Zephyr's Amazingly Awesome Roach Thread

[Zephyr]

It's about time I got off my bum and did this.
James brought it up a bit ago, and it sounded like a good idea, so here it goes!

Gromphadorhina portentosa
Madagascar hissing cockroach
http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/616/img1129mi1.jpg
My first roaches, this is my current setup. :D
http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/1323/img1130qv9.jpg
Quick shot through the screen of some of the guys coming out. *I just flicked on the light*


Blaberus hybrids
http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/706/img1132dp8.jpg
I got a few of these as excess in a trade. The whole roach community doesn't know exactly what these odd hybrids are that have been drifting through the trade, but from the adult patterns I think they're either a B. fusca morph or a morph of B. craniifer.


Gyna capucina
Pink cockroach
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/953/img1133rj9.jpg
Just a pic of the setup, these guys wouldn't cooperate and come out. x.x


Gromphadorhina portentosa
Black morph
http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/8959/img1134ac5.jpg
Though they don't look it from the flash, these guys are jet black.

[adamanteus]

Excellent start to your thread! Your set-ups look really professional, Kyle. I'd be interested to see photos of the Pink Cockroaches, if you can make them co operate!

[Sputnik]

Sssh, you're going to make me feel guilty now for beginning to breed them for dragon/frog/lizard food.

My starter colony of 300 Turkistan roaches should be here by Monday.

My friend recommended someone he worked with and I paid £27.90 for them including free delivery.
What am I going to do if I get as fascinated by them as you?
My daughter really likes them and I have yet to show her the "shirt buttons"!
:D

Those hybrids are really interesting looking. They look a little like giant woodlice or those amazing "living fossils".

[Zephyr]

Elliptorhina chopardi
Dwarf hissing cockroach
http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/2195/img1135co4.jpg
Not quite adults yet. They're living in a ventilated container ontop of my plated lizard tank. Very fast glass climbers.


Polyphaga aegyptiaca
Egyptian sand roach
http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/5179/img1136zq5.jpg
The biggest one is an adult female, the other two are still nymphs.
http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/8602/img1137xu8.jpg
Curious nymph. :P Note the long legs.


Gromphadorhina grandideri
Tiger hisser
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/2310/img1140yu0.jpg
Freshly molted nymph. *I have no adults yet. :P*
http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/3444/img1141yz5.jpg
Sneaky nymph trying to hide.

[Stefan-A]

Those hybrids are really interesting looking. They look a little like giant woodlice or those amazing "living fossils".You could argue that cockroaches very much are living fossils. :)

[Zephyr]

Blaberus craniifer
Death's head cockroach
http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/9876/img1142np4.jpg
I only have a pair of these guys, but I'm expecting nymphs soon! :D
I love the little Halloween face. :P


Archimandrita tesselata
Peppered roach
http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/5205/img1143yg9.jpg
My all-time favorites. Only one adult as you can see, and the board is normally upright as a molting platform. Apparently they're prone to mis-molts, but so far so good.

[adamanteus]

Kyle, maybe you could write up a step by step guide for keeping/breeding/rearing these roaches, for people like Esther who are considering breeding them as feeders? Perhaps with species recommendations etc.

[Zephyr]

lol
"Zephyr's Amazingly Awesome Guide to Breeding Roaches"
XD

[tikichick]

Awesome roaches! (I can't believe I just said that, lol).

I'd love to read Zephyr's Amazingly Awesome Guide to Breeding Roaches! I just picked up a bunch of hissing roaches last night and I need to get my learn on :)

[Lori P]

LOL Laura... I was this close: l--l today to getting a pair at the snake store... and then I caught myself staring at the tarantulas, and I grabbed my pinkies and ran before I could get into trouble!!

Kyle, very very cool... I like the round ones too. :-) Good pics!!!

[tikichick]

Lol, well I tried not to get into trouble, but I met up with a friend off a local reptile forum to pick up a frilled dragon needing some serious tlc and behaved myself at the petstore and just got crickets. But then I followed him over to a guy's house to look at some bp's and the guy's fixing to go to Australia for a year and gave me his Chaco Gold Stripe and two Curly Haired Tarantulas! Then I followed my friend to his place and he gave me a Texas Brown Tarantula and 20 enormous roaches, plus some bowls, branches and a lamp. All for free! I made out like the proverbial bandit, lol.

Funny thing about the roaches... on the way home, I kept thinking I smelled hot dogs with mustard and onions. I figured it must be some fast food place I passed. I got home and a few minutes later, I smell the hot dogs again... then I realized it's the roaches I'm smelling! LOL :p

[Zephyr]

Awesome roaches! (I can't believe I just said that, lol).

I'd love to read Zephyr's Amazingly Awesome Guide to Breeding Roaches! I just picked up a bunch of hissing roaches last night and I need to get my learn on :)
Well for one, keep them with a Vaseline barrier if you're using glass. It works best at keeping them in. *I proved so in my science fair project.*
Secondly, keep things VERY warm for them. 80's is best, with semi-high humidity. Make sure there's always something to munch on. Romaine lettuce is a favorite. Also, give them plenty of multi surfaces. Egg crates work best, but you can also use paper towel rolls.

[Zephyr]

Lol, well I tried not to get into trouble, but I met up with a friend off a local reptile forum to pick up a frilled dragon needing some serious tlc and behaved myself at the petstore and just got crickets. But then I followed him over to a guy's house to look at some bp's and the guy's fixing to go to Australia for a year and gave me his Chaco Gold Stripe and two Curly Haired Tarantulas! Then I followed my friend to his place and he gave me a Texas Brown Tarantula and 20 enormous roaches, plus some bowls, branches and a lamp. All for free! I made out like the proverbial bandit, lol.

Funny thing about the roaches... on the way home, I kept thinking I smelled hot dogs with mustard and onions. I figured it must be some fast food place I passed. I got home and a few minutes later, I smell the hot dogs again... then I realized it's the roaches I'm smelling! LOL :p
Hmm... Could you get some pics of the roaches he gave you? For ID purposes.

[tikichick]

Sure! They're the hissing kind if that helps narrow it down. I'll post pics later this evening :)

[Zephyr]

http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/4848/img1166ys3.jpg
This morning I peered into the peppered enclosure to find this lovely newly molted female. :D

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/8659/img1170fz5.jpg
And for those trying to keep peppereds, this setup appears to work well.

[Lori P]

Roaches smell like hot dogs??? Ohhhh I like that....

"Honey, I swear, it's a hot dog in your bun, just smell it... No of COURSE those aren't legs waiving around, just eat it honey..." LOL

[tikichick]

LOL EW! I may never eat hot dogs again! :P

I took pics last night, my batteries died, forgot to recharge them but I'm doing that now so I can show u my big bugs :D I think they're Madagascar hissing roaches.

[Zephyr]

LOL EW! I may never eat hot dogs again! :P

I took pics last night, my batteries died, forgot to recharge them but I'm doing that now so I can show u my big bugs :D I think they're Madagascar hissing roaches.
If they're a different species *If they are massive...* I may bribe you into trading. :P

[tikichick]

They're easily as big as my thumb. Hurry up batteries!! Lol.

[drache]

what's up with that?
I've seen some really big ones - over 2.5" for sure, but mine never grew past a couple of inches
did I have dwarfs?
or are mine normal, and those others some super strain?

oh and do they always look colourless when they're molted, or might I have albinos?

[Zephyr]

what's up with that?
I've seen some really big ones - over 2.5" for sure, but mine never grew past a couple of inches
did I have dwarfs?
or are mine normal, and those others some super strain?

oh and do they always look colourless when they're molted, or might I have albinos?

