Does this seem ironic to anyone else???

[Aarantula]

Now I'm not a keeper of roaches in any way shape or form (I'm a tarantula guy through and through) but I just find it funny and a bit ironic that roaches have been one of evolutions strongest survivors throughout their time on this planet surviving some of earths most chaotic natural disasters such as floods, fires, earthquakes and nuclear blasts. This showing that they can adapt and survive in ANY environmental change such as climate and food depravation... Now to me, the ironic part is that roach keepers (such as you reading this thread) take them into captivity and worry about temperature of enclosure, type of food to feed and breeding methods. Now as I said... I'm not a roach keeper but I'm willing to bet that if you were to just throw a hand full of roach's into a tank with some garbage that they would flourish a population in no time just from how Mother Nature has accustomed the roach. Don't ya think? Now I'm not making fun of roach keepers in any way but I just find it kind of funny when I see people asking about care methods for natures most adapt and invincible life form. Anyone agree???

 

[Brad Ramsey]

It's true that the roach is a resiliant creature, but don't forget that adaptation
takes time ...several generations.
So if conditions are not ideal the roaches can survive and eventually adapt, but as keepers of these animals we want them to flourish. Providing ideal conditions stimulates reproduction which is in most cases the goal in roach keeping.
Many species take many months under perfect conditions to get the ball rolling on a colony....I for one would not want to extend that time by offering less.
Also mold kills roaches, so tossing some garbage in a tank and leaving them would not really produce much more than dead roaches.

-Brad

 

[kahoy]

4 4...

the captivity differs from the wild, so think about a large forest to a small container... it looks very different doesnt it?

so when you heat the container on one part the whole becames the same on temp...

but on the wild, roaches can move around... actually they also die, but those stronger ones will survive and their genes adapted on that circumstance will help those future roaches...

 

[pinkfoot]

.

ROFL!!

He's got a good point though! I tend to treat mine as pampered menials (which I guess they are?! :? ) but I'm sure the OP can see from the above posts why this is amusing but necessary...Heh heh!

 

[dtknow]

Also helps that we are dealing with different species. Delicate rainforest roaches vs aridland and later human habitation adapted species.

When people start worrying about their B. germanica not breeding or dietary requirements of periplaneta americana I think we are going to far!

 

[petshopguy]

If you are one to believe that all things have evolved from a liquid mass of elements, then you have to accept that all animals currently living are survivors. They have all survived instances of floods, fires, earthquakes, etc. The belief that roaches live through anything is more science fiction than fact - ask any roach keeper.
Enjoyed the humorous topic though. Things that make you go "hmmmm":?

 

[Mr. Mordax]

Regarding the above post, I think what separates roaches apart is they are one of those animals that has survived mass extinctions in the past. They have also shown an ability to survive local environmental trauma that other species fail to survive.

 

[lucanidae]

All animals currently living are survivors. They have all survived instances of floods, fires, earthquakes, etc. The belief that roaches live through anything is more science fiction than fact - ask any roach keeper.

AGREED!

Some species of roach are especially hardy, but this dosen't mean all species can endure any kind of treatment. Since most people are interested in exotics it is no doubt they have to keep careful watch over captive conditions. Also, the whole 'indestructable roach' thing is a little overblown; roaches aren't even that succesful in the vast scheme of insects, look at how many more niches beetles and hymenoptera (not to mention flies!) are filling as compared to the roaches!

 

[casey marie]

yea, i guess so. y doesn't anybody keep any other kinds of bugs except for the big exotic kind? and what is everyone's problem with them all anyway? like, i would have a roach (and a ton of other tarantulas) if my mom weren't so creeped out. and everybody thinks they're so gross. such misunderstood creatures..........kind of like me........

 

[Mr. Mordax]

y doesn't anybody keep any other kinds of bugs except for the big exotic kind?

If you've lived around the small local kinds your whole life, they get kind of boring. Which would you rather keep? The house spider that hides in your tool shed, or a huge blue P. metallica?

