Turkistan Roaches

[packer43064]

Okay, that wasn't my real question (topic description).

1. I have some of these on the way. Are these a good feeder for larger chinese mantids? I specifically got these because they are a smaller roach as an adult which means even smaller nymphs. I like a variety of feeders for animals that I keep so they won't be getting just these, but these would be a main item they would recieve.

I have FF's for when they are smaller.

2. Anything special about keeping these kind of roaches besides the normal care. Warmth, good food, some egg flats and in no time I'll be loaded with nymphs?

3. Would chicken feed, egg layer crumble to be exact a good food for them? I ground the crumble up and feed the mealworms/beetles with it. It's going pretty good with them and the beetles have laid eggs and have hatched so everything seems fine. I got a 50lb. bag so JW.

4. Also how long till production starts going?

5. One last question. I've read two different ways of doing this. You can either feed them the hydrated polymer water crystals (any roach really) or you can feed them say an orange or something like that once or twice a week for their water source. The GF doesn't eat fruits/veggies that much like I do so their is always extra so I'd rather go that route, but what works better?

Thanks for anything.

 

[geckoboy3]

Okay, that wasn't my real question (topic description).

1. I have some of these on the way. Are these a good feeder for larger chinese mantids? I specifically got these because they are a smaller roach as an adult which means even smaller nymphs. I like a variety of feeders for animals that I keep so they won't be getting just these, but these would be a main item they would recieve.

I have FF's for when they are smaller.

2. Anything special about keeping these kind of roaches besides the normal care. Warmth, good food, some egg flats and in no time I'll be loaded with nymphs?

3. Would chicken feed, egg layer crumble to be exact a good food for them? I ground the crumble up and feed the mealworms/beetles with it. It's going pretty good with them and the beetles have laid eggs and have hatched so everything seems fine. I got a 50lb. bag so JW.

4. Also how long till production starts going?

5. One last question. I've read two different ways of doing this. You can either feed them the hydrated polymer water crystals (any roach really) or you can feed them say an orange or something like that once or twice a week for their water source. The GF doesn't eat fruits/veggies that much like I do so their is always extra so I'd rather go that route, but what works better?

Thanks for anything.

1.

The newborn babies are about the size of a hydei fly, with the full grown males reaching a inch. And mantis should love them.

2.

This species breeds like mad! They lay egg cases which take a week and a half+ to hatch.

3.

Yes, they'd eat it, but make sure to have fruits and veggies! They also like dogfood, catfood, fishfood, etc. NO MEAT!

4.

They'll lay egg cases constantly, and you'll have as many, if not more, then you need.

5

Keep fruits and veggies in there at all times, water crystals would be nice.

Hoped this helped.

 

[more_rayne]

They're the perfect size for all kinds of mantids. They are my mantid's main diet. I like how they are quick and attract attention to themselves. What I don't like is that once they find a hiding place, they'll stay motionless so the mantis can't find them. And boy do these guys stink, even after a fresh cleaning of their bin, they stink. I prefer cricket stench over roach stench, maybe because I'm use to the smell of crickets.

 

[geckoboy3]

They're the perfect size for all kinds of mantids. They are my mantid's main diet. I like how they are quick and attract attention to themselves. What I don't like is that once they find a hiding place, they'll stay motionless so the mantis can't find them. And boy do these guys stink, even after a fresh cleaning of their bin, they stink. I prefer cricket stench over roach stench, maybe because I'm use to the smell of crickets.

What do you mean they smell bad?

I don't smell anything..... what do you feed them?

 

[more_rayne]

They have a musty smell to them. The smell must be coming from their bodies and not their frass. I feed them dog food and veggies.

 

[geckoboy3]

They have a musty smell to them. The smell must be coming from their bodies and not their frass. I feed them dog food and veggies.

I don't smell anything unless I feed them dog or cat food. I think that might have to do with the smell. Regardless, they love it so I feed it to them anyways

 

[hibiscusmile]

These were the only ones I did not like, to roach like :lol: I fed them off.

 

[geckoboy3]

These were the only ones I did not like, to roach like :lol: I fed them off.

I like them better then lobsters, though!

 

[packer43064]

Thanks. Anyone know of a cheap place to get some. The place I originally was getting them told me it was too cold to ship where I'm at.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Thanks. Anyone know of a cheap place to get some. The place I originally was getting them told me it was too cold to ship where I'm at.

I can guess who that was! Try Zephyr, he may have some.

And yep, since no one else has mentioned it, they do come from Turkestan and the surrounding dry areas. When Jacques Helfer published his revised How to Know the Crickets, Cockroaches and their Allies in 1971, he did not describe this cockroach. Now, it is so common in the deserts of the southwestern states that it is regarded as a pest (Hypoponeura pointed this out to me a while back, after eter and I caught one close to Yuma).