It's not uncommon for g. portentosa to hit or go slightly over 2.5". However, when they exhibit a deep red colouration and max out 2.5" consistently in a colony that they are in fact g. oblongata. *I need to get my hands on these...*
As for the colourless, after molts they are pure white with black eyes, and they color can take from an hour to a day to return.

Speaking of roaches guys, I just got a bunch of new species in today. I'm going to let them settle in before I disrupt them, so pics should come tomorrow or Wednesday. :P

[drache]

Kyle
where do you get your roaches?
this is where i get mine, and as you can see, they do have a nice number of different species, but you've got some different ones
Feeder Roaches from New York Worms:Roaches (http://nyworms.com/roaches.htm)

[Zephyr]

I find them a bit too pricy. :P
You can actually get a lot more of those for less if you order from my buddy David Grimm.

Blaberus.com is great for unique species as well. :D
And of course, you can always check with me.

[drache]

cool, thanks
the ones I've got seem to be doing well and I like them
surprisingly I like them beyond their feeder value
so I'll probably add other species soon
there are so many cool ones though
it's just so hard to decide . . .
I like to stick with dimorphic species for now

[Sputnik]

Mine arrived yesterday. There are supposed to be 300 but I'm not convinced there are nearly that many and there are also only about 4 large adult ones. They better breed like mad!

[Zephyr]

Mine arrived yesterday. There are supposed to be 300 but I'm not convinced there are nearly that many and there are also only about 4 large adult ones. They better breed like mad!If you keep them humid, you won't know what to do with them all. XD
They're the closest relative of one of the worst pest species. :P

[adamanteus]

Which one is the common pest species, Kyle? You know, the one you get in swimming pools, hospitals etc?

[Zephyr]

Generally you're looking at either Periplaneta americana or Blattela germanica, but Blatta orientalis, the cousin of B. lateralis, is often found in moist areas.

[reptileparadise]

In Holland, I believe its mostly Blattela germanica

[drache]

Kyle
I was looking at blaberus.com
I think I'm gonna get the roach book
also
they have the water chrystals for half the price I'd been paying
btw
I've written an email to Fluker's to take the water out of their cricket quencher, because I think it's insanity to ship all this water - not that I buy theirs, but everyone who gets their supplies at pet shops does

[Sputnik]

Rhea, is cricket quencher the same as the water gel? You are absolutely right then, if they were to ship the crystals dry, it would make a lot more sense. You could then hydrate them as you needed them.

I have a jar of the gel, too, but I'm not convinced I always want to get them.
I might be sounding as if I'm on a bit of an environmental trip today, but I do have lots of concerns about this. The husband of one of my former tutors at college, was a scientist doing research into disposable nappies (diapers) and said, that the swell gel used in them might hold the water well, but once it's on a landfill site, it starts oxydising and giving off toxic gases. He said, that that problem was worse still than the fact that the nappies take so long to rot. He recommended using the cheapest brand of nappy, if we had to use disposables at all, as they only contain paper pulp.

People here love their hanging flower baskets and for a while I worked at a friend's nurseries and made hundreds of them, all with a small amount of swell gel in the bottom to stop them from drying out. It's fantastic stuff, but I wouldn't want to know what effect it has once the baskets get emptied out into gardens and compost heaps at the end of the season. All those poor little hegdehogs, etc. munching on swell gel. :(

[Lori P]

You know, when I bring crickets home and offer them plain water out of a tiny container, they all go nuts over it. I keep wondering if they actually hate the gel stuff. They drink so much the first couple of days.

[anji1971]

For crickets I just put in a small container of water, and a slice of apple or carrot , maybe a leaf or two of lettuce. They all eat, drink and happily hop around, till it's time for them to be fed to Toadie.:D
I've never bought or needed the gel stuff.

[Sputnik]

When you gutload them with fresh fruit and vegetables do they even still need extra water? I always have some in there but I'm not sure it's necessary.


Edit: ha, Anji, you were quicker than me! :)

[anji1971]

I find they eat the fruit more, but I still find them around the water too; maybe when the fruit pieces are too crowded they use the water as a backup?

[Zephyr]

I now have an ad posted. :P

[Lori P]

I find they go after the fruit more too, esp. oranges. Cucumbers are a close second!

[Sputnik]

Ok, now this is going to sound a little weird..but they look more intelligent than crickets. :D I feel a little uncomfortable chasing them and throwing them to the lizards. Who, btw, haven't eaten a single roach yet, lol.

[Zephyr]

Are they big enough? The roaches?

[Sputnik]

Big enough to eat? Yeah, they are all mixed sizes. Not many adults, so I'm being careful to keep those safe.

[drache]

Kyle
what do you use for water?
exclusively veggies?
or veggies & water gel?
do roaches need more water than crickets?

oh and
I read somewhere that cucumber is toxic to roaches
can't remember where . . .

[Zephyr]

Kyle
what do you use for water?
exclusively veggies?
or veggies & water gel?
do roaches need more water than crickets?

oh and
I read somewhere that cucumber is toxic to roaches
can't remember where . . .
Not entirely sure on the cucumber bit, but...
For my lobster roaches, seeing as it would be impossible to mist the entire enclosure, I use hermit crab water pillows. Work fine.
For water, I include veggies and fruits, but all my roaches that are in ventilated sterilite bins get a misting every night before bed. My other species have humidity holding substrates, so I only mist when I do my routine weekly checkup. As for tolerance, most feeder roaches are very tolerate of lack of water. However, if you have winged species, expecially E. posticus, the lack of water makes them chew off each other's wings for moisture.

[drache]

thanks for clarifying that
I guess water pillows are actually enclosed water crystals
so you do use more than one water supply method

[Zephyr]

thanks for clarifying that
I guess water pillows are actually enclosed water crystals
so you do use more than one water supply method
The more the better. :P

[tikichick]

Ok, I finally got around to downloading all my photos :rolleyes:

Here's a pic of the roaches. I've got them in tank now. I picked them up in this critter cage thingy but it was WAY too small for all of them and their largeness...

http://www.lakehousemedia.com/hidden/herps/roaches2.jpg

http://www.lakehousemedia.com/hidden/herps/roaches1.jpg

[Lori P]

ROFL!!! Ok... they are kinda cute...

[tikichick]

They've really grown on me. One will hiss and I LOL.

[Zephyr]

The one in the upper right is questionable, but it looks like you have all G. portentosa. :P
A fine place to start might I add. :P
I started with hissers. XD

[tikichick]

I'm going to trade some of them for some dubias (sp?) soon. I really want to get away from keeping crickets - they're so stinky, even with my sand for substrate trick.

[Zephyr]

I'm going to trade some of them for some dubias (sp?) soon. I really want to get away from keeping crickets - they're so stinky, even with my sand for substrate trick.
lol
Yep, most people are thinking that way nowadays. :P
Roaches > crickets. X3

[Lori P]

I wonder if my firebellied toad would eat a roach? Anyone tried??

[Zephyr]

I wonder if my firebellied toad would eat a roach? Anyone tried??
Go for it. They're very easy to digest. :P

[Lori P]

If the toad ate them, then I would consider getting some for both him and the skink. Hmmm, and then I might need that cute green snake I saw last week too, you know, to eat up the extras...:D

Is it too cold to order a few from you??

[Zephyr]

If the toad ate them, then I would consider getting some for both him and the skink. Hmmm, and then I might need that cute green snake I saw last week too, you know, to eat up the extras...:D

Is it too cold to order a few from you??For frail little lateralis, yes.
The others are a tad hardier though.

[Zephyr]

For frail little lateralis, yes.
The others are a tad hardier though.
However seeing as I forgot that wasn't on my sale list, then yes, you can order some lobster roaches from me. Check my ad for pricing and whatnot.

