Best Feeder Roach??

Scolopendra55

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 30, 2005
Messages
1,408
I was wondering what is the most prolific species of cockroach that CAN NOT climb glass and can be used as a feeder for scorps and T's??
 

Dom

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 20, 2005
Messages
665
My understanding is that Blatta lateralis is the most prolific.The lateralis are very fast and lay egg cases that may need a certain humidity level. The lateralis seem to be more tolerant of lower temperatures than the dubias.
The dubias are much slower moving, give live birth and are perhaps double the weight (?).
The dubias will sometimes dig if placed in a tank with substrate (such as my scorpion tank) whereas the the lateralis don't.
I have lateralis and dubias and prefer working with the dubias.
 

jw73

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 7, 2004
Messages
488
Blaptica dubias of course. Very mellow, slow moving and large enough.
 

Digby Rigby

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 5, 2005
Messages
150
Fast breeding nonclimbers

If speed of breeding and non climbing are the 2 most important characteristics, then Blatta lateralis are the way to go. They top out at a little over an inch in length. Males are winged females arent. A female can drop an egg case every 2 weeks or so and each egg case can have 20+ nymphs hatch. These are not live bearing roaches unlike dubia. The egg cases hatch in about 2 weeks. One advantage to them over live bearing is its easier to keep them from having babies in the cages they are being fed to as egg cases can be picked up. They do not dig or burrow but move very fast. As an example I sold 500 of them to a business at the beginning of the year. They were using over 10000 crix a month. Not counting mealworms etc.They now have no need to purchase any crix or mealies. Also they reach maturity fast in about 3 months or so. They are an extremely fast moving roach however. So if you are looking for something close to cricket size and fast breeding and nonclimbing are the paramount concerns then Blatta lateralis is the top choice far surpassing dubia based on the criterion mentioned:drool:

Digby Rigby

DigbyRigby@exoticfeeders.com

Pics of actual animals I have had for sale including lateralis and orange Isopods among others
http://exoticfeeders.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=18
 

darrelldlc

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 1, 2004
Messages
329
OK I have a question for the roach info helpers. Is there a roach with all of the characteristics of the above, except larger? I am looking for a larger feeder for some of my Tarantulas and scorpions. thanks
Darrell.
 

JohnxII

Avicoholic
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 21, 2004
Messages
899
darrelldlc said:
OK I have a question for the roach info helpers. Is there a roach with all of the characteristics of the above, except larger? I am looking for a larger feeder for some of my Tarantulas and scorpions. thanks
Darrell.
Blaberus discoidalis. Less likely to get stressed than dubia's, and usually larger & more prolific due to cross breedings. They are also faster on the feet and less likely to burrow.
 

angus

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 24, 2005
Messages
207
i always saw the thread about "best feeder"..from my own view..
i would vote B. dubia...medium size (4~5cm), cant fly/climb/ life bearing,
very low smell, NON aggressive(that mean can hv a high housing density),

i have got some advise at discoids, but i feel its more agessive than dubia,
they always fights..just my own idea.

if u wanna got a bigger size sp. i think Archimandrita tesselata and
Blaberus giganteus would do the job.:)
 

Randolph XX()

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 10, 2004
Messages
1,458
dubias are mostly 4cm due to inbreed in captivity
Discoids or fusca/ fusca hybrids are bigger and much more meaty
i found B.lateralis has the best movement to attract scorps and Ts cuz they are not as "flat" as others, but only for small stuff not for big Ts or emperors etc.
 

james

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 20, 2003
Messages
474
roaches

I think what you can take from a thread like this is that there are many good species. I think the best plan is to buy 4 or 5 and try them out. See what you like best and then commit to a colony for long term use. I have info on a few species under the Help & Support, but there are lots of them.
James
www.blaberus.com
 
Top