Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey all. I'd like to start breeding roaches to use as a main diet for my reptiles, but I'm having a hard time deciding what kind to use. These would be mainly for my 3 tokay geckos and occasionaly for my box turtle.
I've done some research and each speices, and each seem to have positive points.

Based on the animals I have, can anyone recommend which roach to use?

Try the madagascar Hissing Cockroaches. They are what most use.

that that is the roach least kept for food purposes. Most of us are going for smaller non-climbers. Much more appropiate size and easier to maintain. Also breed more prolifically.

Just seems to be my observation here!
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Marcia - FroggieB Dragons
www.froggieb.com/MHDHome.html

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Signature file edited. [phw 9/13/04]

>>Hey all. I'd like to start breeding roaches to use as a main diet for my reptiles, but I'm having a hard time deciding what kind to use. These would be mainly for my 3 tokay geckos and occasionaly for my box turtle.
>>I've done some research and each speices, and each seem to have positive points.
>>
>>Based on the animals I have, can anyone recommend which roach to use?

Hissers will quickly outgrow what your animals can handle, size wise. I would get some lobster roaches. Same care as hissers, way more prolific and max at a bit over an inch. I feed mine to beardies, frogs, turtles (box and water) as well as an ackie and savannah monitors. Though the savannahs eat more hissers they are the only animal big enough to eat them as sub and adults.
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Sonya

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

we currently supply lobster roachs n 50-200 count starting at $12.50 shipped. they are very prolific, easy to maintain and have a high protein count.
Link

just so you know, your not suppose to advertise in the forum and i've notice you do this evey chance you get!!!

THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP.
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lobsters would be a good choice. i wouldnt get orangeheads cause they stink!!!! i mean stink. they let off a defensive odor, a man oh man nobody told me it smelled so.

I have a good sized colony of orange heads and they have no smell to them.

Israel

>>lobsters would be a good choice. i wouldnt get orangeheads cause they stink!!!! i mean stink. they let off a defensive odor, a man oh man nobody told me it smelled so.

I would avoid hissers and lobsters as everyone else recommended for a few reasons. For starters, they both can climb and very well at that. So you must make provisions for both the container you keep them in and also either feeding cups or the containers for the animals you keep. Your choices here are a fluon product so as bug barricade (stop) whatever; it's all fluon or vaseline which is just messy. Also, hissers get to large for what you will use them for which can also be a bonus. Once they get past a certain size, they can be left to go on as breeders. Lobsters are the perfect size and are probably the most prolific but they can climb extremely well which is a hassle. Both are very cheap which is a bonus but I think you would be better off in the long run if you went with one of the species of Eublaberus or Blaberus as they all have numerous benefits over the other aforementioned types. Your best bet, if you can find them, would be Blaberus dubia as they don't get much larger then a lobster and they are super prolific. My next recommendation would be Blaberus craniifer. They get larger then the dubia but you will find that tokays can tear apart a large adult so one roach would actually make a meal. They are somewhat easier to find as well. James Tuttle who usually frequents this forum offers the dubia (craniifer also I believe) for sale from time to time when he has excess. I actually got my initial dubia from him in a trade.

We have a couple species that can't climb for sale at this time. I'm not trying to use this as a sales pitch either, just stating some facts from my experience as we started with lobsters and hissers (still have them as a matter of fact) but we are weeding them out to concentrate on the non climbers.

Check out our website if you wish as we have some detailed care sheets on some of the commonly kept specimens.

Feel free to email me if you have any further questions, I don't check here often so that is the best way to reach me.

I hope this helped you some! I would definitely give the roaches a try, we haven't looked back at crickets since we got our colonies established!!!

-Just Bugs Staff

::Just Bugs: - ::We will never stop buggin' you!!::

I have been keeping roaches for a couple of years now. I like most, went for the cheap faster breeding lobsters and hissers. It didn't take long before I gave up completely on hissers as most of my reptiles preferred the softer shelled species. The lobsters do make a great feeder, but as mentioned above they can be a royal pain. Using bug stop does make it easy to contain them in the bin, but feeding them off and cleaning are time consuming and you will at some point have some escape. Good news is they don't breed or do well outside their normal conditions unless you live in a warm state. I personally think the Blapita dubia (orange spotted roach) is the best feeder on the planet. This roach is the easiest to maintain, breed, and sex. Other good species are B. discoidales, B. fusca, E. prosticus, and B. craniifer. Note that 95% of the B. craniifer sold in the US are actually a cross between B. craniifer abd B. fusca. Regardless they still make a great feeder. The biggest thing about these non-climbing roaches is letting your colony grow till it meets your monthly needs. Most people buy 100 roaches and expect to have thousands in no time. If you want that then buy lobsters. Otherwise buy the non-climbers and let your colony grow. Once you have several hundred breeding adults you will produce solid number each month. I am getting several new species in the coming weeks and am also trying to locate a non-climber smaller than the dubias. Roaches are great feeders and once you get past the roach thing the will became a big part of your hobby. All my reptiles a very fat, healthy and breed well.
James