Seeking COCKROACHES...

[Zephyr]

Yep, it's me again! :P
I'm looking for YOUR native roaches!
If you've got any cockroaches and can find them in 5+ quantities, I'm willing to trade for feeder supplies/feeders.
Post replies here please! :P

[Lori P]

Sigh... Kyle, hun, you worry me. Really.

[Zephyr]

Heh, I'm working on revolutionizing the feeder industry. ^^

[drache]

like Brooklyn native cockroaches?
I might be able to find you some

[Zephyr]

like Brooklyn native cockroaches?
I might be able to find you someReally?
Yes, Brooklyn natives work. :D
How many and how soon can you get them? :P

[drache]

Really?
Yes, Brooklyn natives work. :D
How many and how soon can you get them? :P
you're in luck
we have a small cabinet that seems to harbor a small population (we keep killing them as they emerge)
not sure how to contain them since they can climb anything, squeeze through anything, and are extremely quick and clever
suggestions are welcome
I suppose a deli cup with pin holes will be okay for transport
I suppose I could try to catch them by baiting them
I just don't know what would be more attractive to them than the stuff they can already find around the kitchen . . .
I'll go look at the situation later and figure something out
perhaps I should just pack up the cabinet and ship it to you - I bet it's laden with offspring ready to hatch

[Sputnik]

Could you make a sticky tape roach trap? With yummy smelly food in the middle, surrounded by very strong packaging tape? No good for catching them as "pets" of course, unless you want legless roaches. :D

[drache]

Kyle wants them to reproduce, so he can revolutionize the feeder industry
they may need legs to mate

[adamanteus]

If I were you, Rhea, I'd just throw the cabinet out!:)

[enigma200316]

James, when its time for Kyle to get his custom name it should be:

KYLE THE BUG MAN......................:D

[Sputnik]

Kyle wants them to reproduce, so he can revolutionize the feeder industry
they may need legs to mate

Yes, that's why I said not to catch them as "pets" but get rid of them as pests. :D

[anji1971]

Kyle, I'm quite happy to declare that I have absolutely NO cockroaches in my home to send you!!:D

[ssssnakeluvr]

sorry....don't have any here either...guess they know I have critters that will eat them! :D

[drache]

If I were you, Rhea, I'd just throw the cabinet out!:)
that's been the plan all along
it's one of those nasty painted metal formica top atrocities and it came with the house
but if Kyle wants it . . .

[Zephyr]

MY advice: Build a roach trap:
Catching Live Cockroaches - A Practical Guide for Parents (http://www.k12.hi.us/~rkubota/digiphoto/cockroach/roach.html)

Use sugar, brown sugar, or onion. *Sugar is preferred. XD*
Put a few around or near the cabinet, and you'll have plenty in no time.
Also, look for their egg cases. That's an easy way to catch some. :P

[Zephyr]

As we Blattologists say:
It's only a pest if you don't like it! :P

[KITKAT]

La Cucaracha! La Cucaracha!

Ya no puede caminar!

Porque no tiene, Porque la falta,

La patita principal!

[Sputnik]

Sorry. :( I'd send you some local cockroaches if I had some to make up for it? Does that count?

[Zephyr]

Sorry. :( I'd send you some local cockroaches if I had some to make up for it? Does that count?
Of course? :P

[Lori P]

Kyle-- here is what I have set up for the creepy crawlies-- I put Care Fresh in there for bedding, is that ok?? Is there enough vaseline at the top? It's a 10 gallon tank. Enough egg crate? And I gave them a beach scene to gaze upon... LOL

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/insect_tank_002.jpg

[adamanteus]

Love the beach scene, Lori..... I could easily picture me there!

[Lori P]

Er... along side the cockroaches, eh??

[Zephyr]

Kyle-- here is what I have set up for the creepy crawlies-- I put Care Fresh in there for bedding, is that ok?? Is there enough vaseline at the top? It's a 10 gallon tank. Enough egg crate? And I gave them a beach scene to gaze upon... LOL

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/insect_tank_002.jpgLooks fine, but you may want to ditch one of the egg crates and the fancy rock. Cockroaches ARE photo phobic, and they won't bask under a non-moonlight or red light bulb unfortunately. D:
Carefresh is fine. I've never used it, mainly because it's alot easier to clean a tank with no substrate. :P
The vaseline needs to be smeared around the top with a paper towel, otherwise the high viscosity of lumpy vaseline will allow some roaches to simply climb ON the vaseline and out into your household. XD

[Lori P]

So the blue moonlight bulbs are ok? For day and night-- they don't need a daytime and a night time light?

