the start of each eating season, rather than having no idea how old and useful they still are.

I think I need you to stock take my colonies.

 

[saximus]

Haha Chris that sounds quite difficult. How do you pick out which is which with a couple of thousand of them running around??

 

[Chris1]

lol, i just pick what i need off the egg cartons as im ready to use them, (eg, 4 small nymphs for the gtails, 20 meds for the amyae, 3 big ones for the frog etc,...)

id be there all year if i tried seperating them into sizes!!!

 

[Bravedave]

I agree with what they guys have said. Get a colony of 500g and you'll never be short of woodies of any size again. Unless you expand your herp collection of course !
I sell bulk woodies and can express post you a half kilo if you're still interested. Been doing it for years. PM me.
Cheers,
Dave

 

[kobson08]

If you are going to be feeding out of the colony straight away I would get a bulk pack of 500g. Equates to around 1000. You may only be feeding 20-30 per week, but you need to take into account the time it takes to grow them up to suitable size. I'd defiantly get a mixed pack of medium and large so you have adults that will begin reproducing straight away, and the mediums will reach adult size down the track and continue the cycle.

Wally how long roughly does it take for medium woodie to reach adulthood?

 

[Wally]

Have a look here The Herp Shop - Australia.

Click on food and scroll down to feeder roaches. Roughly 30+ days for males and 40+ days for females.

 

[saximus]

Hey guys I thought I'd bring this up again rather than starting a new one. My colony is going quite strong already. I just had a poke through and there are heaps of babies which is a definite good sign. I am just wondering now how people separate the sizes? I know Chris said she just picks them off the cartons but I was wondering if anyone has any other ways that would allow me to get a bunch at a time of similarly sized ones rather than having to pick through and get them out by hand?

 

[MesseNoire]

Hey Saximus
I cut small holes into a container with a lid, and I put some food in the container, so only the desired size and smaller will fit through the whole.
I have found that the woodies will fit through holes smaller than you expect so it may take a little trial and error. Let me know how it goes

 

[saximus]

Oh nice suggestion Fractal Man thanks. Nice logical answer from a fellow fractal lover