the pros and cons of the use of roaches over crickets...

[Snake_Eyes]

I'll think about, from what I've read B. dubia seems to be the popular choice for feeders around here.

 

[rex_arachne]

Congrats! rex_arachne for a very good thread! nice topic you have here!

thanks Vixvy.

 

[kahoy]

I never see these unusual bugs everyone talks about. What exactly are we looking at here?

mites and Dermestes maculatus they are attracted to the stinky smell of the crickets and they really are scary... they are also used on treating skulls by reating all the tissue on it leaving a white clean skull...

make sure that youll never get near this or else youll be eaten too...
(scaring a little kid)

 

[jimmysp4des]

roaches=filet mignon
crickets=spam

 

[Vixvy]

you got us there jimmy! hahaha! nice one! IMO having a variety of feeders will be good to your pets but there is one observation i had when i started to trade scorps when i got someones scorps i used to feed them with crix and it suddenly stopped eating but when i tried to feed it with roaches it took and finished it all. now when i asked the person whom i got it what was he feeding his pets he said roaches. my opinion is when scorps are used to a particular feeder they will not get used to the feeders of their new owners. hope there are some who had the same experience with me.

 

[Alakdan]

Vixvy,

Just starve them for a few days. They will eat anything.

 

[subic_spiderworld]

Biggest problem with crickets:
They tend to eat the T or scorp if they moult while a cricket is in the enclosure.

I am switching to roaches (just got 100 lateralis and dubia last week) and I think it would be much better than the crickets.

 

[rex_arachne]

how long do roaches live generally?

 

[cacoseraph]

how long do roaches live generally?

bear in mind, between all the dif roach species there is a huge range. some of the giant tank roaches live 4-6 years.

some of the smaller plague roaches live ~6-9 months iirc. most of the medium-ish sized common pet/feeder roaches live something like 18-30months

also, heat kept at, food provided, and water provided can affect this greatly!

 

[Stylopidae]

I'm mostly a centi and T keeper, but I will tell you the biggest problem I've had with crix and why I hate them as feeders now.

I'll even make it in huge text

NEMATODES

I had a centipede that got a nematode infection that I'm 90% sure came from crickets.

It died as a result, although I do plan on experimenting with the nematodes.

 

[marcelo_987]

It depends on if you breed them or not. Breeding roachs would be better because you don't to deal with the obnoxious sounds male crickets put out. If you don't want to breed them I think crickets would be better because they can't fly or walk on glass. It seems that roachs either have the ability to walk on glass, fly, or both.

 

[dtknow]

Many species used as feeders can needer climb nor walk glass.

They can't jump...either.

 

[GanjaTaz]

you don't to deal with the obnoxious sounds male crickets put out.

I think I must have the worlds horniest or most annoying male cricket in my Emp colony enclosure as I type this and it is doing it's level best to rub itself on fire witht he amount of friction it must be generating.


ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHH!

 

[rex_arachne]

bear in mind, between all the dif roach species there is a huge range. some of the giant tank roaches live 4-6 years.

some of the smaller plague roaches live ~6-9 months iirc. most of the medium-ish sized common pet/feeder roaches live something like 18-30months

also, heat kept at, food provided, and water provided can affect this greatly!

hi Caco,
can you name some of the available species that live for 18-30 months? TIA