So thinner vaseline is better... I was glopping it on there as thick as I could get it... LOL Let me go work on it.

Anything else they need then??

[Zephyr]

So the blue moonlight bulbs are ok? For day and night-- they don't need a daytime and a night time light?

So thinner vaseline is better... I was glopping it on there as thick as I could get it... LOL Let me go work on it.

Anything else they need then??
1. You won't need a light on 24/7, but if you could do it it would only benefit the roaches. Moonlight bulbs or red light bulbs draw females and prospective male mates out of hiding while gravid females bask.
2. This is only an opinion, but MOST living things need food. XD

[Lori P]

***.

LOL Can I leave the cute rock for MY viewing pleasure??!

[Zephyr]

***.

LOL Can I leave the cute rock for MY viewing pleasure??!I don't think the roaches would dislike a little texture in their lives. :P
If you really want things to look "cute," put the beam of red or moon light on that little rock and watch the females hang their abdomens in the air. :P

[Lori P]

I shall do it. :-) Have you shipped or are we waiting on warmer weather? (No rush AT all, just want to know when to expect the beasties.

Thanks Kyle for all the help!! :-)

[Zephyr]

I shall do it. :-) Have you shipped or are we waiting on warmer weather? (No rush AT all, just want to know when to expect the beasties.

Thanks Kyle for all the help!! :-)Shipped Monday morning. Might be there by tomorrow. XD

[Lori P]

Will let you know when they arrive. Oooooh I bet I can torment poor Shannon at work REALLY well when they get there!!!! LOL!!!

[Zephyr]

Heh, just remember they're faster than you. XD
We almost lost a few in the house packing them. >>

[drache]

my, Lori, wow
this is for hissers?
very luxe
I wonder about the carefresh, because it's a bit drying, but Kyle's the final authority

oh, Kyle
I caught you two adult domestic roaches of the long variety so far
at that rate it may take a while for a breeding colony
it's just that I haven't had time for focused hunting - these two just crossed my path

this reminds me of a funny roach story
when I first came to NY, I lived in a college dorm for a few months
and wouldn't you know it
the very first week, some girl from Michigan went into hysterics because of a cockroach crawling up her dormitory room wall
this was just three doors down the hall from me and I had never seen a cockroach in my life, having grown up in the country in germany, so of course I was eager to check it out
so I come into this room with a gaggle of girls clustered by the door, going "eeeeww, gross!" and the like
I don't know what I expected to see, but it certainly wasn't this 10cm long little beetely bug on the opposite wall
I shook my head, crossed the room, applied some thumb pressure to the roach (to the sound of "eeeeewwwww" by the gaggle), and that was the end of that

[Zephyr]

Poor leetle roach. D:
Yes, carefresh seems like it would dry fast, but the roaches don't need really high humidity.
I feel sorry for the roach in your story. D:
And BTW, do these adults look like this?
http://agspsrv34.agric.wa.gov.au/ento/images/P_americana.jpg

[Lori P]

Kyle... they haven't gotten here yet... are they going to survive so long in transit?? I'm worried about the little buggers...

[drache]

Poor leetle roach. D:
Yes, carefresh seems like it would dry fast, but the roaches don't need really high humidity.
I feel sorry for the roach in your story. D:
And BTW, do these adults look like this?
http://agspsrv34.agric.wa.gov.au/ento/images/P_americana.jpg
we have two varieties here in Brooklyn
the ones I caught for you look like the above, but we also have very dark coloured roundish ones

and don't feel so sorry for the roach - the alternative probably would have been a slow death by getting slapped with shoes and getting chemicals sprayed at it

[Zephyr]

we have two varieties here in Brooklyn
the ones I caught for you look like the above, but we also have very dark coloured roundish ones

and don't feel so sorry for the roach - the alternative probably would have been a slow death by getting slapped with shoes and getting chemicals sprayed at itAh. You've gotten me just what I want. :D
http://www.lockeext.com/SMOKY_BROWN_COCKROACH.jpg
Are these the other "Variety?"

