Feeder Roaches: Care and Breeding

[billewicz]

In that case I think I won´t buy them, I wanted to see some difference, some advantage, because they are quite expensive (one of them costs as much as 8 dubias), do they reproduce or grow faster?? because if it is all similar I will definitively not buy them... THANXX!!

Really the price is because of their popularity in the pet trade as pets. They are one of the biggest roach around. Because of their size they have been captive bred for lab work for over 60 years. One would think they would be less expensive, but again, like Hissers or pet rodents vs. feeders, the price will go up.

 

[Saskia]

How can I prevent Pycnoscelus surinamensis from escaping??? I used to believe that if providing enough food, hydraton and proper temps they would stay hiden in their substrate, but last night I found one baby running loose in my bathroom which is quite far from the balcony where I keep my animals.... my container has a lid, but P. surinamensis could escape since the lid is not airtight, does putting vaseline or oil on the borders help?? My family made me swear they wouldn´t go loose in the house when I first got them and I really don´t want to have problems, I am in looove with my feeder roaches and all my geckos are putting weight on since I feed them mostly with roaches now that I don´t depend on buying feeders anymore... any advice??

 

[MauricesExoticPets]

If you are using opaque bins that have any texture at all on the inside or glass aquariums the non climbing species will eventually find a way to get out. I use clear Sterilite bins because they lack texture of any kind, and I clean them weekly using non abrasive cleaning products to insure I don't create a texture the roaches can gain hold of and climb.

Petroleum jelly can, if clean and warm enough, prevent nearly all escape by creating an impassable barrier.

The petroleum jelly barrier can't prevent escape where there exists other routes of escape though. For roaches that can fly or jump past the barrier you need to correct that issue with other means.

I heat my entire bug room to 93°F, at this temperature petroleum jelly works great and I have no roaches escaping their bins, a few may get dropped in the process of pulling roaches for feeding which are taken care of by the bug room gecko.

There are products out there (bug barrier for example) that are paint on, though I do not use them or have much experience with them, they remain as an option for you to explore.

You may want to look at the potential that the roach escaped from a reptile enclosure rather that from the breeding container.

Maurice Pudlo

 

[Saskia]

I use clear sterilite boxes as well, with a little texture on the corners, and P. surinamensis can climb smooth surfaces, (the do not jump or fly, but do climb), I know the one I saw didn´t escape from my gecko´s enclosure because I feed roaches with tongs, I only leave dubias loose in the enclosure sometimes because they can´t climb or bite, but the surinamensis I feed with tongs and never that size (it was a small roach, I feed the larger ones)... The room temperature where I keep the roaches is about 80 during the day, I have the possibility to move them to a much warmer room, but I believe it gets TOO hot (it gets up to 100-104F at noon, air temps) and I think they would die..... I will do the petroleum jelly thing, and will test it! Thanks

 

[MauricesExoticPets]

I keep lobster roaches and hissers in their enclosures with petroleum jelly, both are great climbers. It takes very little to do the job so don't go overboard with the stuff.

100°F+ is OK for some species but it is really pushing the limits in my opinion. I feel 93°F is about as high as is needed if your looking to push the roaches to breed quickly.

Maurice Pudlo

 

[Saskia]

Which roach is more prolific, and reproduces faster? Dubia roach or blaberus roach?? I am thinking about starting a new roach colony and I am looking at the Blaberus, since they don´t climb, I already breed dubias, would there be much diffrence regarding nutritional value? And reproduction of the roaches?

 

[CrestedRick]

I'm also thinking of starting a small dubia colony for my pair of cresteds.

 

[Saskia]

I started my Blaberus discoidalis colony receintly, I am quite happy with theese guys so far, the caring for them is similar to B. dubia, and I am atarting to believe they are more prolific, they ceirtainly eat more

 

[CrestedRick]

My colony is doing quite well and growing fast.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Which roach is more prolific, and reproduces faster? Dubia roach or blaberus roach?? I am thinking about starting a new roach colony and I am looking at the Blaberus, since they don´t climb, I already breed dubias, would there be much diffrence regarding nutritional value? And reproduction of the roaches?

I started my Blaberus discoidalis colony receintly, I am quite happy with theese guys so far, the caring for them is similar to B. dubia, and I am atarting to believe they are more prolific, they ceirtainly eat more

My colony is doing quite well and growing fast.

Saskia & Rick ~

So these Blaberus discoidalis do not climb glass? Can they fly? How fast are they compared with Blaptica dubia?

 

[CrestedRick]

O I have dubia.

 

[Saskia]

Saskia & Rick ~

So these Blaberus discoidalis do not climb glass? Can they fly? How fast are they compared with Blaptica dubia?

Elizabeth:
I hadn´t seen this post, sorry for the late reply.... they can´t climb either plastic or glass, nor do they fly or jump, in many aspects I find them similar to B. dubia, however the main differences I find between them are: * Blaberus grow a bit larger,
* Blaberus ARE faster
* Blaberus are more voracious (they eat like crazy!!! I have about 200 right now, and I can LITERALLY SEE them eat the orange slices I put in there in a few minutes, I give the a banana, at night and I pick up the peel completely clean the next morning).
* And the most beneficial difference, IMHO is that they reproduce and grow so much faster than dubias, I am not planning on getting rid of my dubia colony, I like to have as many different feeders as I can..., but IF I HAD to choose amongs them I believe I would stick to Blaberus, mostly because of the fast they grow and reproduce... totally recommend them.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Thanks for your feedback here /\, Saskia.

Different feeders are very good!

 

[ColleenT]

Thanks to everyone for contributing to this post. It is very helpful. I am going to start a colony of lateralis and this info is great. I had one years ago, but now I have gargoyle geckos and I think it will help them to have a good feeder insect.

 

[reptilesunleashed]

Dubia roaches can breed at 78 degrees or lower but the breeding will not be as much as when you give them the additional heat. Most people are trying to breed thousands for their reptiles, but if you only have a few reptiles , you can get by without an additional heat source. Just keep that in mind.