 

[Aarantula]

Your roach ain't ridin in coach...

I still think it's kinda funny... LOL!

 

[sick4x4]

whats funny to me is that every time i throw one in with my t's they disappear:? i guess they are escape artists too...who knew lol!!!

 

[dtknow]

yea, i guess so. y doesn't anybody keep any other kinds of bugs except for the big exotic kind? and what is everyone's problem with them all anyway? like, i would have a roach (and a ton of other tarantulas) if my mom weren't so creeped out. and everybody thinks they're so gross. such misunderstood creatures..........kind of like me........

Where do you live? You need to move down South if you haven't already. If you live there and you can say that, you have my admiration!(assuming we are talking of the run of the mill roaches of course).

 

[~Abyss~]

I dont know about you guys but i still have slight fear of roaches. They're nasty and disgusting and eat the garbage around here. When i treat my roaches like pets i do it so that I can say I have clean roaches that I have no problem handling.

 

[Mr. Mordax]

They're nasty and disgusting and eat the garbage around here.

So do a lot of cosmopolitan pest animals . . . not to mention liberal arts students.

(Sorry, engineer here -- I couldn't resist No offense to art students.)

Anywho, what I mean is a lot of "feral" animals in urban environments tend to live in disgusting conditions (everything from roaches to rats to stray dogs). It's a lot different when you have it under pet-quality conditions. On top of that, only a few roaches species are urban pests. The majority live nowhere near people.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

It's true that only a few roach species are considered pests...I think about 6 out of 3400 or so. Truly a case of a few kids ruining it for the whole class.
And they are not dirty and disgusting, probably one of the cleanest animals I know of. There has never been a case of a roach transferring any kind of disease to a human.
The closest they could come to hurting you is if you happen to be one of the unfortunate people who are alergic to the protein in their frass.

-Brad

 

[RoachGirlRen]

I agree; anyone who has ever observed a roach's behavior - from your standard american city roach to an exotic death's head or hisser - will note that they are exceptionally clean animals who groom themselves and one another constantly. The only animal I've ever seen spend more time keeping itself tidy is a cat (ok, and my sister). Personally, I find all roach species equally fascinating and appealing - though I suppose if I had a problem with them in my house I'd find them just as loathsome as the constant infestation of fruit flies I seem to have in my room.

 

[Mr. Mordax]

. . . just as loathsome as the constant infestation of fruit flies I seem to have in my room.

Carnivorous plants and free-range spiders seem to help with this.

 

[RoachGirlRen]

Oh trust me, spiders are VERY welcome in my room. I have several well established webs and permenant residents. The main problem is my fish room, which is very low light for the species I keep, and not great for most plant species as a result.

 

[xelda]

I'm not a roach keeper but I'm willing to bet that if you were to just throw a hand full of roach's into a tank with some garbage that they would flourish a population in no time just from how Mother Nature has accustomed the roach. Don't ya think? Now I'm not making fun of roach keepers in any way but I just find it kind of funny when I see people asking about care methods for natures most adapt and invincible life form. Anyone agree???

Because clearly, all roaches are built the same. I don't think they're nature's most invincible life form at all. The fact that anybody could believe they are is the only funny thing here. There are plenty of other organisms that would easily hold that position. Nematodes and beetles, for example. If you want to consider adaptability to various living conditions, just compare the numbers of species. 350,000 known kinds of beetles versus 3,500 cockroaches. And the speculation is that there is one species of nematode for every single species of animal living on the planet. Sure, roaches have been around for a long time, but have they adapted to aquatic life? Or freezing conditions? Or high acidity?

I make it sound like I don't like roaches. But really, the original topic of this thread is nothing but a massive over-generalization. Cockroaches have the reputation of being invincible, but that doesn't mean that they are. Ever tried raising pest roaches in an escape-proof cage? You might be surprised by how not easy they are to breed.