# Fruit platter for roaches?



## gothra (May 13, 2006)

I want to try watermelon and papaya as moisture source for my roaches, but I seldom hear people use those; is there any reason to avoid watermelon and papaya (or even dew melon...etc with high moisture content)? What about pears? Are there any type of fruits that I definitely should *NOT* feed to my roaches? Thanks.


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## nine livez (May 13, 2006)

don't feed them anything citrus like oranges......

Reactions: Disagree 1


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## John J Starr Jr (May 13, 2006)

*Food*

I use carrots, dark green romaine leef lettuce, apples, and oranges. This is in addition to bread and ground up dried dogfood. I try and alternate their foods to give them some variety. I heard somebody say that they feed bananas to their Blatta lateralis, red runner or turkistan roach, as the main staple..

I also believe that many food choices are species dependent. My Blaptica dubia will eat just about anything you give them. My dubia really seem to love the ground up dried dogfood that has lamb in it more so than any of my Blaberus species. Each of my current species seems to like something the best of all.

And of course my Dragons love to eat the nymphs. In fact, one of my Dragons is named Cricket and Cricket no longer eats crickets but only roach nymphs.

jjsjr
.


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## xelda (May 14, 2006)

Watermelon and papaya would be excellent.  Cantelope and bananas are also good choices.  Pears and apples don't seem to be as appealing to any of my roaches although they'll still eat it if that's all they have available.  They don't really go for grapes either.  I think the only reason why you don't hear many people using those to feed their roaches is because those fruits are more expensive than the usual apples and oranges.  My only recommendation is that if you have a small colony, only offer what they will finish within two days, which might only be a few small pieces.  Otherwise, the leftovers get yucky and moldy.  It's also a good idea to cut up the fruit and distribute them around the cage so you get more surface area.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## insect714 (May 14, 2006)

nine livez said:
			
		

> don't feed them anything citrus like oranges......


This is prob a dumb question but why no citrus?  ( I have never raised roaches)

Insect


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## aggie08 (May 15, 2006)

I was wondering the same thing myself, my roaches love oranges.  I read somewhere that it gives the colony kind of a collective sugar high for a day or so, and whaddya know the gravid female gave birth.  Any ideas?


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## GailC (May 15, 2006)

Roaches can have citrus. I've feed melon, pears, mango, oranges, apples, bananas, even coconut. Just don't feed them avocado

Reactions: Like 1


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## OldHag (May 15, 2006)

When I feed mine oranges I have an explosion of babies.  Its  like pitocin or something on Hissers


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## Vys (May 16, 2006)

waldo said:
			
		

> Roaches can have citrus. I've feed melon, pears, mango, oranges, apples, bananas, even coconut. Just don't feed them avocado


...'Donkeys can step on basalt, of course they can! 
Just never let them walk on granite.'  

For reference, I've read that P. nivea would love avocado, but mine didn't get all too excited when I tried. Peppers (because they are popular and tend not to mold) and apples (because they are very popular) is what I use for my rather small colony.


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## gothra (May 16, 2006)

My dubias seem to like orange, but the discoids don't. I also gave them a bit of papaya yesterday, definately not their favourite... I noticed they like pumpkin too.


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## insect714 (May 16, 2006)

waldo said:
			
		

> Just don't feed them avocado


Gotta ask why not? I know that the "wild" ones near my house can e found eating avocados in the backyard at night....

Insect


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## Scolopendra55 (May 17, 2006)

Do N.cinerea like oranges?


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## Shelob (May 18, 2006)

My dubia eat apples with gusto, other fruits that they munch on, but don't seem to enjoy quite as much as the apples are oranges, banana and berries (straw, rasp, black and blue)


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## CptMcSwaggens (Jul 1, 2017)

can i give my dubia lemoncitos?


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## Ellenantula (Jul 1, 2017)

My B lats eat just about anything.  Since I also keep parrots and a bearded dragon, I tend to buy lots of fruits and veggies anyway, so it's easy to feed these to my roaches also.  
Mine love oranges cut in half!  And roaches make less of a mess with oranges than my parrot does.  
And sometimes I buy too many grapes, so I've cut grapes in half and offered them also -- roaches love them (I cut them in half so the pinheads can enjoy them also).  Honey Dew and cantaloupe are also a hit big here with all my critters.  
I suppose my roach staples are leafy greens (not lettuces which have little nutritional value), carrots, apple - with some cereal grains and cat food added in.  My bearded dragon's favourite is mustard greens -- even the parrot has developed a taste for them now - and the roaches devour them quickly.  I've even offered roaches parrot pellets and they enjoyed that too.

My only forbidden food is anything over-ripe.  I prefer to feed mine fresh fruit/veg -- just as I do for parrots/bearded dragon (if *I* wouldn't eat it -- then I don't give it to them either). If a food is clearly over-ripened or beginning to rot -- into the compost it goes.


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## Tleilaxu (Jul 2, 2017)

The necromancy is stronk. LOL at not giving roaches citrus, that basically jump starts their reproduction systems.

That said not all roaches have a sweet tooth, some prefer veggies. Watch your roaches reaction and the amounts they eat.

