Roaches - Feeders, Pets, etc.

[bowen012]

Once again taking orders on various cockroach species.

Current stock includes:


Blaptica dubia (Dubai Roach) - Great feeder insects. They are generally higher in protein than most common feeder insects and provide great nutrition for your pet reptiles or fowl. Less odor than crickets and certainly less noise. Unlike many roach species, these guys can't climb smooth vertical surfaces making them easy to keep and contain. Sexual maturity at around 4-6 months. *Shown in the first attached photograph

Feeder nymphs $4 per dozen (+ shipping calculated to your postal code)
Adult breeding pair $4 (+ shipping calculated to your postal code) - *fluctuating availability; please inquire


Gromphadorhina portentosa (Madagascar Hissing Cockroach) - Another great feeder that's packed with protein. These guys are huge (~2-3" at maturity). Easy keepers that eat pretty much anything. They can climb most surfaces so there is a possibility of escape if you don't secure your container with a mesh/screen lid. These guys are prolific breeders but take a while to reach sexual maturity (~7 months). *Shown in the second attached photograph.

Feeder nymphs $4 per dozen (+ shipping calculated to your postal code)
Adult breeding $6 (+ shipping calculated to your postal code) - *fluctuating availability; please inquire

Both of the breeds above also make excellent pets for those interested in insects/arachnids/etc. I also carry Harlequin Roaches and Glow Spot Roaches with limited availability - please inquire. Harlequin roaches have great markings and are some of the 'prettiest' pets you'll find in the insect world. Glow Spot Roaches have bioluminescence capability when fed an adequate diet of specific bacteria. Growingsome bioluminescent fungi for them to feed from is occasionally sufficient to attain this in captivity.

 

[maranfarmer563]

Interested in for pets

 

[bowen012]

I have nymphs available in Madagascar Hissing Roaches as well as Dubai Roaches. For first time pet roach owners I'd recommend the Madagascar Roaches. Hissers require a tank with a lid (you can coat the top 2-3' with vaseline or teflon tape) as they can climb smooth surfaces. Dubai are much smaller and can't climb glass - Adult males have wings but rarely (as in I've never seen a captive one) fly.

If you don't want a full dozen, I can send 4-6 unsexed nymphs for $2 plus shipping. I'll need your postal code to find a date that isn't too cold, but it shouldn't be a problem this time of year with heat packs.

 

[maranfarmer563]

I'm in northern Pennsylvania 18832

 

[maranfarmer563]

Glowing one is like a lighting bug

 

[bowen012]

Glowing one is like a lighting bug

In the wild but extremely difficult to replicate in captivity. I'd say easily, well over 90% of captive glowspot roaches never exhibit any sort of luminescence.

 

[rbaker0345]

I am interested in these for my birds but also as a pet for my kids school.

The first question I have is: are these species prone to carrying eye worm schistosomes? The palmetto bugs (wood roaches) around here do carry them but transmission to the chickens is not so easy. I have had one case of eye worm in the past four years. Could these guys pick up eye worm from the palmetto bugs that sometimes come into my house and then transmit it to my chickens?

Second: can you house the harlequin and hissing cockroaches together? What kind of housing do they need? Do German cockroaches pose a health risk to these cockroaches (they are pretty ubiquitous in this area).

Third: palmetto bugs pinch when handled, especially the nymphs and that completely freaks me out. Do the hissing or harlequin roaches pinch with their mandibles?

 

[maranfarmer563]

I'd take a doz good sized nymphs

 

[InsectivoreCo]

Here is a little info on Schistosomes...

"Schistosomes live in lakes, rivers, reservoirs and canals, and can infect anyone who comes into contact with contaminated water.
An infected person will pass out parasite eggs in their urine or faeces (stools), which can survive in water for up to seven days.
Schistosomiasis is a disease associated with poverty. Poor living conditions, overcrowding, poor sanitation, and a lack of clean water and medical services all increase the risk of getting schistosomiasis."

This is in no way a remark on how your chickens are set up, rbaker! Parasites make their way to the most unlikely of places in the most inopportune times. Being in NC, you have a much greater chance of running into things like that than we do up here in PA.
That being said, there are very few cases of these parasites. Roaches actually carry far less parasites than earth or red worms that are able to be transmitted to your poultry.
As for the Germans - this is one species we are all familiar with. Yes, they could carry parasites or other undesirables if there was a large population around your bins. Keeping some packing tape wrapped around the top sides of your bin will ensure no invaders can make their way inside - be that spiders, roaches, etc. Also, keeping your bin closed and away from food areas should be enough to keep the Germans out.

Any questions, please ask.

 

[rbaker0345]

Oh, so you could keep them in a plastic bin, I was thinking of a snake cage type setup with the mesh top like I've seen the hissing roaches in at zoos. That makes much more sense.

And, no schistosomiasis is not common in the U.S. I have a background in parasitology so I know this. However, there is a member of the schistosome family which makes an appearance from time to time on US soil via the Woodroach or Palmetto bug or Waterbugs as we call them here in NC (so the rich people don't have to admit that they got roaches just like the rest of us). Chickens get them by eating roaches. I am not asking because I think roaches are dirty. I have learned to live with palmetto bugs, they're pretty solitary and the cat enjoys the heck out of ridding the house of them. Not all chickens that eat infected roaches will come down with eye worm but I was just asking because I wanted to cover all of my bases. I keep my chickens and my living environment very well, thank you. But we do live in a swamp and so we have a higher than average concentration of parasites and palmetto bugs in this area.