[drache]

what roaches do you currently have that are not in your ad?
I mean including the ones that you're not selling currently, but either keep as pets or to develop future colonies
just curious . . .

[Zephyr]

I have:
Gyna lurida
Gyna capucine
Blaptica dubia
Blaberus discoidalis
Blaberus bolivinsis
Blaberus giganteus
Blaberus fusca
Blaberus craniifer
Blaberus hybrids
Eublaberus posticus
Eublaberus distanti
Gromphadorhina portentosa
Gromphadorhina grandideri
Elliptorhina chopardi
Blatta lateralis
Parcoblatta sp. *Probably latta*
Polyphaga aegyptiaca
Unidentified polyphagids
Ophistoplatia orientalis
Nauphoeta cinera
Henschoutedonia hexiflivata *Might've botched the name on this one. :P*
Rhyparobia sp "gold"
Byrsotria rothi
Byrsotria fumigata
Neostylopoyga rhombifola *Same here. XD*

Soon to come...
Therea petivereana
Panchlora species
Hemiblabera species
Pycnosephilis nigra *Genus name may be misspelled*
P. surinamensis
Phoetala pallida
Periplaneta fuliginosa

[Lori P]

Kyle. Am I supposed to have some straight up and down boards in their tank for some reason? I keep seeing raoch set ups with both egg crate and then some boards propped straight up.

[drache]

wow - I'm floored
I'd no idea
I wanted to get the book and some bug boundary from blaberus, so I got some b. fusca and some b. cranifer as well and I can't keep them apart visually
do the nymphs look very similar?
one of them makes little squeaky noises - or am I imagining that?

[Zephyr]

wow - I'm floored
I'd no idea
I wanted to get the book and some bug boundary from blaberus, so I got some b. fusca and some b. cranifer as well and I can't keep them apart visually
do the nymphs look very similar?
one of them makes little squeaky noises - or am I imagining that?
First, the babies are somewhat similar, fusca nymphs have more red and orange on them, while craniifer nymphs are more brown.
The little squeaky noises are their tarsi scratching against your enclosure walls. :P

[Zephyr]

Kyle. Am I supposed to have some straight up and down boards in their tank for some reason? I keep seeing raoch set ups with both egg crate and then some boards propped straight up.
Many people believe vertical setups are easier to clean. In my experience, they aren't.
Also, roach nymphs hide in their parents frass and pick up trace beneficial pathogens that aid in digestion.

[Zephyr]

Drache, you reminded me that my craniifer just had their first babies.
I've got 11 of the little guys. :P

[drache]

oh cool - congrats

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

i had a hissing cockroach once. its name was hissy. one time, hissy escaped. hissy got stepped on. hissy's remains got scraped off the floor and fed to my fish. end of story.

[Zephyr]

i had a hissing cockroach once. its name was hissy. one time, hissy escaped. hissy got stepped on. hissy's remains got scraped off the floor and fed to my fish. end of story.
:eek:
That's so sad! D:

[Lori P]

Thanks Kyle-- the parent's "frass"??

[Zephyr]

Thanks Kyle-- the parent's "frass"??
Dry poo. ;)

[Lori P]

Oooooh. Ah. Right. Well, actually, it's no different for the larger animals-- baby goats and foals eat poop and dirt before they eat anything else, same reason, to pick up needed enzymes and stuff. ("Stuff" is the official name for beneficial pathogens. LOLOL)

I need a better lesson in telling the boys from the girls. They all look the same to me. I'll try to post some pics, if I can get the little buggers to stay still-- they are slippery little things aren't they?

[Zephyr]

Oooooh. Ah. Right. Well, actually, it's no different for the larger animals-- baby goats and foals eat poop and dirt before they eat anything else, same reason, to pick up needed enzymes and stuff. ("Stuff" is the official name for beneficial pathogens. LOLOL)

I need a better lesson in telling the boys from the girls. They all look the same to me. I'll try to post some pics, if I can get the little buggers to stay still-- they are slippery little things aren't they?I just grab them from above, flip them over, and check to see if the last segment before the end of the abdomen is large, which is female, or small and divided, male. ;D

[Lori P]

But I'm afraid I'm going to squoosh them! It's ok to put a bit of pressure on their sides to hold them? If I end up with roach guts on me I'm comin' after you!! lol

[Zephyr]

But I'm afraid I'm going to squoosh them! It's ok to put a bit of pressure on their sides to hold them? If I end up with roach guts on me I'm comin' after you!! lolMy advice is to grab them right between the pronotum *head shield* and the wings with your thumb and pointer finger, then simply turn the over under a light and look to see if the last abdomen segment is large or small.

[Lori P]

Male??

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/Cockaroacha_1_crop_male.jpg

Female?? (She peed on me, Kyle... ewww lol)

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/Cockaroacha_2_crop_female.jpg

[Zephyr]

Yep, male up top and female down below.
Just make sure you don't confuse a stripe of color, like on the second pic, with a separation in the segments.
You'll get used to it.
You'll be good enough to eventually just pluck them right up, flip'em over, and feed'em off, minus the "pee." :P

[reptileparadise]

I'm currently 'experimenting' with new 'roach / chicken' food.
Small pellets, meant for chickens. It should stimulate egg-laying in chickens but its without hormones (I'll have a look at the bagg later...)
I moisture the pellets, so that I can role a little ball of the stuf. Moisture and food, all in once...And the roaches love it!
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/kakkerlakkenvoerSmall.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/kakkerlakkenvoervoorbevochtigenSmal.jpg

This is within a minute...Everything was gone within 24 hours! So no mold, unwanted odors or mites :)
I've got mealworms in the colony to eat dead roaches and the small grain pellets from this type of food.
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/kakekrlakeetvanvoerSmall.jpg

[Zephyr]

Hmm... Interesting.
I've noticed that adding dried hardwood leaves to colonies considerably increases the overall health of the colony.

[reptileparadise]

Hardwood as in
Hardwood - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardwood) ?

Never heard of that, but I'm keeping that in mind...
Don't know if its mentioned in the thread before, but tabaco leaves can also be a very good mite repellent. Insecticides kill roaches and mites, Tabaco makes the mites flee :)

[Zephyr]

Hardwood as in
Hardwood - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardwood) ?

Never heard of that, but I'm keeping that in mind...
Don't know if its mentioned in the thread before, but tabaco leaves can also be a very good mite repellent. Insecticides kill roaches and mites, Tabaco makes the mites flee :)
I've never had a mite problem, aside from a few hisser mites here and there. They're like african millipede mites and seem to cause no harm to the roaches.
As for hardwood, yes: norwegian maple, elm, etc are good leaves to use. However, if you can find oak, use it. It has the highest nutrient value, "bad" mold resistance, etc.

[Lori P]

Aaaahhhhh layer pellets... I have those here for the chickens and ducks... and I too use the non medicated. Interesting, I'll offer the roaches some! I did put some of the horse's grain in there last week.

Kyle... question... I'm having trouble with the tarantula getting the roaches, as they burrow and hide from her. I was wondering if I could "off" them and offer them to her pre-killed. What's the best way to whack a roach?? (Meaning, the most humane and gut-less way)

[Zephyr]

Aaaahhhhh layer pellets... I have those here for the chickens and ducks... and I too use the non medicated. Interesting, I'll offer the roaches some! I did put some of the horse's grain in there last week.

Kyle... question... I'm having trouble with the tarantula getting the roaches, as they burrow and hide from her. I was wondering if I could "off" them and offer them to her pre-killed. What's the best way to whack a roach?? (Meaning, the most humane and gut-less way)Hmm...
I've never had this problem with my T's *Always grab the roach right from the feeding tongs. >>* I'd say freezing. Seeing as roaches are invertebrates, the freezing should also kill off any POSSIBLE parasites to your T.

