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View Full Version : What's buggin' you? Cockroaches? :)



Rick
07-12-2005, 02:53 AM
Well, since an argentine tegus wild diet consists more of insects, seeds and fruits in the wild, I have decided to add more roaches into my tegus diet. I have a small order of roachs coming from James Tuttle from Blaberus.com (http://www.thetegu.com/banners.php?op=click&bid=2). He has a nice site with lots of different types of cockroaches for sale including some of the rarer ones. Check out his site. He has roach pictures, info, caresheets, supplies and more. I also found out he is the one who supplied Bennett (beardiedragon) with his hissers.

Blaberus.com (http://www.thetegu.com/banners.php?op=click&bid=2) is the leading breeder and supplier of roaches in the U.S. (You'll notice I also placed a banner at the bottom of the website if you need it in the future.) James wanted me to inform you that he is willing to help get any of you started into roaches of your own. Just drop him an email. I don't think his prices can be beat. I will update you all once my roaches arrive.

Rick

DeadIrishD
07-12-2005, 03:06 AM
I need a cc or something

Rick
07-12-2005, 04:14 AM
You'd have to either have someone else order them for you and pay them in cash to do it. Or contact James and see if perhaps he has another method of payment, like postal money order or such.

I am not sure if he does, but I am sure he wouldn't mind answering a message from you. Make sure to tell him your a The Tegu Community member.

Rick

07-12-2005, 12:25 PM
I got my colony of B. Dubia from James. He was very helpful and answered a ton of questions. Shipping was fast and reliable. And he cut me a break in price for buying a large order. So, I'd certainly suggest that others buy from him as well.

He has lot's of different kinds of roaches. But after having talked to James and having read all of the info on his site, I decided on the B. Dubia (which I'm really happy with). They don't make any noise. No bad smell. They don't climb (which is a big deal IMO). They breed fast and live long. They may not be the largest of the roaches. But they're plenty big to suppliment a tegu diet. And best of all they're super easy to keep. I just keep mine in a big Rubbermaid type container w/ holes drilled in the lid and some egg crate. Throw some food and water crystals in each day and that's about it. I'll have to add a heat pad as the weather cools off. But for right now, the Virginia heat seems to suit them just fine.

Rick
07-12-2005, 01:54 PM
I should get my roaches Wednesday. I have a lot of 50 Blaberus discoidalis (a.k.a. discoid or false death heads) coming. He mentioned he will probably toss in a few other species for me to check out. Can't wait to get them. I do need to make room and pickup some tubs to keep them in. :)

The don't fly, climb glass or jump. They seem to fit the description of exactly what I want.

I'll keep everyone updated, but if you are interested I'd check his site (http://www.thetegu.com/banners.php?op=click&bid=2) and prices. It was nice to find someone who will sell smaller cultures too so you can try them out and see if your tegu likes them before making a bigger order. I know my tegus love roaches more then mice or crix.

Rick

07-12-2005, 02:12 PM
I started with a group of 50 also as I wanted to get the colony up and running fairly quickly. I certainly have waaaay more than 50 now. Had I known just how easy these guys are to work with (as opposed to crickets or mealworms) I'd have started breeding them years ago.

James_James
07-12-2005, 11:50 PM
I HATE COCKROCHES :!: I'm afraid I can't alow those things in my apartment.

aznboi409
07-13-2005, 12:09 AM
i agree with u james..i hate roaches..they r disgusting..

Rick
07-13-2005, 02:35 AM
Well, some people will indeed feel that way. My wife didn't care for the hissers much when we first got them. Once she realized they were not gonna escape and infest the house she calmed a bit. Now that she realizes they don't stink like crickets, they don't 'cricket' all night like crickets, they are bigger and taster for the tegus.. well now she is ok with them as long as she doesn't need to handle them. (We're still working on that)

Roaches are indeed a LOT better then crickets, for many reasons.

Rick

Boywithscalez
07-14-2005, 01:00 PM
I have a small colony of discoids and hissers, the discoids are fast!!! You dont have to worry about them escaping and taking over the house because they cant breed in our temperate zone let alone last a winter. so if your house is at room temp, you have nothing to worry about they only breed at 85 and up for temps.

Englishtegu
09-20-2005, 08:59 AM
Rick/others

I was wondering how it is going with the cockroaches. I am thinking of setting up a colony of Blaptica dubia and maybe one of the larger species (hissers). Any advice/tips?

I would love to be able to produce enough so that I can phase out/drastically reduce buying crickets. I did breed Nauphoeta cinerea for a while, and they were very popular as food, but they are too fast and climb too well. Six months after finishing with them (i.e. feeding them to my animals!), I'm still finding the odd one in my reptile room from time to time.

Mark.

drfish
09-20-2005, 11:43 AM
Mark, i'd be very interested in purchasing some from you if you get it set up.

Let me know how you get on with it.

Englishtegu
09-21-2005, 12:40 PM
Drfish

Unless I can source some roaches in the UK/Europe, I'm thinking of importing some from Blaberus.com. I've enquired about shipping costs etc.

This becomes a lot more economical if two or three people share the shipping costs. Are you interested in setting up your own colony?

If we ordered 150 Blaptica dubia each, it would work out at c. £65 each. 150 is a good number to start a colony. The more you start with, the quicker you are up and running. I tried starting a Eublaberus prosticus colony a while ago, but only had about fifteen to start with, and it was so slow I got bored and fafter many months just fed them to some bearded dragons! (I've got to work on my patience...)

Anyone else in the UK interested? Johelian?

Cheers,
Mark.

