Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey everyone,

I already posted this question on a dif forum, but thought this would also be a great place to post it.

I am thinking of starting up a rather large blabtica dubia (orange spotted roach) colony to feed to my chams. I am going to be feeding them in large feeding cups, but knowing my luck, there is a chance they can get out anyway. Is it possible for them to infest my house if they do get loose? My chameleon room is kept in the low 80's on average wit the humidity around 50%. There is always a spot on the rug that is wet somewhere so they would have water. I am not sure how much food a roach would need to survive (not much I am guessing) and breed. I don't have any food that is left out, but the roaches can eat almost anything, from what I know. If I get the roaches, will I be calling the exterminator anytime soon, or am I in the clear?

-Adam.
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Email Me!

Well Ank I bred raoches for a few months for my beardies. They loved them. They are VERY healthy and make a great feeder. Full of nutrients and sugars and spice!LOL

There was only one problem. A few roaches escaped and caused hell in my garage! They reproduce like mad and hide in every nook and cranny.

Using pesticides was out of the question for me. So we went to Home Depot and got some roach traps. They did the job perfectly.

But be careful, roaches are quick and reproduce faster then rabbits (and believed to be one of the only animals to be able to survive after a nuclear war? LOL)
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Eric

I fight for the unconventional
My right, and its unconditional
I can only, be as real as i can
The disadvantage is
I never knew the plan
This isnt the way just to be a martyr
I cant, walk alone any longer
I fight, for the ones that cant fight
And if I lose, at least I tried....
(Slipknotulse of the Maggots)

hahaha, yeah, i believe they can survive the radiation. I also heard that they are one of the few animals that can digest hair.... and they can live for up to a month with their head chopped off because they have another brain in their back!!! After a month, they still only end up dying of thirst! I am going to have to consider this for a while.....

-Adam.
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Email Me!

I have started a colony of B. Dubia's my self to end the cricket thing. Anyway I have several hundred so far in a 96 quart plastic bin. They do not climb or fly .

I actually hand my chameleons the roaches and they zap em. OR I will let one cling to the screen near the chameleon and they grab them right away. I never dump them in like I did with crickets.

But even if one got out from what I have read, they will die. They need hot temps of 90 to 100 (They are tropical roaches, and will die in cool temps. They also need veggies, and some sort of protien (meat) and water. So I don't really think they would live long.

Because they are roaches I am very careful also, but these are not like having the lobsters, they freakin climb and are really fast, they could breed I think if they got out.
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PHEve / Eve

Contact PHEve

Just dont tip the container! LOL
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Eric

I fight for the unconventional
My right, and its unconditional
I can only, be as real as i can
The disadvantage is
I never knew the plan
This isnt the way just to be a martyr
I cant, walk alone any longer
I fight, for the ones that cant fight
And if I lose, at least I tried....
(Slipknotulse of the Maggots)

haha, yeah.... I have never had a chameleon do it before, but they are probably waiting for me to put the roaches in to do that!

Well I will not be "pouring the roaches" into their cage. Thats for sure.... But I also can't hand feed a few hundred roaches a day by hand. So I will probably be working with large feeding cups. As you said, they will probably need hot temps and food if they get out. Then again I will be working with a rather large colony. I already have a deal hooked up with a guy that I am conidering...If I do it I will be STARTING with 2000.... Anyway, I will let you guys know how it turns out. Hopefully it will be good news....

-Adam. (by the way Eric, feel free to call me by my first name. )
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Email Me!

No post people......carry on as you were gents! LOL

Always wanted to say that
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Eric

I fight for the unconventional
My right, and its unconditional
I can only, be as real as i can
The disadvantage is
I never knew the plan
This isnt the way just to be a martyr
I cant, walk alone any longer
I fight, for the ones that cant fight
And if I lose, at least I tried....
(Slipknotulse of the Maggots)