Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello
Just wondering what is the ratio between the two? A friend told me that one adult lobster roach is equal too 3 adult crickets. If thats true, why aren't roaches used more as feeders?

Thanks
George

>>Hello
>>Just wondering what is the ratio between the two? A friend told me that one adult lobster roach is equal too 3 adult crickets. If thats true, why aren't roaches used more as feeders?
>>
>>Thanks
>>George

I would say an adult lobster is equal to two adult crix anyway. And they breed like mad, don't smell and eat a more varied diet for gutloading. The downside for most people is the fact that they are roaches, they climb and there is a constant worry of escape and infestation. Though if mine escape,they starve and or just slow down and die, and that is in my warm herp room. I think bugs weird out more people than herps sometimes.
I also find it is more difficult to get something like my son's Red Eyed Tree Frog to eat them....just due to the getting them to stay in the enclosure until she wakes up and hunts them.
I love them for Beardies, Leo Gex, Pyxie frogs and Monitors though.
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

An adult lobster is about 2 adult crickets, and if you live in Northern California I have plenty I'm giving away. These suckers can way out produce just about anything. Like Sonya said they are good feeders except for the fact they are so hard to contain. That is they are easy to contain in a breeding bin with bug stop or vaseline, but much harder to feed off if you like to toss food into your reptiles cage. Roaches are quickly becoming a popular feeder. I sold 1,000 discoid and orange heads today, and can't come close to producing enough to keep up with demand. My main roach and the best species in my opinion is the Blaptica dubia (orange spotted roach). I produce almost a 1,000 a month and have a huge waiting list. Plus roaches are costly to get started. My average price is $50-$75 per 100. With roaches it just takes 6-9 months to get your colony established, then your well on your way to never buying smelly crickets again. All the other species I keep like the discoids, death heads, orange heads, and orange spotted are non-climbers.
James

Dan at crunchycritter.com is another good place for roaches.

Thanks for the recommendation James and everything in the previous post pretty much summed up what I would have said. Roaches are a bit more costly to get started and each species can have it's pros and cons but the bennefits far out way the irritation and cost of either buying or trying to breed your own crickets.

Dan Haas

Crunchy Critters Roach Farm (and pet supplies)

So, is the nutritional value the same for all roaches? If the other roaches are not climbers and the nutritional value is the same, would it be better to breed one of the non-climbing species listed to prevent escape?

Thanks,
Miller
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Miller
0.1 Florida King
1.0 Chow Chow
0.2 Cats
1.1 Eastern Kings

There might be slight variances, but overall I'm pretty sure that the nutritional value would remain pretty much the same for most roaches. Would it be more advantagous to breed non climbing species. of course, But... Non climbers breed slower and are typicaly a larger size that not all reptile species are capable of eating. So it boils down to the smaller roach that climbs glass produces faster so it is cheaper to get a roach breeding colony going right off the bat and their smaller size makes them nearly an all purpose size insect for most people, unless of course we're dealing with larger monitors and such.

Dan Haas
Crunchy Critters Roach Farm (and pet supplies)

Thanks for the clarification. N/P

Miller
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Miller
0.1 Florida King
1.0 Chow Chow
0.2 Cats
1.1 Eastern Kings

There are differences in flavor between roach species. I have geckos that don't like lobster roaches (they spit them out after one bite), whereas they love discoids and orange heads.
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chickabowwow

Oh My!!! I was laughing out loud reading that one! I see a new thread coming now. "The roach taste test!, which roach does your lizard prefer?"

Too Too funny! First I've heard of such a thing but I don't doubt for a second it happens.

Dan Haas
Crunchy Critters Roach Farm (and pet supplies)