Roaches and parasites?

[xelda]

I had a long discussion with my vet today about using roaches as feeders. Her main concern is that roaches are vectors for diseases and parasites which never leave the colony.

I know some of you regularly import wild caught specimens to introduce new blood to your colonies, but what precautions are you taking to ensure that the new specimens are clean? Do you quarantine? Is this something you've ever thought about?

 

[Dark Raptor]

I had a long discussion with my vet today about using roaches as feeders. Her main concern is that roaches are vectors for diseases and parasites which never leave the colony.

When I had parasitology at my university, I get some excrements of my hissers for tests. I've discovered eggs of two Nematoda species. I keep that colony for a few years in clean terrariums... so as You see it can be true. Of corse they can also carry many bacteria (like Salmonella ect.).
I don't know anything about imported parasites, but it is always possible.

 

[xelda]

When I had parasitology at my university, I get some excrements of my hissers for tests. I've discovered eggs of two Nematoda species. I keep that colony for a few years in clean terrariums... so as You see it can be true. Of corse they can also carry many bacteria (like Salmonella ect.).

I will probably end up trying that myself since I do regular fecal tests for my animals. Nematodes don't really concern me too much because I can see how a dry set-up would dessicate larvae before allowing them to complete their life cycle. I'm more concerned about protozoa that have stages of dormancy to protect them from the cleanest environments.