Handling your roaches

[Israel2004]

Just something I've noticed in a few other posts lately and I thought a poll would be a good idea to see how of us, who have roaches are freaked out at handling the adults.

edit: Dam typo in the poll :wall:

Thanks Mr. I for the fixing the typo.

 

[Mister Internet]

For some reason, roaches are no problem to handle, for me anyway. The nymphs are especially harmless... but no, I have no problem at all with handling the adults. I'd rather have a handful of adult roaches than try to grab one adult cricket... *geeeh* ....

 

[Hedorah99]

I used ot be so terrified of roaches it wasn't funny. the fact I lived in Florida at one point made that a real inconvenience. I actually had to run out of a 7-11 when a Palmetto Bug flew in. I started raising dubia as a feeder source and it has been nothing but therapy. I don't have problems with nymphs or females but males still kinda freak me out. It is still very satisfying when I toss them down a lividum or H. gigas hole.

 

[james]

handling

Funny, when I first got them I really did not like handling them. Now it seems that I handle more roaches than anybody. Everyday I'm either packing, cleaning, or doing something with roaches.I never really minded crickets or mealworms, but now I would handle a roach over them anyday.
James
www.blaberus.com

 

[stonemantis]

Roaches IMO are more stealthy than scary to me. I have been suprised by a few that decided to take to the air when they where being handled but, I was never scared of them. I used to have a large hisser that liked to give me a manicure now and then and did quite well. I would consider roaches one of the many "safe" invertebrates to handle.

 

[Alakdan]

I find it easier to handle a running roach than a jumping cricket. Besides, I've never been bitten by a roach.

 

[ShadowBlade]

Yeah, I can handle adults and nymphs.

I just wonder how many people would openly say on here they WERE in fact scared of them? Or afraid to handle them.

 

[siliconthoughts]

I'm definitely more comfortable grabbing handfuls of nymphs, but that's just because the adults have more leg spines. The adults did take some getting used to, I didnt' like handling them when I first got them. The nymphs have always seemed relatively cute.

I don't mind crickets either, but I hate hate hate holding grasshoppers. Ever since I caught one when I had a cut on my finger and opened my hand to find it eating the dead skin on the edge of the cut. Ick.

 

[Beardo]

They don't bother me at all....only thing I don't like is getting poked by some of the adults who have those spines on their legs.

 

[cacoseraph]

i used to hate/be terrified of roaches... but i got over it rather nicely once i started taking care of feeder colonies.

one thing, i started with Madagascar hissers after i had a few praying mantis. i loved the praying mantis so much once i started seeing similarities in the roaches to the mantids it was the beginning of the end of my discomfort. now i have to pick out ugly roaches to feed from my hisser colony or i feel too bad heheheh

 

[gothra]

I don't mind the nymphs, but I won't catch an adult with my bare hands. However, I just started breeding/keeping roaches since December, so I might get used to them someday~

At the moment, I need to wear a pair of latex gloves if I need to handle the adults, their strong kicks still kinda freak me out...:8o

 

[Vys]

They're ok to handle, but adult Panchlora are pretty hysterical and quick to take off. What I absolutely despise touching is meal- and superworms, and other wormish things. *Ughmahäggelgäck*

 

[Scolopendra55]

I have no problem handeling adults or nymphs.

 

[NrthCstInverts]

i really really dislike the spines on the legs of some adults.... but i still grab them etc...... they poke with the spines and i have flashbacks to when i used crickets alot and got alot of pest spiders in a shipment..... got bit up, kinda felt the same except for the sickness after the bites.

the babies are really no problem either. only thing about them is they can be hard to shake off into the container if they zoom up the back of your arm...lol

 

[John J Starr Jr]

Handling

I think that one issue just might be the size since most of us are used to the smaller sized northern U.S.A roaches in general.

Maybe the best way to get over it would be to just put your hand into a giant roach colony's cage and let 25 or so adults and nymphs crawl on your arm until you see that they are no threat.

The spines on the larger species legs are a bit sticky but it does not bother me at all. I have never had a bite from a giant roach either.

John J Starr Jr

 

[aggie08]

"Maybe the best way to get over it would be to just put your hand into a giant roach colony's cage and let 25 or so adults and nymphs crawl on your arm until you see that they are no threat."

Or the best way to go into shock...

I don't have problems with either, course I have hissers and they are calm. I handled a false death's head once and it was so skittish, I hate that. I try not to pick up the nymphs because they're so small and fast. I've lost a few that way. I like to get an adult in my hand and make a fist around it, they love it in there. It's dark and oh so warm.

 

[T 'n T]

Never handled any roaches until I got some as feeders. They do like to grab you with their little legs, but they're so cute, much less smelly than crickets, and they make this adorable chirping sound. And the little roach babies are downright lovable.

Right now I'm trying to get the colony going so I've only fed one, an emergency dinner for a recently-molted T. I felt so guilty.

 

[Natco]

Both kind of freak me out a little, bit I handle both anyway. At least I was not too ashamed to admit it....