Do cockroaches bite?

[Felkon]

Do the cockroaches that live around houses bite? Such as the ones down south near oklahoma and texas? I see them alot at night but never pick them up because I don't know if they'll try to nip me. I've read somewhere a while ago that they do...

 

[TheWidowsPeak]

yeah they can bite but it wouldn't hurt. i wouldn't want to pick one up in the first place though

 

[Code Monkey]

They *can* bite, but cockroaches rarely resort to their mandibles for defense. I am assuming you're talking about P. americana, which smells very nasty when you pick it up (defensive smell combined with fast running is their defense), and is also refused by many animals as a feeder if that was your intention.

 

[Felkon]

Actually I was planning on using them as pets. Although if they smell bad like you say they'd make awfully stinky pets...! Maybe I'll just go out and buy those expensive hissing cockroaches instead.

 

[Code Monkey]

If you want roaches for pets, definitely go with a non defensive smell variety. Hissers are among some of the more dramatic looking roaches and can make good display animals. I've got cultures of P. americana at work and I would never want them in my home intentionally.

You might also consider things like B. gigantea, discoidales, crannifer, or dubia.

 

[Wade]

I'd go with B. gigantea for pets. They're huge, dont climb glass, and don't reproduce in the huge numbers many of the others do. The later-stage nymphs are incredable, they look like trilobites.

Wade

 

[chuck]

i would also take into consideration if its a "pest" species. but living in the south, maybe most roaches would be a pest and able to acclimate to the climate

i would go with the hissers. they look awesome, easy to care for, slow moving (compared to other roaches), easy to sex, and if youre keeping them as pets they have a great communal life - male domination, fights for the females, fights for territory.

 

[Jesse607]

Most roaches only bite or attempt to bite as a last resort defensively. They may nibble on your skin, if moisture deprived. What you should be more concerned with, when handling roaches, is the "spines" on their legs. If handled incorrectly they may "kick" you, which results in you being poked/stabbed by the spines. Defensive responses only occur if you squeeze the roach, or grab it.

 

[Steven]

buy those expensive hissing cockroaches instead

are they expensive in the US ?
i've got a lot of them, just let me know,.........

 

[Code Monkey]

Originally posted by gongyles
are they expensive in the US ?
i've got a lot of them, just let me know,.........

Depends where you go, I've seen some pet stores asking for $6 a piece for them, essentially trying to sell them as "mated pairs" for $12. But, they can be found online for around $1.50@, and if you find a local person with an overgrown colony they'll be free or nearly so. That's how I got mine, I started the job in the enotomology department and my boss was asking me to take some off of her hands.

 

[Wade]

When I sell them at reptile shows, I usually sell them for 6 to 10 dollars a dozen, depending on my mood that day.

Wade

 

[Steven]

When I sell them at reptile shows

hey Wade, i've send you a PM

 

[Felkon]

I just got back from the oklahoma city reptile show and sale.. I bought 2 hissing cockroaches.. only 50 CENTS A PIECE! Now I wish I bought more. They are really big and in good shape, too.

I also bought a 5 inch curly hair T, and a sub-adult avic. versicolor for $5.

 

[MacCleod]

Originally posted by gongyles
are they expensive in the US ?
i've got a lot of them, just let me know,.........

Hey, I'm also interested in those bugs

Maybe we can make a deal

Damn....haven't got my assasin bugs, and already lookin' for some other creatures

 

[Steven]

Hey MacCleod
Welcome on this board,... now there 4 dutchspeaking persons here,....

greetz

 

[Valael]

Hissers are a buck a piece at the pet store here.



I still really want to get a colony of roaches going, but who would have thought that roaches are actually EXPENSIVE?


I want them as a display and feeder thing. Lobsters climb glass from what I hear, and the defensive smell pretty much eliminates them.



All of the other "good" ones seem to be $25+ a dozen. I don't know if I have the experience needed to successfully get a colony going with only a dozen. Or is it a lot easier than I understand it to be?

 

[chuck]

lobsters have defensive odors???? i never noticed, but then again, i never cleaned their tank

roaches bread like crazy, you dont need to do much. i used them for feeders only and i didnt pay much attention to humidity or temp. i still ended up with a huge colony of hissers and lobsters.

and the price, just think, itll pay off in the future. once they mate youll have too many to even feed to your pets

 

[DarkPhreak]

Originally posted by Valael
Hissers are a buck a piece at the pet store here.



I still really want to get a colony of roaches going, but who would have thought that roaches are actually EXPENSIVE?


I want them as a display and feeder thing. Lobsters climb glass from what I hear, and the defensive smell pretty much eliminates them.



All of the other "good" ones seem to be $25+ a dozen. I don't know if I have the experience needed to successfully get a colony going with only a dozen. Or is it a lot easier than I understand it to be?

Everything Depends on Temp! Keep it close to the 90's and feed them some Orange slices and you'll have babies in a week or so! I promiss, these roachs are so easy to take care of I love my Hissers.... Oddly I only started with females! There was not 1 male in there But since the Females have Sperm Retainers, they gave birth to like 40 babies in a few weeks!

 

[Buspirone]

Originally posted by Valael


All of the other "good" ones seem to be $25+ a dozen. I don't know if I have the experience needed to successfully get a colony going with only a dozen. Or is it a lot easier than I understand it to be?

With only a dozen you will need alot of patience but roaches are easy....keep them warm, give them some space, some places to hide and give them food and they will reproduce eventually. I think the price is high because they breed so easily that the dealers are only going to get one maybe two sales for any given species per customer. They are worth the price and effort IMO to get away from crickets.

 

[atavuss]

Originally posted by Code Monkey
If you want roaches for pets, definitely go with a non defensive smell variety. Hissers are among some of the more dramatic looking roaches and can make good display animals. I've got cultures of P. americana at work and I would never want them in my home intentionally.

You might also consider things like B. gigantea, discoidales, crannifer, or dubia.

ok CM, curiousity has got the best of me here........why do you culture the P. americana roaches at work?
Ed