What is the best substrate for roaches?

nomad85

Arachnosquire
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Jun 18, 2005
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I have two burrowing species (eublaberus distanti and Pycnoscelus surinamensis)
I had them on aspen shavings but it was too dry, I now have them on coco fiber and they dig up the food dish and it molds very quickly. I'm tempted to keep them like my other roaches without substrate, but I know that they do better with it, does anyone have any ideas? thanks
 

james

Arachnobaron
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Oct 20, 2003
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Roaches

For the food to be molded you either have the substrate wet, or bad ventilation. Both of these species do better with substrate and bed-a-beast (coco fiber), or sphagum moss will work. Just sparay or moisten half the container and leave the side with the food dry. Make sure you cages are ventilated as well.
James
www.blaberus.com
 

nomad85

Arachnosquire
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Jun 18, 2005
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thanks. anyone have any species specific tips for these guys?
 

JustBugs

Arachnopeon
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Jun 17, 2005
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Eublaberus distanti and Pycnoscelus surinamensis substrate

Truthfully, we have found both species to be to much trouble to bother with.
We have a good friend who has had great success with the distanti but the conditions in which he keeps them is rather appalling. The substrate is basically a constant compost of rotting vegetable and fruit matter augmented with rotten leaves. Of course he keeps them in a shed which is quite some distance from his domicile. Any attempts that we made to keep the distanti with a drier substrate had ended with worst than an ideal situation.
The surinamensis, being a burrowing roach, is typically found in humid areas in the soil.

In our opinion, there are a myriad of feeder roach species, readily available, that fill the requirements of a feeder insect being a lot less problematic.
After all, the ideal situation is to spend a maximum amount of time and effort with your pets and attempt to minimize the time spent with your feeders.

I hope this helps in some small way.

Kenn Mease
www.justbugs.com
 

Israel2004

Arachnoknight
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Apr 26, 2004
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Quick question. eublaberus distanti isn't the common name of this roach Six Spotted?????
 

nomad85

Arachnosquire
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Jun 18, 2005
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yeah. eublaberus distanti is the six spotted roach. (i typed that because yeah isnt long enough for a post...)
 

Israel2004

Arachnoknight
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Apr 26, 2004
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Hmmmmm...... Will have to try a substrate with these guys then. Having no substrate could explain the woefull results, I've had with these guys.
 

nomad85

Arachnosquire
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Jun 18, 2005
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I like the six spotteds the most out of all the roaches ive had so far, they are so fat, almost cute as nymphs, and the surinams seem to suck at climbing so I might be able to feed them to my geckos. my lobster roaches are way to good at escaping to be any good as a gecko feeder. My bearded dragons get the lobsters since they go right after them, i get alot of species of feeders and see which works best for each species of predator i keep. I think that discoids or dubia could fill all my needs, but I really like having a wide variety of roaches...
 
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