[adamanteus]

I'm not sure, but I don't think a tarantula will take dead prey. Correct me if I'm wrong!

[Zephyr]

I'm not sure, but I don't think a tarantula will take dead prey. Correct me if I'm wrong!
Perhaps you could freeze it down to a point where it won't move much, but just a little, then let the T go at it.

[Lori P]

Well... she took the f/t pinkies...

[Lori P]

Thanks Kyle... I feel bad freezing them alive like that... maybe she just needs more practise going after them.

[Zephyr]

Thanks Kyle... I feel bad freezing them alive like that... maybe she just needs more practise going after them.You'll lose the feeling after they poop on you a couple more times. ^^
Fortunately my bigger roaches *A. tesselata, G. portentosa, B. craniifer, B. fumigata, etc* don't do this and hence are still high on the cuteness factor. :P

[Lori P]

Kyle, I need some more advice. Is there an easier way to catch these things??? LOL They are so darn fast, and can dive right down into the carefresh; what's your technique??!! Is there a better type of tong to offer them to the tarantula on... they are hard to hold and I think I squooshed one before she grabbed it... I don't want to squoosh them!!!!

Also, I have so many babies and adolescents... :-) When would that 10 gallon tank be considered overcrowded?? When do I know to move some to another tank?? What do I do when I have 35 tanks full of roaches and we've even started cooking them with pasta and there are still too many?? :D

Here's Tatiana enjoying her lunch yesterday:

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Tatiana_eating_roach_003.jpg

Thanks Kyle!

[Zephyr]

I usually grab them by the gap between the pronotum and wings. As far as colony size, seeing as they don't fly, you can continue to go upwards with crates and etc. When you start seeing alot of adults and adolescents during the day, it's time to upgrade.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

it smells like hot dogs in this thread.:confused:

[Lori P]

KYLE!!! I LOST ONE!!! A BIG FAT FEMALE!!!! She ran under the fridge-- have I just infested my house with roaches???!!!! FREAKING OUT HERE!!!!!!

[drache]

I've lost some, Lori
I've never ended up with an infestation
the big ones usually turn up some place

[Zephyr]

Generally, your overall house temps would have to be over 80 to get an infestation. Lobsters usually hang around a bit, but you won't get infested.
Another perk of tropical roaches. ;D

[Lori P]

(Time to bring out the roach thread!)

Kyle-- I have more roaches than I need now, and two local pet stores interested in them. But they are asking how to price them. What would you sell, say, a dozen adults for? And then a dozen mixed sizes?

Also, if they get into it and need more than I can provide, do you want me to have them contact you?

[Zephyr]

(Time to bring out the roach thread!)

Kyle-- I have more roaches than I need now, and two local pet stores interested in them. But they are asking how to price them. What would you sell, say, a dozen adults for? And then a dozen mixed sizes?

Also, if they get into it and need more than I can provide, do you want me to have them contact you?
I would say a dozen for 4 dollars. If you could convert the nutrients in one roach to crickets, one roach basically equals 2 crix. You want to make sure you are selling mainly males, so your stock doesn't suffer!
A dozen mixed sizes for around $2.50 is usually good.

Of course have them contact me! :P
Let them know I have other species as well which may suit their needs better.

[Garter_Gertie]

(Time to bring out the roach thread!)

Kyle-- I have more roaches than I need now, and two local pet stores interested in them. But they are asking how to price them. What would you sell, say, a dozen adults for? And then a dozen mixed sizes?

Also, if they get into it and need more than I can provide, do you want me to have them contact you?

Lori, iffin' you'd yust CLEAN THE PLACE UP and keep it that way you'd not have to worry about selling of ****'aroaches as you'd have none. Silly girl!

(running, laughing hysterically, into the nite ------------------>)

:D :D

[Lori P]

But Gertie-- if I didn't have roaches everywhere what would I have for a midnight snack??? They're crunchy and juicy and wiggly, all in one bite!!! (Ok. I just grossed myself out. LOL)

Hey Gertie, when you get that package in a couple of days with no return address, make sure you open it right away, in fact, open it right over your bed.... (snicker snort) :D

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Roaches_first_day_002.jpg

[Garter_Gertie]

GAG ME! How are able to even consider keeping those yucky creatures?!

[Stefan-A]

GAG ME! How are able to even consider keeping those yucky creatures?!
How can anybody even consider keeping snakes? :rolleyes:

[Lori P]

Ya know, I admit, taking the step to get roaches was a big one, but first of all-- Kyle's a heck of a salesman. :-) And second, I was soooooo sick of the smell the crickets put off-- crickets are just nasty. The roaches have NO odor, they're hardier, easy to breed, and they are so much more nutritious for the critters.

And, well, after a while, you kind of get a little attached to your colony in a weird way...

[infernalis]

Kyle, got any of those HUGE hissing roaches???

I'd like to breed a colony of those.

[Garter_Gertie]

You people need your heads examined.

Stefan, snakes are WAY different, cute, cuddley, sweet, darling and loving.

There's no way I'm gonna KISS a cockroach!

[infernalis]

snakes are WAY different, cute, cuddley, sweet, darling and loving.

Gertie, I promise if you were to make that exact same statement to 90 percent of the population, they would think you need your head examined.

As a snake lover, I know first hand.

That's why Stefan threw that one liner out there.......

I'd even be willing to wager that there are more people on planet earth who would kill a snake on sight faster than a roach:eek:

Ever see someone run to the garage to get a shovel for the sole purpose of decapitating a roach??

Our little Chomper man would love to eat big hissing roaches.

Now let's give "fluffy" a kiss....

http://thebeautybrains.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/120106-snake-bite.jpg

[Lori P]

I think Kyle has every kind of roach out there!! I keep going back and forth on getting some hissers... someone talk me into them.... :-)

[Garter_Gertie]

Ouch.

I wonder if he was as patient as I was with Winnie, waiting until she let go. Nah, I don't think so!

I need to amend - garters are cute and cuddley!

[Zephyr]

Ouch.

I wonder if he was as patient as I was with Winnie, waiting until she let go. Nah, I don't think so!

I need to amend - garters are cute and cuddley!Roaches can be cuddly! Especially peppereds. :D
http://www.tolweb.org/tree/ToLimages/Atesselatapair_mod.100a.jpg

[Lori P]

Kyle-- I have revolutionized your revolution! LOL

I recently aquired a wonderful Pekin duck named Fred. Fred is 10 years old and used to be a preforming duck at Busch Gardens, Williamsburg. Anyway, his caretake has gone thru a divorce and is moving back to Washington State (to her family home on the Puget Sound no less!!! I told her if she ever sees Bob to whack him in the head for all of us!!!! LOL) ANYWAY--

Fred, in his older age, needs extra time and care and I've been serving him fresh minnows and nightcrawlers in the evenings as he sits on my lap. (Yeah. We should all be so lucky.) And he LOVES crickets-- so-- it occurred to me, he'd love the lobster roaches, but they are too fast for him. So I froze several dozen and voila--- Fred goes NUTS for them!!!!

Roaches: the next poultry food!! :-)

[sschind]

OK, I'll pass on a couple of my roach stories.

When I was in college we had to do an insect collection for my bio 101 class. I had really gotten into it and ended up with almost 500 mounted insects. One of them was a hisser from my pet colony. Well, eventually I had an escapee from the colony and I couldn't find it. I knew it was a male so I didn't let it bother me I just figured it would show up one day dead or alive. About 5 or 6 months later I was sitting at my computer and I heard this scrapping noise. Kinda like a "crunch crunch" sound of someone eating potato chips (or maybe dried insects) I pulled out the boxes where I had my insect collection and lo and behold there was the hisser all fat and happy munching away on one of my pinned dragonflies. He had eaten his way through about half of my collection.