Also @Hisserdude


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## Hisserdude (Jul 2, 2017)

The one thing that most roaches don't seem to like in terms of fruit are sour ones, like lemons, limes, granny smith apples, etc., I've never heard of anyone ever feeding those to bugs, except for granny smith apples, which I tried myself, and nothing seemed to like them. So @CptMcSwaggens I doubt those would work, it probably won't kill them though, so you can try and see for yourself.


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## Hisserdude (Jul 2, 2017)

Also tomatoes and strawberries, nothing I've ever kept had been particularly fond of those two, even large hungry groups of roaches don't seem to eat strawberries unless they literally have no other option yet, and they rot so quickly anyway, and nothing ever touches tomatoes. Mangoes have also been a hit and miss with my roaches, some like, some hate, none of them have _loved_ mangoes though.


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## CptMcSwaggens (Jul 2, 2017)

Hisserdude said:


> The one thing that most roaches don't seem to like in terms of fruit are sour ones, like lemons, limes, granny smith apples, etc., I've never heard of anyone ever feeding those to bugs, except for granny smith apples, which I tried myself, and nothing seemed to like them. So @CptMcSwaggens I doubt those would work, it probably won't kill them though, so you can try and see for yourself.


nah i rather not risk it, hahahaha. its my surviving ones from an ant attack


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## Hisserdude (Jul 2, 2017)

CptMcSwaggens said:


> nah i rather not risk it, hahahaha. its my surviving ones from an ant attack


Ah, yeah you might not want to get too experimental yet then lol!


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## Draketeeth (Jul 2, 2017)

Hisserdude said:


> The one thing that most roaches don't seem to like in terms of fruit are sour ones, like lemons, limes, granny smith apples, etc., I've never heard of anyone ever feeding those to bugs, except for granny smith apples, which I tried myself, and nothing seemed to like them. So @CptMcSwaggens I doubt those would work, it probably won't kill them though, so you can try and see for yourself.


https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/roaches-and-citrus.101854/
These folks tried lemons. Roaches seem to avoid it or only eat it halfheartedly, it's not their preference.

All my roaches (hissers and dubias) enjoy strawberries, but dislike strawberry leaves. They also readily take apple, lettuce (not iceburg), and carrot.

They're not too keen on watermelon, tomatoes, or oranges.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Hisserdude (Jul 2, 2017)

Draketeeth said:


> https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/roaches-and-citrus.101854/
> These folks tried lemons. Roaches seem to avoid it or only eat it halfheartedly, it's not their preference.
> 
> All my roaches (hissers and dubias) enjoy strawberries, but dislike strawberry leaves. They also readily take apple, lettuce (not iceburg), and carrot.
> ...


Good to know man, thanks for the info!  

Huh, none of mine ever really liked strawberries, not even my hissers, almost everything I have likes apples though, and carrots generally only get eaten by large cultures of roaches IME, but make great filler food.


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## Ellenantula (Jul 3, 2017)

I do check and wipe up next day following fruits -- I don't fear ants as much as fruit flies and gnats.  I try to feed enough so that there is still some leftover after 24 hours so I know every roach got a chance to eat.  Then I remove fruit/veg leftovers and wipe up 'food corner' with a damp paper towel or three.  No, I don't use substrate -- hate it in my roach enclosure -- makes cleanups more difficult, ime.


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## RTTB (Jul 4, 2017)

I know it's not fresh fruit, but has anyone used fruit jam or preserves as a roach treat? I am aware of the roach jellies available but I am curious if the fruit jam in my fridge would have merit as a roach treat.


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## beaker41 (Jul 7, 2017)

The only thing I've ever had issues with for my Dubai are apple seeds. This kills the roach. They also won't touch jalapeños.


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## Hisserdude (Jul 7, 2017)

beaker41 said:


> The only thing I've ever had issues with for my Dubai are apple seeds. This kills the roach. They also won't touch jalapeños.


That's funny, many of my colonies eat apples, seeds and all, haven't noticed any dying off from it, (was quite surprised to see half eaten seeds in their enclosures!).


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## Tleilaxu (Jul 7, 2017)

Apple seeds for contain cyanide, so they are a no go, I'm not surprised some got binned. I'm more surprised @Hisserdude roaches survived after eating the seeds.

@beaker41 Jelly is a fine treat, however it depends on the actual tastes of your roaches. Mine don't really have a sweet tooth so most fruits are ignored on their part....


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## beaker41 (Jul 7, 2017)

I've lost half a dozen one time to apple seeds, even caught one dead still eating one. Was from crab apples in my yard.


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## Hisserdude (Jul 8, 2017)

Tleilaxu said:


> Apple seeds for contain cyanide, so they are a no go, I'm not surprised some got binned. I'm more surprised @Hisserdude roaches survived after eating the seeds.


My roaches are tough, and have been selectively bred to be able to consume large amounts of cyanide safely.  Seriously though, had no idea that the seeds may be harmful for them to digest, will be keeping a closer eye on my cultures that are given whole apple cores...


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## beaker41 (Jul 8, 2017)

i. Montoyo can develop a resistance to iocane powder but only the land species in asia.

Reactions: Like 1


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## craze horse (Jul 10, 2017)

Mine love peppers, any salad leaves and go crazy for baby sweetcorn and leave huge chunks missing after a good feed ! Also fish flakes are favoured.


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