Vitamins in roach diet

Ralph

Ralph

Panchlora
Do children's multivitamins have a beneficial quality to roaches? I would crumble them into a powder and put it on food. My hissers are growing rather slowly (not overcrowding) and I'm looking for help.

 
It seems that there have been no real studies to suggest if vitamins actually are a benefit or if they can benefit roaches. It had been suggested that roaches take what vitamins they need from the food they choose to consume and that's that. The drawback is that if you are giving them a poor diet, then they will ultimately need the vitamins. If they are being fed correctly, then they don't/won't.

I have raised generations of various species without added vitamins with no problems.

 
Hasn't science yet to prove that human beings actually do or do not benefit from vitamin supplements, or has that debate finally been put to rest?

Here's what I found...

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/dietsupp.html

Note the sentence:

"Signed by President Clinton on October 25, 1994, the DSHEA acknowledges that millions of consumers "believe" dietary supplements may help to augment daily diets and provide health benefits."

Truth be known, I do "believe" that vitamins are good for you (though I get a cold when I try to start a regimen of them...believe it or not.)

 
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There are alot of things that work for people that belive in them but science can't prove it either way. The power of the mind is the greatest panacea available.

Peter Clausen said:
Hasn't science yet to prove that human beings actually do or do not benefit from vitamin supplements, or has that debate finally been put to rest?Here's what I found...

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/dietsupp.html

Note the sentence:

"Signed by President Clinton on October 25, 1994, the DSHEA acknowledges that millions of consumers "believe" dietary supplements may help to augment daily diets and provide health benefits."

Truth be known, I do "believe" that vitamins are good for you (though I get a cold when I try to start a regimen of them...believe it or not.)
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Wow, thanks for the long reply. I do tend to get a cold when I start taking vitamins, Peter. I probably just won't bother adding to their food, and just try to make it warmer for them.

 
I was told my Dubias need calcium and getting a cuddlebone like you put in a bird's cage would be a good idea..what do you guys say to that?

 
I don't think it's necessary. Cockroaches don't have calcium exoskeletons like millipedes, etc. and seem to do fine without them. I doubt it would have any negative effects, though.

 
Okay, Cool if nobody disagrees with you then I won't bother. This is my first colony and I'm trying to do everything I can to make sure if thrives and grows B) Anything to get rid of those #$%^ing crickets :angry:

 
Interesting OP...

I have around a kilogram of unused protein and diet supplements from gym, that have well exceeded their sell by date, and I'm going to add this to one or two of my colonies for observation. My belief is that I'll not see very much, if any, change...

 
I was thinking cuttlebone also, like what happens if you have pet snails, without a cuttlebone there shell becomes brittle and chips easily. You would think a cuttlebone makes the roaches exoskeleton stronger.

 
Except gastropods integrate calcium carbonates into their shells...insects don't (but myropods do a little bit).

Keith said:
I was thinking cuttlebone also, like what happens if you have pet snails, without a cuttlebone there shell becomes brittle and chips easily. You would think a cuttlebone makes the roaches exoskeleton stronger.
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Keith said:
I was thinking cuttlebone also, like what happens if you have pet snails, without a cuttlebone there shell becomes brittle and chips easily. You would think a cuttlebone makes the roaches exoskeleton stronger.
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Wouldn't more protein make moulting more difficult if it hardens the exoskeleton?

 
I read some old posts on other boards that too much Calcium is bad for certain species of Roaches. If so what species? I think the thread had something to do w/ feeding them cricket feed since Crickets do need calcium. Just something that I've read and was wondering about.

-Ian

 
I think the rational behind feeding crickets with high calcium foods is that you want the things your feeding them to, mostly herps and such,

to have a lot of calcium in their diet since calcium deficiencies are one of the most common problems with reptiles. All animals need a little calcium to run certain physiological mechanisms but I wouldn’t really waste money on a calcium supplement for roaches if they weren’t feeders. In my opinion…

Ihaggerty1313 said:
I read some old posts on other boards that too much Calcium is bad for certain species of Roaches. If so what species? I think the thread had something to do w/ feeding them cricket feed since Crickets do need calcium. Just something that I've read and was wondering about.-Ian
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