After I had purchased my store I was getting my tropical fish from a wholesaler/importer in Chicago. Their place was infested with roaches and I was alway careful too check over the boxes as I brought them in. Not careful enough apparently as soon I had an infestation. You guys are going to think I'm gross any way but I used to drink a lot or diet pepsi (no that's not the gross part) and it was nothing for me to leave an open can sitting around all day and just drink from it as I passed by. Sometimes I had 2 or 3 cans sitting around. One morning I sat down at my computer in my office and grabbed the can I had left there from the night before and took a big swig. You guessed it. I can't say that roaches smell like hot dogs but I do know for certain that Oscar Meyer has nothing to worry about. Big huge fat juicy ones marinated overnight in diet pepsi most certainly do NOT taste like hot dogs. They may be more nutritious and more healthy for you but they do not taste good.

[Zephyr]

lol
Well, I'm pretty sure we've got a few species running around the house.
(Mainly accidents on my part, such as knocking over containers with males used for feeding. XD)

[infernalis]

My roach story is no where near gross, but here goes..

In 1992 I had this once in a lifetime chance to go to Brazil for a month. I stayed with a friend in Sao Paulo.

They were of the "upper class" (meaning they had a house and car) it was nice.

Well they had no extra beds, so I slept on an air mattress on the floor.

I'm not sure what species these things were, but silver dollars with legs wouldn't be too much of an exaggeration.

So the first night, I am lying there listening to all the strange sounds, when I hear click clack click clack of tiny armored feet on the tiles.

Then suddenly I hear something scurry across the floor, and WHAM no more little feet clicks! I reach over and pull the string to turn on the light, and here is a large lizard now running for cover under the curio cabinet.

So the next morning, as I go into the kitchen for some of that thicker than mud coffee they drink down there, and I asked Roberto what the lizard was living in their home, his reply was that in Brazil the "Largadesha" were revered for controlling roaches! (Don't know if I spelled that right anymore, my Portuguese has faded over the years)

[Zephyr]

lol
See? Reptiles can solve all problems. XD
I've been wanting to see if you can use house geckos as a non-pesticidal way to kill roaches. :D

[drache]

I've been wanting to see if you can use house geckos as a non-pesticidal way to kill roaches. :Dif we didn't have cats . . .

[Zephyr]

But wouldn't rather have an army of house geckos? XD

[drache]

But wouldn't rather have an army of house geckos? XD
i'd love the army of house geckos, but am concerned for their safety
our cats seem to be particularly predatory

[Zephyr]

i'd love the army of house geckos, but am concerned for their safety
our cats seem to be particularly predatoryFor a sec there I thought you said you were worried for the cats. lol

[Zephyr]

Oi... It's chaos over here.
I've had to sort through over half of my collection and move them to new containers.
New interest in garters has caused my parents to make me (lol) cut my number of species from around 32 to 18. (I do digress; Those are a lot of roaches either way. XD)
Fortunately by the time I'm done with the new setups my room won't look so cluttered, and each colony will have a lot more room for growth. :)
Pics when the renovations are finished. ^^

[adamanteus]

32 species of Cockroach in your room.... heaven.:rolleyes::D

[Zephyr]

32 species of Cockroach in your room.... heaven.:rolleyes::DMost certainly! XD
The better news is that I'm having success with a species that all of my fellow roach enthusiasts are having epic fails with. :P

[crzy_kevo]

kyle you are one crazy guy lol my mom would have never let me keep roaches in my room

[Zephyr]

Just realized something; It'll be 19 instead of 18. :P
Although the 19th species I'm having a hard time getting to breed. x.x

[Zephyr]

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/9917/img1035dq4.jpg
Rather pretty female Byrsotria fumigata.
Her and her family will be moving into a "breeder bin," which is a 27 quart sterilite bin modified so that I can easily mist the roaches every night. :)

[adamanteus]

Rather pretty

If you say so.:rolleyes::D

[Zephyr]

If you say so.:rolleyes::DThere are some ugly roaches out there.
Try googling Blatta lateralis. XD

[Zephyr]

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/5608/img1036ww8.jpg
Breeder bin. Double layered screening this time. XD
Virtually the best roach container. :)
http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/6877/img1037au5.jpg
A blattologist's best friend. :D

[infernalis]

Thank you kyle, answer before I ask....

Uh how long before my roaches multiply? how do I tell them apart?

and the lizards all say thanks, Yum we like Kyles roaches.

The monitor doss really gross things to them when he eats:eek:

[Zephyr]

Thank you kyle, answer before I ask....

Uh how long before my roaches multiply? how do I tell them apart?

and the lizards all say thanks, Yum we like Kyles roaches.

The monitor doss really gross things to them when he eats:eek:
1. The hissers need to hit maturity first; around 3-4 months.
The dubias with wings are males; big and with only wing stubs are females. Since every female has a chance to be gravid, you don't want to feed them off. Also, if you flip the nymphs over females have a big final segment while males have a few smaller ones. Hisser males will have horns on their pronotum (head shield) while females will have only tiny ones or none at all and will generally have longer abdomens.
2. kthx
3. :eek:

[Bill]

Ohh boy! Roaches. If anyone is interested I have about 24000 of the turkistans a large colony of giant hissers and dubias here and my partner has all kinds of different roaches at his shop we also do mantids and some stick bugs on the down low.

[anji1971]

Mantids and stickbugs??
How cool!
Although something tells me they frown upon those crossing the border as much as snakes..............:(

[Lori P]

Kyle, you've never posted pics of all of your different kinds, have you? I'd love a picture documentary. :-)

And yeah..... I can't watch my skink eat the roaches. :-( Actually, that's one reason I started freezing them for him... it seems the lesser of two evils!!!!

[reptileparadise]

Looks like a nice setup! Where did you find those eggtrays if you don't mind me asking?

I just cleaned out my roach colonies...I started with 300 grams and we're at 3400 grams now :D I guess I can start feeding from the colony when I get back:D

[infernalis]

Deviating from roaches momentarily, last night I had left the light on inside the Anole enclosure.

the rest of the room was dark, this drew some flying insects to close proximity of the glass.

I sat here and watched this poor anole go nuts trying to get this moth:D

So I grabbed it, and tossed it in, GULP gone:eek: So then I took a net outside and scooped up a pile of bugs swarming near my porch light.

The Anoles wasted no time eating it all up, and honestly the exercise they had to have got, jumping in the air to grab flying insects!

I'm going to do it again, and try photographing the lizards jumping.

Oh, and they like tiny roaches too;)

[Zephyr]

Looks like a nice setup! Where did you find those eggtrays if you don't mind me asking?

I just cleaned out my roach colonies...I started with 300 grams and we're at 3400 grams now :D I guess I can start feeding from the colony when I get back:D
The generic term is a "ma n' pa" restaurant; simply eat somewhere that seems family owned then ask them if they have any egg crates you could have. :)

[Zephyr]

Kyle, you've never posted pics of all of your different kinds, have you? I'd love a picture documentary. :-)
As soon as things stop being hell in a handbasket (or sterilite bin in this case) I'll start one. XD

[reptileparadise]

The generic term is a "ma n' pa" restaurant; simply eat somewhere that seems family owned then ask them if they have any egg crates you could have. :)


haha, thanks for the tip...Not sure if its useable!
I have "taken" a few from a caterer once...:o Still using them!

