Harmful or not ?

[EasternGirl]

Yes, I noticed...which is why I told him to remove Jade and her tank from the apartment when the exterminator comes and to keep her out for a day after. As Ashley said, if there is a roach infestation, this can be very dangerous to the people and animals in the house and must be dealt with. I have an exterminator that comes once a month...and again, as Ashley said, my exterminator is familiar with pesticides that are harmful to reptiles and animals and I always discuss options and types of chemicals used before he uses anything in my home.

[acovert]

I used to watch wayyyy too many exterminator TV shows when I was a freshman in college. There was a whole marathon of them one day.

Also, my family has had issues with ants. While they're not the same as roaches, they can get into your food and cause some health issues. We never did have an exterminator come out for that, but I tried to convince my mom that it was bad for the kids. I also had to do some research when we had a family of possums living in our shed (I'm the resident computer geek who does all the research on everything).

Roaches are far worse than ants. I would rank them up with poisonous spiders and pigeons as hazardous to human health. Pigeons cause some nasty respiratory issues as well, if you have an infestation.

[GarterGuy17]

Well I wouldn't say its an infestation just yet its not like I see a bunch because its not like that at all , only a few but that can become a problem I know. every time I see one I kill it but I feel as if the numbers are decreasing. I used the tape around the bottom edge of the tank and its sticky enough to catch a bug put not strong enough to keep a finger or even possible to handle how jade moves if she gets stuck. Hopefully this works actually hopefully these roaches leave !

[EasternGirl]

Well the problem with tape is...and I am sure this is Wayne's concern...if Jade were to come in contact with the tape...it isn't that it would hold her to it...it is that it could remove some of her skin, or scales, or tongue...and that could cause a wound that could be fatal. You may be better off trying the vaseline like Chantel said...I don't see how a cockroach could get through that. Call the apartment manager about the roaches!

[GarterGuy17]

Put Vaseline around the tank ? o.O. Also about the tape I just cant think of a way of how jade would com into contact with the tape , I understand garters are escape artist but she cant climb very high and even if she did get to the top and out of the wire mesh corners she would fall away from the tape since the edges of the top of the tank come out farther then the actual glass so how she would come into contact with it is beyond me if she ever does but I will remove it if I find a better solution. Like the Vaseline or Petroleum jelly.

As for the exterminator I feel as if its my fault roaches are coming since every time the exterminator would come which is once a month to spray and put some traps just in case , I haven't let them in for about 4 months now so , February's visit I will be sure to tell him to be very thorough and kill the source of the problem. I will keep jade out of the premises for a few days after he spray's so the chemicals can air out and jade wont be harmed. Thanks everyone for the idea's they are all taken in consideration hopefully this problem is resolved before anything happens.

[kibakiba]

Vasoline prevents roaches from crawling up because it's slippery. Some people who breed roaches put it in the roach tank to prevent them from coming out.

[mikem]

perhaps they're on the cage because they're trying to get to a water source? maybe try removing the water for a few days and see what happens. of course, take jade out and offer her water, but don't have it in her cage and see if they are still climbing around. it could be the heat source they're attracted to as well. i breed a few different species of roaches and if they escaped i'd probably buy a handful of tokay geckos and let them loose in the house, lol!

[acovert]

Some people who breed roaches put it in the roach tank to prevent them from coming out.

Why would anyone want to breed those things?

[mikem]

i breed them to feed to my leopard geckos and a few tarantulas.

[kibakiba]

My friend breeds them for her cresties and gargoyle geckos... She only does it for them, but hates them for every other reason.