[Zephyr]

Kyle... they haven't gotten here yet... are they going to survive so long in transit?? I'm worried about the little buggers...I'm a tad alarmed they aren't there yet, but they should be fine. A little cold, but fine.
Of course, if they aren't, I'll send you another set. :P

[Lori P]

(I just typed all this out and it vanished-- so if this is a duplicate, mea culpa!!)

Kyle, they're here!!! They got to the office just as I was leaving!! I was very worried because the box was SO COLD, but every single one seems to have survived!!!! :-)

Here they are just coming out...

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Roaches_first_day_001.jpg

Now which is this? Lobster?

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

Mmmmmm num num num CUCUMBER!!! What is this? It's dark and no wings.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Roaches_first_day_005.jpg

More and more coming to the food bowl...

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/Roaches_first_day_006.jpg

Ok, I'll admit, they are kinda cute the way they move their little heads around and grab food with their little front feet. :-)

[Lori P]

Ummmmm. You know... the Care Fresh may not have been a bright idea. They are burrowing into it like crazy, and it occurs to me... how will I ever change it?? It will have babies all thru it.... :eek:

[Zephyr]

Well, it'll eventually degrade as the roaches chew on it etc. As fungal proof as it may be, it'll eventually, seeing as it's made of wood (I think) begin growing a beneficial fungus which the roaches can eat. And yes they are lobsters, and the dark one sans wings is a late instar nymph. :P

[Lori P]

What's "instar" mean?

Are there any hissing ones in there?

They are horny little devils, too, aren't they... they wasted no time!!!

[Zephyr]

What's "instar" mean?

Are there any hissing ones in there?

They are horny little devils, too, aren't they... they wasted no time!!!
Instar: Roaches go through from 1-8 instars, or molts, as they grow. :P
1 being newborn, 5-6 for boys being adult, and 6-8 for girls.

I wasn't sure if you wanted hissers, but lobsters do hiss when you pick them up. :P

lol
Horny little devils. XD
BTW, to increase your roach "crop," only feed off males. I know, this is means you're going to have to touch them, but if you feed off females, you're feeding off any babies developing inside them.
...
Seeing as I can't find any e-webz sites with roach sexing pics, let me make one...

[Zephyr]

Et voila!
http://img29.picoodle.com/img/img29/4/2/27/f_roachsexguim_b149d95.png
This is a view of the end of their abdomens on the underside.

As for "horny" roaches, I actually have some roach "pr0n." XDDD
http://img32.picoodle.com/img/img32/4/2/27/f_IMG1086m_e84abdc.jpg

[Lori P]

Cool! Thanks for the info. Instar, I like it. Almost as good as "ooth". :-) I don't actually mind touching them at all. It's only spiders that get me a little wiggy.

I really don't think I'll have any trouble telling the males from the females... they're the ones chasing the females all over... LOL!!!

Is it possible to house crickets in the same tank, or will they eat each other??

[Zephyr]

Cool! Thanks for the info. Instar, I like it. Almost as good as "ooth". :-) I don't actually mind touching them at all. It's only spiders that get me a little wiggy.

I really don't think I'll have any trouble telling the males from the females... they're the ones chasing the females all over... LOL!!!

Is it possible to house crickets in the same tank, or will they eat each other??
Hmm...
I think the roaches would eat the crickets when they molt.
I've seen 1st instar lobsters take half-grown mantids before just because they molted.

[Zephyr]

BTW, crickets REEK when they die. The smell of a 10000+ member lobster roach colony has the same smell as a 100 cricket colony.

[Lori P]

Thank Kyle. To my surprise, Jamie wasn't put out by them at all! He was watching them eat too. :-)

They seem to be retiring to the egg crates now. I tilted the egg crates up against the back of the tank, so they are more verticle now, and left one flat.

Will no doubt be bugging you (snicker snort) for more info over the next few days!!

[Zephyr]

Before the question comes: *I'm doin a bit of prediction here. ;D*
That yellow, waxy thing sticking out of their butts are egg cases, they're "airing" them out. :P