[Zephyr]

FINALLY. Done cleaning! XD
No pics yet though (so sad. )': ) Seeing as the re-done tower is incomplete; I'm having to cut both my lobster colony and hisser colony to accommodate the new parental codes. lol
So, if any one out there's interested in hissing cockroaches or lobsters, please let me know as I have plenty!
XD

[Zephyr]

YES YES YES!!!
I've finished! The tower's complete AND sturdy! Pics after I finished baby garter duty. :P

[Zephyr]

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/1628/img1085qj3.jpg
My 10 foot (I think XD) masterpiece!

[crzy_kevo]

:eek:what the hell you are one crazy kid kyle:eek:
:cool:but thats cool:cool:

one question how do you get to each of the containers to feed them it looks like they are all sealed on top

[Zephyr]

:eek:what the hell you are one crazy kid kyle:eek:
:cool:but thats cool:cool:

one question how do you get to each of the containers to feed them it looks like they are all sealed on top:p
Those are all modified sterilite bins; the tops just snap on and off.

[jitami]

WOW Kyle... be careful climbing up there! Yeah, I want to know just how you get to the top ones, too! Oh, and how are those baby garters doing anyway :)

[Zephyr]

Baby garters are eating voraciously. Feeding day and all. XD
I'm tall enough to lift the bins off the top levels thankfully. :P
If you're not "built," you will be after lifting those things. lol

[crzy_kevo]

lol kyle ok so the to feed the ones closer to the bottom you have to take all the ones off the top?
that sounds like a lot of work

[Snake lover 3-25]

lol just what i was thinking

very nice kyle:D hope they dont fall over:eek::p

[crzy_kevo]

could you imagine the mess if that stack fell over his mom would have a fit roaches everywhere lol

lets hope it doesn't happen lol :D

[jitami]

Glad to hear the babies are all doing well! It must be nice to be tall :p:)

[Zephyr]

lol just what i was thinking

very nice kyle:D hope they dont fall over:eek::pThat happened once; Thank God it was only 3 of the smaller containers. x.x

[crzy_kevo]

lol kyle make sure it doesn't happen with all of them wouldn't want your mom till kill you, you are too good of a garter keeper :D

[Zephyr]

lol kyle make sure it doesn't happen with all of them wouldn't want your mom till kill you, you are too good of a garter keeper :DWe find the occasional escapee; The entire reason I re-did the rack was to fix a problem that arose while they were under my parents care. XD
BTW, This stuff's so portable I'll be taking it off to college with me. XDDD

[jitami]

BTW, This stuff's so portable I'll be taking it off to college with me. XDDD

You're roommate is going to love you :D

(nah... hopefully you'll get an awesome roommate who will appreciate all the critters :))

[crzy_kevo]

lol r u sure u can get a dorm to allow that

[Zephyr]

lol r u sure u can get a dorm to allow thatI have about 20 people around the country who can write letters of recommendation/condoning for me. :)

[Snake lover 3-25]

really????? that's cool...... idk what i'm going to do when i go to college...... :( there's no way i'm giving them up.

[Loren]

Well, my dubia colony is finally starting to take off in production.

This is just a portion of them. I figure by time I let all those babies, (the females, and a few males, at least) get to adulthood, I should have a full blown colony.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Dubias.JPG

[GartersRock]

Eh... Roaches don't "bother" me really. I don't know how I feel about roaches actually... Huh. Interesting.

[jitami]

Oh, geez, don't tell Kyle I was asking questions and showing any interest whatsoever :rolleyes: but the one in the front is different from the other adults. That one has wings and the other's don't? Or are their wings just smaller? Is the winged one male or female, and the others? Interesting...

(and no, Kyle, this does not mean that I want some sent with my babies :p)

[Zephyr]

The adult females have a dark, black-ish background with numerous bright markings as well as wing stubs; adult males have full wings.
Juveniles will still have a slate-grey background color.
Also, Loren, have you been feeding them carrots? XD

[Snake lover 3-25]

why would you ask that??? :confused:

[infernalis]

Kyle, one of the big hissers laid eggs or something today!!!!

This tube like thing emerged from the rear end, fascinating:D

woo hoo more roaches on the way (I hope)

[jitami]

This tube like thing emerged from the rear end, fascinating:D

I just had to quote this... :rolleyes:

[infernalis]

I got like a hundred witty things to say to that Tami, yet somehow I think none of them would be appropriate on this forum:eek:

[GartersRock]

I like. "Emerged". Rofl!!!

[Loren]

Also, Loren, have you been feeding them carrots? XD

Yes, Carrots, oatmeal, and some dry catfood. Why? Do they look more orange than usual?

[Zephyr]

Yes, Carrots, oatmeal, and some dry catfood. Why? Do they look more orange than usual?You can see the carrot inside the smaller ones. lol

[Zephyr]

Kyle, one of the big hissers laid eggs or something today!!!!

This tube like thing emerged from the rear end, fascinating:D

woo hoo more roaches on the way (I hope)
Did she lay it on the ground or bring it back inside her?

[infernalis]

Did she lay it on the ground or bring it back inside her?

I will have to check, I was feeding the monitor, and noticed the tube thing hangin off the butt end of the roach, so I left her alone and closed the lid.

Anything I should be looking for????

[Zephyr]

I will have to check, I was feeding the monitor, and noticed the tube thing hangin off the butt end of the roach, so I left her alone and closed the lid.

Anything I should be looking for????Make sure she retains it. If you find it out of her body, it's either hatching, or if it's been out for more than 5 minutes, it's been aborted.

[Aundrea]

EEEEEEEK. Im scared to death of Roaches. Just reading and looking at the pics gave me the willies!!!! I keeping looking at my legs or feeling something is crawling up!!! :eek::eek: I freak out when I see a roach but thank god i have not seen one live in a loooooooooooog time LOL.. Im a wimp :D

[infernalis]

We watched the B-movie "Fortress 2 the re-entry" last night and one of the prison inmates had a hisser for his pocket pal pet:D

they even strapped a mini video cam onto it:eek:

And just think, down south people spray poison to get rid of them....

They would call us insane for breeding them.

[Lori P]

AAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The filthin' farthin' cats somehow-- and I just DON'T GET IT--- knocked my ten gallon tank with my 4 peppered roaches in it off the shelf and smashed it!!!!!!!!!!!!

I found all four roaches-- they are fine, and wow, have they grown!!! But didn't have time to get pics, just wanted to get them to safety.

I'm SO MAD!!!!! I cannot fathom what went on.... the shelving unit is deep, the roach tank was in the middle of it, not near the edge. Somehow and for some reason there were two cats who got up on the shelf and squeezed between the back of the tank and the wall... got to fighting... and shoved it right off. Broken glass everywhere. :mad:

I've just gotten it all cleaned up and needed to vent. I need to go around now and make sure everything is secure... what's happening is, with the cold weather, some of the feral cats are sneaking inside. I didn't have to deal with this while it was decent weather and I honestly never thought about them knocking tanks off of shelves!!!!

I'm also pondering the wisdom of all acrylic tanks....

Arrgh. Ok. Anyway.... wow, those roaches are BIG!!!! I jsut re-settled them in an empty 5.5 gallon tank and once I get a new 10 gallon set up, will get pics...

[Zephyr]

lol
Poor Lori.
It's a good thing those weren't the lobster roaches; I'd think you'd panic a little. XD

[reptileparadise]

Lol, cats can be a pain in the *** :D

I'll be rehoming some of my roaches soon...I've got a tub that is 100X60x40...I'll be installing a heatmat soon and introduce some B. dubia :D
My colony is getting a bit out of hand with 7 kilogram of raches at the moment :D:D:D

[Lori P]

Kyle, if it was the lobsters, I believe I would have just turned and walked out and went to bed. LOLOL

I need to downsize the lobsters, too. I have way too many. I keep freezing them but I have like 6 ziploc bags full now.