Diegar
09-21-2005, 01:20 PM
I saw this post yesterday and starting looking into it.. Today, or tomorrow, i plan to buy some Blaptica dubia and start up a colony. I think my mother would be proud.. At any rate, it will give her a reason to stay on the other side of the country.

drfish
09-21-2005, 02:08 PM
Drfish

Unless I can source some roaches in the UK/Europe, I'm thinking of importing some from Blaberus.com. I've enquired about shipping costs etc.

This becomes a lot more economical if two or three people share the shipping costs. Are you interested in setting up your own colony?

If we ordered 150 Blaptica dubia each, it would work out at c. £65 each. 150 is a good number to start a colony. The more you start with, the quicker you are up and running. I tried starting a Eublaberus prosticus colony a while ago, but only had about fifteen to start with, and it was so slow I got bored and fafter many months just fed them to some bearded dragons! (I've got to work on my patience...)

Anyone else in the UK interested? Johelian?

Cheers,
Mark.

I may well know of a source we could get some from in the UK. Leave it with me til monday, and i'll have an answer for you.

drfish
09-21-2005, 02:14 PM
Also, check here

http://www.faunology.co.uk/shop/customer/search.php?substring=cockroach

Englishtegu
09-21-2005, 03:13 PM
That sounds good!!!

beardiedragon
09-22-2005, 02:17 AM
those are not Craniifers (death head). Maybe discoidalis (false death head). Craniifer has jet black wings.

Heres a few pics you guys may like

http://www.beardiedragon.com/posts/bug/bigH.jpg

http://www.beardiedragon.com/posts/bug/DH_AdultW.jpg

http://www.beardiedragon.com/posts/bug/DH-eating-1.jpg

http://www.beardiedragon.com/posts/bug/DH-eating-2.jpg

http://www.beardiedragon.com/posts/bug/DH-eating-3.jpg

punky
09-22-2005, 11:05 PM
eew ew ew ew ew! :shudder: roaches are the only things that creep me out!!

Englishtegu
09-23-2005, 01:56 PM
beardiedragon

To me that is a beautiful sight! Any chance you could put a couple of hundred of those in a box and mail them to me?

Mark.

Diegar
09-23-2005, 02:46 PM
I bought 100 roaches online yesterday and they are being shipped out on monday.. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

beardiedragon
09-23-2005, 03:23 PM
I am so low on roaches, I have not had any extra for a few months now. You guys are lucky over there that you have access to locusts

Englishtegu
09-25-2005, 02:48 PM
No worries Beardiedragon; its got to be easier to find some over here. I saw tons at the Terraristika show in Hamm, Germany back in March, but I've never seen them in the UK. Wish I'd bought some then...

Don't your livefood suppliers breed locusts? They are very easy to get here, but not particularly cheap. It seems that beardies do really well on them. I don't know whether they prefer locusts, but they go mad for them. Could just be that they get bored with crickets?

I've only tried them with my tegs once. They ate them, but didn't go mad for them like they do king mealworms and large black crix.

Cheers,
Mark.

Englishtegu
09-27-2005, 04:30 PM
Drfish;

I've found a roach breeder in the UK, if you're interested. I've ordered 120 Blaptica dubia and 60 Blaberus giganteus to start me off...

Let me know if you'd like his contact details. He also has a few other species.

Englishtegu.

drfish
09-27-2005, 07:56 PM
Yeah cool, can you pm me the details mate.

Ta muchly.

Englishtegu
09-29-2005, 08:43 AM
Drfish

I've sent you the details via a pm.

Mark.

Slizarus
09-29-2005, 11:12 PM
Beardie, what you have are a Fusca x Craniifer Hybrid.. a very proliferous little bugger.. which actually seem to fare better than either of the 2 species..

It was popular a few years back and sold as Death Heads to the public..

Fusca are the Dwarf Cave roaches.. and craniifer.. well, you know.

I breed 3 species..
Hissers, Discoid, Lobster.. and I'm dying to attain more.. they're beautiful insects
Especially the blaberus genus.. I want to attain pure Fusca, Craniifer, and Giganteus (Giant Cave Roach, longest roach alive)
Also Parabolus (Black head) and a few others..

Hissers rock though :)

Lobsters.. not so much.. ugh

I bought my Discoids from Clay Davenport at Arbreptiles.com He's a bit pricier.. in fact, a lot pricier.. but he gave me far more than what I had ordered, and I'm really happy with my order.

Lobsters from a few different sources (They serve as gecko food and garbage disposal now)

And hissers from Rep... er.. something.. I bought Giants and Black Hissers from her at a good price :)

I began in March of this year.. and now I have thousands of the buggers, but eh, I'm happy.

And being bugged by them?

Hm?
No, not at all.. in fact..
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/5054/before9ml.th.jpg (http://img265.imageshack.us/my.php?image=before9ml.jpg)



I had to try.. A wise herper I once knew (He worked at Petco..)
said this "I wouldn't feed my reptiles anything I wouldn't eat myself"
Now.. granted, I haven't tried mice or rat.. and I'm not sure if I plan to.
But I was watching the travel channel.. Insect candy came up.. and I decided, why not?

Oh.. I gagged.. but I ate it all!.. and promptly fainted.

Rick
09-30-2005, 03:01 AM
I have hissers, discoids, orange headed and orange spotted. I think I like the hissers for their size but I think the discoid is an all around good roach.

I get my roaches from James at Blaberus.com (http://www.thetegu.com/banners.php?op=click&bid=2). I am very happy with the quality, shipping and the professionalism.

Plus, if you tell him you are a member of The Tegu Community he will also send you some freebies. :)

Rick