Giant Cave Roaches?

[Mindibun]

A.k.a.: Blaberus giganteus

Anyone know anything about these? I think they're awesome and if I ever got a pet roach colony going, this would probably be it. How (and where) does one go about getting these guys?

This is not my image, but I don't know where it originally came from. It's now coming from my photobucket account.


My roommate is PETRIFIED of any and all roaches, even this pretty little one that I removed today:
(already dead. )

So I'm not "seriously" looking right now. Just info gathering; y'all know how that goes.

[edie]

I know I used to see roach breeder websites all the time when I still had my tarantulas but I can't seem to find any right now.

This is the only site I can find right now:
http://www.blaberus.com/FORMgallery2.htm

He has some positive reviews too:
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=42569

From my understanding they are much easier to breed than crickets, so if you have other pets you could feed these to that would be a plus Or you might end up with a bunch of roaches on your hand!

I know I've seen a setup for a roach colony on arachnoboards before, I'll see if I can find it and send you the link

[edie]

Well I can't find the link that I used to set up my cricket colony but I found this:

http://www.blaberus.com/Documents/GeneralCareSheet.pdf

I was thinking about getting a roach colony for a little while so I know a little bit about it - I know they need a lot of ventilation and climbing space and they will need heat if you want them to reproduce.

[Mindibun]

Thanks, EE-DEE you always have the good info when it comes to "bugs". I won't be feeding them to anything - these would strictly be pets, though if they wanted to breed I wouldn't stop them. (It might be kind of hard anyway... ) From what I've read about them, they'd thrive where I live. I could basically set them in my living room and be done with it. -lol- Naturally, I'd get more involved than that, but you get the idea. I'll check out those links. If you come up with any more info or other suggestions, post 'em.

[edie]

Thanks, EE-DEE you always have the good info when it comes to "bugs". I won't be feeding them to anything - these would strictly be pets, though if they wanted to breed I wouldn't stop them. (It might be kind of hard anyway... ) From what I've read about them, they'd thrive where I live. I could basically set them in my living room and be done with it. -lol- Naturally, I'd get more involved than that, but you get the idea. I'll check out those links. If you come up with any more info or other suggestions, post 'em.

I took a closer look at that site - he sells a lot of good stuff if you set up a colony (food/water crystals/starter kits) - he even says if you want to breed just place them over a heated reptile cage and they'll be set so I'm sure you would be able to pull that off. They look like they get big, and if I saw one in person I would probably cry! But they are pretty to look at in pictures.

I think I just had a series of events happen to me involving roaches that just ruined them for me for life, I don't think I could ever be comfortable around them but have thought about getting a hisser to make me not cry every time I see them, hissers don't really look like the ones around here so I'm not as scared of them

[Mindibun]

I'm actually not a fan of the hissers. I don't like my snakes hissing at me, and I'd rather my roaches didn't do it either. I e-mailed him about pricing and availability and which he thinks make the best pets and what not. I've happened across his site once before looking for Dubia roaches for my skink. I completely forgot about him, so I'm glad you reminded me!

As for the "getting one to get over your fear" thing - that's exactly what I did when I purchased the skink. I forced myself to pick her up but I was still really jumpy while holding her. When I see a wild lizard I still get scared (especially if they jump at me) but at least I don't jump onto chairs or counter tops anymore. I only had her for 11 days, but she helped a great deal in that short amount of time. I'm still so sorry that she passed away. I wish I knew what happened... Even the vet couldn't tell me.

[edie]

I'm actually not a fan of the hissers. I don't like my snakes hissing at me, and I'd rather my roaches didn't do it either. I e-mailed him about pricing and availability and which he thinks make the best pets and what not. I've happened across his site once before looking for Dubia roaches for my skink. I completely forgot about him, so I'm glad you reminded me!

As for the "getting one to get over your fear" thing - that's exactly what I did when I purchased the skink. I forced myself to pick her up but I was still really jumpy while holding her. When I see a wild lizard I still get scared (especially if they jump at me) but at least I don't jump onto chairs or counter tops anymore. I only had her for 11 days, but she helped a great deal in that short amount of time. I'm still so sorry that she passed away. I wish I knew what happened... Even the vet couldn't tell me.

Yeah I heard about what happened to your lizard, I'm so sorry to hear that! Maybe I'll order a roach in the future and see if it helps me at all - I don't think I would be able to handle it but just looking at it might help me with my fear. There was a big roach looking beetle half way dead and upside down in the garage the other day that I had to move because I was afraid of running it over when I backed out, I almost threw up after moving it, it was ridiculous!