[Zephyr]

Kyle, if it was the lobsters, I believe I would have just turned and walked out and went to bed. LOLOL

I need to downsize the lobsters, too. I have way too many. I keep freezing them but I have like 6 ziploc bags full now.Get another herp. :P
Great excuse. XD

[Lori P]

Well, since Jamie didn't actually know about the peppereds till the tank went crashing down, and I was all panicking looking for the roaches... now is probably not the best time to bring in a new herp. LOLOL

He was so cool tho-- he helped me by holding a container to put them in while I was searching thru the dirt and broken glass. And then he said, "Honey, we need to talk" while staring at this container of HUGE ARSE roaches. And I said, "Ok sweetie... by the way, how much did you loose at your poker game last night?" And he went quietly away. :-)

Ah, the beauty of compromise in marriage!!!!!

[Stefan-A]

I need to downsize the lobsters, too. I have way too many. I keep freezing them but I have like 6 ziploc bags full now.
Saute with butter and garlic.

[Lori P]

You first.

[infernalis]

I could easily see that Lori, and since you would have to be second, I'd be careful with that challenge:eek:

[Stefan-A]

You first.
Is that a dare? :D There's probably nothing in the animal kingdom that I wouldn't eat.

[infernalis]

Told you so!!!!!:cool:

[Lori P]

There's not much I won't try myself. Especially if there's cash involved.

[Stefan-A]

There's not much I won't try myself. Especially if there's cash involved.
Well, you'd save a bit of money. ;)

[Hornets23]

Hey, you never know....it might not be that bad.

[Zephyr]

Hagfish any one? :D

[reptile3]

Hagfish any one? :D

I did a Google search on that... Hagfish... OMG! that is soooooo ugly!


Hagfish - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagfish)

[Stefan-A]

Haven't had hagfish, but lamprey is pretty tasty.

[Aundrea]

I watch a show called Dirty Jobs OMG Mike is so funny!!! But he did a show on hag fish and WOW them things are NASTY :p

[Snake lover 3-25]

lol i saw that one too!!!! :D

[Zephyr]

A rare treat for ya'll.
A physically gynomorphic cockroach, B. fumigata.
http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/1954/img1426wo9.jpg
These happen about 1/100,000,000,000,000,000 times. It's a genetic flaw that has yet to be fully studied. The roach is physically half male, half female.

[drache]

very cool - yours?

[reptile3]

Very cool :cool: Yeah is that yours?

I still can't seeing me have a roach!

[Lori P]

Fascinating! Now send him--her-- them--- to Stephanie! :D

[Aundrea]

WOW Thats wild!!! :eek:

Awww come on Stephanie!! I can picture you with them big huge giant roaches LOL :D:eek:

I still remember that day I got Swiper from Kyle and I really thought it was Roaches :eek::eek::eek: I was so damn scared to open the package LOL

[reptile3]

Hey if I get a suprise package from Kyle... I don;t know if I want to open it or not!!

Are they easy to care for??

[infernalis]

I have a colony of big roaches from Kyle:D

There is nothing easier on the planet to care for...

They will eat each other if needed to survive, and they can handle some harsh conditions.

Just think of how difficult they are to eliminate from your home.

Ask anyone who lives in Florida.


BTW Chomper thinks they are very tasty:cool:

[reptile3]

I don't want any BIG roaches, nor would I want a Colony!! ha ha:eek:

I bet Chomper thinks they are tasty!! LOL He eats anything.

[infernalis]

I don't want any BIG roaches, nor would I want a Colony!! ha ha:eek:

I bet Chomper thinks they are tasty!! LOL He eats anything.

Only if it moves:D

[Zephyr]

lol
I've got you now Miss No-Roaches-Ew-Ew-Ew.
:D

[reptile3]

lol
I've got you now Miss No-Roaches-Ew-Ew-Ew.
:D


LOL I never said they were Ew-Ew-Ew, just never thought I would ever consider having one or any as a pet!!

I even thought about tarantulas:eek:

[drache]

tarantulas eat roaches - yum

[reptile3]

tarantulas eat roaches - yum


Ohhh see I didn't know that!!:D

[infernalis]

Why call the exterminator, just release some tarantulas in the house:D

Safe effective pest control.

[jitami]

You know, I am seriously an arachnaphobe, but don't mind tarantulas? Weird? If I lived in a tropic climate where other bugs were out of control I could totally tolerate loose tarantulas in the house. Finding their molts would be a little creepy, though! lol

[Lori P]

I finally set up a new 10 gallon tank for the peppered roaches. So I got pics while I was moving them to their new home!

There are two smaller ones and two pretty big ones! This is a smaller one...

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/peppered_roaches_11_28_08_001_resize.jpg

Another smaller one

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/peppered_roaches_11_28_08_009_resize.jpg

And the big ones!

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/peppered_roaches_11_28_08_003_resize.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/peppered_roaches_11_28_08_007_resize.jpg

When I turned this one over, he would just stay like that. lol

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/peppered_roaches_11_28_08_006_resize.jpg

And, the last one disapearing into his new home...

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/peppered_roaches_11_28_08_008_resize.jpg

So all your babies are doing well, Kyle! I need to get pics of the hissers next. :-)

[adamanteus]

Kyle, your roach thread has certainly proved to be a hit since you started it all those months ago.... told you so!;)
When are you going to post some pics of those pink cockroaches you used to talk about?

[Zephyr]

Eh... Well... About those...
^.^;;;
Kind of died out. Kept them a little too dry...
And they're about $15 a piece so... A little steep to re-buy lately. lol

[reptile3]

Lori~ awesome pictures. If you can do it, I can do it!!!

that pic... the roach is saying...... Could you please rub my belly??!! ha ha




When I turned this one over, he would just stay like that. lol

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/peppered_roaches_11_28_08_006_resize.jpg




So all your babies are doing well, Kyle! I need to get pics of the hissers next. :-)

[Zephyr]

When I turned this one over, he would just stay like that. lol

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/peppered_roaches_11_28_08_006_resize.jpg

You mean SHE, right? :P

[reptileparadise]

One kilogram of the finest dutch Dubias:D

I've got seven more breeding containers so I'm guessing I can start feeding from the colony soon
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/DSC_0013Small.jpg

[reptile3]

Whoa, that's alot of them!! very nice




One kilogram of the finest dutch Dubias:D

I've got seven more breeding containers so I'm guessing I can start feeding from the colony soon
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/reptile-paradise/DSC_0013Small.jpg

[infernalis]

I showed my Roaches to someone today, Care to guess what the response was like?

Kyle these things reproduce like mad, the tote is crawling with them.

Recall what the larger ones were you sent me?

I fed off all the tiny ones, Caught a couple running on the floor, they get out too easy, so I'll just stick with the big nasty ones.

[Zephyr]

I showed my Roaches to someone today, Care to guess what the response was like?

Kyle these things reproduce like mad, the tote is crawling with them.

Recall what the larger ones were you sent me?

I fed off all the tiny ones, Caught a couple running on the floor, they get out too easy, so I'll just stick with the big nasty ones.
Hmm... I can't recall.
Any pics?
Of both?
I can help with the getting loose problem.

[ssssnakeluvr]

reproduce like mad???? thats an understatement. I donated my collection to my friend at the rescue.....had over 3000 in a tote!!! I cleaned the tote out one day and had the worst allergy/asthma/sneezing fit ever!! the dust from the poop bout killed me!!! after finishing and hitting my inhaler I was exhausted!

