Using wild caught roaches as food?

[Frugbug]

Hiyo!

So we have a lot of roaches in the area and a bunch of spiders plus an exo terra that is currently empty. I wouldn't use the wild caught roaches as food because they might have stepped in pesticides, but would it work to breed your own roaches as food?

We currently have a salmon pink toe, a stirmi and a few other medium-sized tarantulas.

 

[Arachnophoric]

I don't really see a point in using wild caught when you could just as easily start a colony with captive feeders as well, honestly, but I don't see the harm in using captive-bred offspring of wild caught roaches either. Not offhand, at least. I'd avoid using spiders and venomous insects as feeders, though.

And depending on how frequently you feed your Ts, it really doesn't sound like you have that many to warrant breeding your own feeder colony just yet. Although it might be fun, and you can use it as an excuse to get more Ts!

 

[darkness975]

I agree. Technically using the future offspring of wild-caught feeder insects could work, but I would steer clear of anything venomous or capable of fighting back and hurting the Tarantula.

 

[Zymotic]

The American cockroach is a filthy little insect. You're better off buying some dubia roaches or red runner roaches if you want to start a colony.

 

[Arachnophoric]

The American cockroach is a filthy little insect. You're better off buying some dubia roaches or red runner roaches if you want to start a colony.

Is the American cockroach prevalent in Norway?

 

[cold blood]

most of what infests homes here in America are actually German roaches.

 

[Arachnophoric]

most of what infests homes here in America are actually German roaches.

Dammit, Germany.

 

[Frugbug]

The spiders and the roaches are all located in Louisiana - my location is more of a temporary thing. But thanks! I will probably just keep a few around in the exo terra and maybe try one or two in the future. I will report back in a few generations if they work out!

 

[Andrea82]

most of what infests homes here in America are actually German roaches.

They never give up, do they, those Germans...


OP, just buy your feeders online, no need to start a colony if you have less than 20 spider imo, if even then.
What's a salmon pink toe? I've heard about a salmon pink birdeater, and a pink toe, but never in this way...do you know the scientific names of the species you're keeping? Scientific names have preference because common names can be confusing and misleading

 

[Arachnophoric]

What's a salmon pink toe?

Sleep deprivation made me miss that entirely. Indeed, what is a salmon pink toe?

 

[Frugbug]

Oh I didn't even catch it when I wrote it! There's a Salmon Pink Birdeater and a Pink Toe. >_> Curse me for making new threads before morning coffee

Edit: Andrea it's not even because I want to start a feeding colony per se, it's more because I have an empty exo terra and I think it could be interesting to keep roaches. The feeding is more of a secondary objective!

 

[cold blood]

Oh I didn't even catch it when I wrote it! There's a Salmon Pink Birdeater and a Pink Toe. >_> Curse me for making new threads before morning coffee

Edit: Andrea it's not even because I want to start a feeding colony per se, it's more because I have an empty exo terra and I think it could be interesting to keep roaches. The feeding is more of a secondary objective!

Lasiodora parayabana and A. avicularia

 

[Andrea82]

Oh I didn't even catch it when I wrote it! There's a Salmon Pink Birdeater and a Pink Toe. >_> Curse me for making new threads before morning coffee

Edit: Andrea it's not even because I want to start a feeding colony per se, it's more because I have an empty exo terra and I think it could be interesting to keep roaches. The feeding is more of a secondary objective!

Empty exo terra...and you want to put ROACHES in it?
Blasphemy!

 

[Arachnophoric]

Lasiodora parayabana and A. avicularia

Careful there - you might start another hybrid thread with that kind of talk!

Empty exo terra...and you want to put ROACHES in it?
Blasphemy!

It's as if you read my mind.... Get out of there, it's not safe.

 

[Ungoliant]

most of what infests homes here in America are actually German roaches.

Also oriental cockroaches (Blatta orientalis).

 

[NukaMedia Exotics]

I mean if you're only wanting to use the offspring it sounds like it could work as long as the babies aren't getting any contamination on them.

 

[chanda]

The one problem I see with keeping wild-caught roaches is that they are well-suited to your environment. If (or should I say when) some escape, they can move in to the nooks and crannies of your house and reproduce. While I have no problem with a colony of roaches in an ExoTerra or a Rubbermaid bin, I do take exception to roach colonies in my pantry, under the kitchen sink, behind the shower, in my sock drawer, or any other non-designated roach spaces they might choose.

Also, depending on the species you catch, they may be far better at climbing glass or plastic, flying, or squeezing through the ventilation holes of the enclosure of whatever you are trying to feed them to, giving them a much better chance to escape and set up unsanctioned colonies in your house.

 

[Rittdk01]

Gross

 

[Greasylake]

Why use wild caught roaches from your house in an exo terra? You can see them and squish as many as you want whenever you want, without the hassle. I would put something in there like domino roaches or question mark roaches and turn that tank into a showpiece.

 

[sasker]

I know some of my neighbours spray poison against roaches. I would not trust any of the roaches that we occasionally find in our apartment to be completely pesticide-free so I would not feed them to my spiders.