-Best feeder roaches?

[Michael Jacobi]

Blaberus discoidalis - the Discoid, FALSE Death's Head, or Central American Wood roach.

Many have suggested Blaberus craniifer, but that is a much more expensive and larger cousin of B. discoidalis. Many discoids are falsely sold as "Death's Head" roaches. So, either many have the misidentified species and think they have B. craniifer or they're using the more expensive of the two. True death's head roaches have a clear red "evil smiley face" on the pronutum, are about 25% larger, and usually have dark amber to black wings instead of the Discoid's light amber wings.

Prices on B. craniifer NYMPHS generally run around $40 per dozen, while you can usually get large nymphs of B. discoidalis for half that or less.

 

[Wh1teshark]

I recently aquired 5.5 B. Dubia.

I give them a variety of food, both fruit and salad and dry cockroach food from the dealer.

I have them in a pet-box and i wonder what requirements must be met before they start to lay eggs?
How much space do they need?

Do they, like crickets, require a box of moist peat-moss to lay eggs in?

Do anyone have any comparison between crickets and B. Dubia when it comes to nutrition, or are they equal?



Well, alot of questions at one time,

Hope someone can answer

All the best,

/Dave

 

[Cockroach]

B. dubia are a cockroach that gives live birth, therefore doesn't lay eggs. Like most cockroaches, keep them warm and dark. Here's what I feed my cockroaches on a regular basis: a bowl of crushed dog food and apples for them to use for their water intake needs. You can give them just about any fruit or vegetable, but avoid Iceberg lettuce(give them leaf lettuce instead). You can give them a large rubbermaid tub, and that'll be enough room for a huge number of the little buggers. In the bottom of the tub, place some cardboard egg cartons for them to hide in. I have never fed B. dubia to any of my animals, so I don't know about their nutritional content. Like most cockroaches, B. dubia would most likely be way more nutritious than crickets.


laters,
Bill

 

[chuck]

whats wrong with iceberg lettuce?

 

[Wh1teshark]

Thanks for all the answers Cockroach!

What is a Rubbermaid tub?

 

[chuck]

its a big rubber storage bin for clothes, linens and whatnot, with a secure top

 

[Cockroach]

None of my roaches would eat it, so I thought all roaches wouldn't touch the stuff. If they won't eat it, isn't it a waste to get it for them only for them to refuse it? All mine will take leaf lettuce with zeal, so I thought it'd be better to give them leaf lettuce instead of Iceberg. Plus, there's more nutrition in leaf lettuce, where Iceberg is basically water and rotts easily. That's all I meant.


laters,
Bill

 

[james]

more

I would not say that death's heads are any more expensive than discoids. I sell all my non-climbers for the same price. Maybe during the holidays while I have some time I will take some pictures for everyone. I was cleaning last night and those death heads are like roaches on speed. My distanti and orange heads are so easy to catch and move, but the death head are crazy. The dubia love to play dead. When you clean there cages the babies will act like they are dead, it is quite funny. I want to weigh them to show you guys the differance between the species. The distanti's are like tanks and are twice as heavy as some of the other species. Anyway off to do more and more cleaning. I'm not very exicted about cleang two bins with 10,000+ lobsters. Good feeder, but a pain in the rear. I am going to try no substrate and just have eggs crates. This will be a first for me so we will see how it goes.
James=D

 

[Code Monkey]

Originally posted by chuck
whats wrong with iceberg lettuce?

Iceburg lettuce has almost zero nutritional value. It has one use: roughage, beyond that you might as well try to feed them cardboard for nutrition.

 

[james]

Code Monkey

Here you go!!!!!!!

Click here: Bend Over bin Laden

 

[james]

whoops try this

http://www.rock103.com/bin.html

 

[Cockroach]

lol, that's a great game! Bloody and fun!


laters,
Bill

 

[jaijjs]

Another item that none of my Roaches will eat is Cukes! Has anyone else had the same results?

 

[Buspirone]

Originally posted by jaijjs
Another item that none of my Roaches will eat is Cukes! Has anyone else had the same results?

Remove all of the skins.....roaches have an aversion to something in the skins. I'm assuming Cukes is a slang word for cucumbers.

 

[jaijjs]

Yup!! I have tried them without skins. They just shy away from them for some reason..

 

[Cockroach]

My Discoids and Lobsters love cucumbers with or without skins equally, but my Hissers won't touch the stuff either way.


laters,
Bill