[drache]

we packed up three different species yesterday to bring to the White Plains expo
if anyone's going, they'll be at the Sean Casey Animal Rescue table and they'll be reasonably priced
there's Blatta Lateralis - Tukistan Roaches, Blaberus Craniifer - Death's Head Roaches, and Blaberus Fusca - Dwarf Cave Roaches
packing those turks in lots of 20 was rather challenging (understatement)

[Zephyr]

reproduce like mad???? thats an understatement. I donated my collection to my friend at the rescue.....had over 3000 in a tote!!! I cleaned the tote out one day and had the worst allergy/asthma/sneezing fit ever!! the dust from the poop bout killed me!!! after finishing and hitting my inhaler I was exhausted!
Gotta watch the dead bodies. That's where the bad stuff lies. :O

[ssssnakeluvr]

don't have to worry about it now!!!! my friend has them!!! :cool: I like my lungs!!!

[drache]

I'd like to complain, really I would, but it was all my own fault
I shouldn't have left those two tubs of roaches just sitting on top of that tank - not without putting the cats in the other room
but I was tired and not thinking at all apparently
needless to say it was a long time before I finally did get to bed
all I can say is that I'm thankful it wasn't the turks

[Lori P]

ROFL!!!!!! Rhea's neighbor: "Call the landlord!!!!! We're infested!!!! (Screaming)"

[Zephyr]

I'd like to complain, really I would, but it was all my own fault
I shouldn't have left those two tubs of roaches just sitting on top of that tank - not without putting the cats in the other room
but I was tired and not thinking at all apparently
needless to say it was a long time before I finally did get to bed
all I can say is that I'm thankful it wasn't the turksOh dear lord... What species?

[jitami]

Oh, Rhea.... ooppps :)

[drache]

Hissers and Death's Heads
Gromphadorhina portentosa and Blaberus craniifer

[Zephyr]

Oh.
That's not bad.
:)
I dumped a whole container of lobsters once.

[drache]

Oh.
That's not bad.
:)
I dumped a whole container of lobsters once.
I do know how much worse it could have been

oh and I found what looks like a great stick bug forum

[Zephyr]

I do know how much worse it could have been

oh and I found what looks like a great stick bug forum
Heh, I have a colony of B. orientalis. Imagine if you had those. :eek::eek::eek:

[infernalis]

A couple of my bugs......

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/1aroach.jpg
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/2aRoach.jpg

[GartersRock]

I likey the top one! I only have a trio of nice hissers right now. But I hope to pick up something new at the Jan. show.

[reptile3]

Soooo Don, the roaches reproduce? OMG!!! I have allergies, but I have 2 cats in the house, I am supposedly allergic to them. Thank heavens for Advair & Provental!



reproduce like mad???? thats an understatement. I donated my collection to my friend at the rescue.....had over 3000 in a tote!!! I cleaned the tote out one day and had the worst allergy/asthma/sneezing fit ever!! the dust from the poop bout killed me!!! after finishing and hitting my inhaler I was exhausted!

[reptile3]

Wayne, i like to top buggy too!! They are cute when you don't see 10000 of them at one time!:rolleyes:

[drache]

Kyle
I hope you don't mind if I post a non-roach on this thread
I don't want to start a whole new thread and this seemed to be the most appropriate place for another invertebrate

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3108/3086621211_e31229a651_b.jpg

that's a piece of apple
the boys like apple, the girls have shown no interest

[Zephyr]

Ah, phasmids. I'd like to get some one of these days.
Right now I've just got the roaches, 2 cricket species, mealworms, and red flour beetles. :P

[infernalis]

Hey Kyle, scroll up a little... What kind of roaches are they??

Got them from you:D

[drache]

Hey Kyle, scroll up a little... What kind of roaches are they??

Got them from you:D
they're Blaptica Dubia - Guyana orange spotted roaches

[infernalis]

Thank you Rhea...

Chomper is amazing, He can smell them!

Dorothy had Chomp out free roaming in the reptile room, and I was changing the "roach pen" (cleaning out the droppings and replacing the leaves) and son of a gun if that big lizard didn't run right over and started head bunting the box they were in!

So I gave in and let him have (I think) 8 of the medium size ones.

They are amazing bugs, Resilient and nearly indestructable...

[Zephyr]

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/6465/img0023pr0.jpg
Orangehead colony.
These guys have a horrid defense smell, and they don't push their frass to the side like a lot of other roach species do, but they are by far the "cleanest" in terms of leftovers and etc.
They reproduce like mad too. >>

[Zephyr]

http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/5536/img0024yz1.jpg

Hisser people! If you find these little bugs on your hissers, RELAX! They are beneficial in that they're eating fungi that could possibly cause you allergy problems off of your hisser's exoskeleton!

[reptile3]

After looking at that pic of that roach, my arm felt like I had something on them!! ha ha

[Loren]

My Blaptica dubia (guyana orange spotted) cochroach colony. I started with just a few from a 2007 reptile show.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/dubias1.JPG

[drache]

they're amazingly easy to breed
I'd just gotten a few for feeders and when I saw that they'd had babies during shipping, I decided to go for it

aaaahh - I just had a realisation
when my turks get out of hand, all I have to do is take away the substrate and they'll stop reproducing, right Kyle?
I've not had much luck getting them sold at expos, even if they're priced close to crickets
what's wrong with those people? don't they know superior feeders when they see them?

[infernalis]

They don't know any better I guess....

Chomp prefers them, I have never seen him go after crickets with anywhere near the same enthusiasm as the roaches.

[Lori P]

I decided to hunt for the roaches this morning as I haven't seen them in a while. WOW the hissers got big!!!!!! I mean, quadrupled in size since I last saw them!!!! The peppereds are growing steadily too. :-)

Hisser
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Roaches_hisser_1_1_09.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Roaches_hisser2_1_1_09.jpg

Peppered
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Roaches_peppered2_1_1_09.jpg

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Roaches_peppered_1_1_09.jpg

They seem to be doing well, Kyle. :)

[reptile3]

Lori, very nice!!! Your peppered s look great!!! Aren't they the coolest?:rolleyes:

[Zephyr]

Good to hear everyone's stock is doing so well. :)

[Zephyr]

Nifty find that I'm getting checked out with the roach community:
http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/4325/img0084xf7.jpg
http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/4767/img0085si2.jpg

Dark brown versions of a normally tan species; The species is also parthenogenic, so if these are due to different genetics as opposed to nutritional influence, there may be some questions yet to be answered about the self-cloning process.
Also, I discovered an individual with a "jig-saw" deformity, or uneven pairing in the abdominal plates. She's being kept alone to duplicate, and I'll be checking the babies for the mutation.

[Snake lover 3-25]

interesting...... neat find hope you get some results!! so kyle... aprox. how many roaches do you have?

[Zephyr]

interesting...... neat find hope you get some results!! so kyle... aprox. how many roaches do you have?
I get this question all the time.
19 species, around 500,000+ roaches.

[Snake lover 3-25]

no way.

[Zephyr]

Yep, and all the roach containers take up less space than my garter and beardie tanks.

[Snake lover 3-25]

wow now that's strange.... what would they do if you pit them all in a 10 gallon that was filled almost all the way up with dirt (or whatever they live in)?

[infernalis]

Mine are in a mixture of crumbled leaves and coconut fibre.

They dig and burrow in it, fun to watch, reminds me of the tremors movies.

[Zephyr]

wow now that's strange.... what would they do if you pit them all in a 10 gallon that was filled almost all the way up with dirt (or whatever they live in)?
Dirt displacement. En masse.

[Snake lover 3-25]

??? http://planetsmilies.net/confused-smiley-17451.gif (http://planetsmilies.net)

[infernalis]

Digging in the dirt......

[Aundrea]

How are your huge Roachies doing?

[Zephyr]

How are your huge Roachies doing?Good; no babies yet, but the female's abdomen is slowly expanding. :D