American roach as feeder

[joboi1535]

Hi, ive been wondering if it is ok to feed my jackson's chameleons american roaches, there the big bron and redish kind. i fed my male and female each one and they demolished the nasty things. i just want to make sure if its ok or not to be a feeder so i can continue or stop. thank you

 

[poison]

are you talking about the roaches you find in houses?

 

[joboi1535]

yeah
this one
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...LaE6uwigKL8IE4&sqi=2&ved=0CGIQ9QEwBA&dur=1398

 

[poison]

eww disgusting lol. i know there not healthy to humans and can cause asthma but im not sure about reptiles

 

[Swayne8998]

If you do, make sure that you have bred them several generations to ensure they have no parasites, diseases, etc. And as Poison said... I'm not quite sure if they're even healthy. Dubia roaches are a fantastic choice... I have a blog on them if you become interested.

 

[joboi1535]

thank you guys all the info helps lots

 

[Cainschams]

I dont think you have any;thing to worry about. Catch some of them, keep them in a container with good gut load in it for 3 or so days then feed them off.

 

[joboi1535]

thanks cain, appreciate the advice thats exactly what im doing haha

 

[pssh]

I would be more concerned than Cain because they live in such close proximity to humans and all of our chemicals/garbage/other stuff. My local zoo raises a colony and feeds from the colony though. So yes, they can be feeders just fine.

 

[voodoochild863]

gross they raise them on purpose. Why would you do that when god gave us dubias?

 

[DanSB]

gross they raise them on purpose. Why would you do that when god gave us dubias?

They breed faster, don't require tropical climates to thrive, and if they get loose you didn't just create an invasive species and in general are cheaper which when you're a Zoo all of these things are very important.

 

[DanSB]

I would be more concerned than Cain because they live in such close proximity to humans and all of our chemicals/garbage/other stuff. My local zoo raises a colony and feeds from the colony though. So yes, they can be feeders just fine.

I agree with this. Because we don't really know how long they are holding animal proteins or literally other garbage in their system I would not use them as anything more than an occasional enrichment feeder until you have at least one generation in captivity.

But that is just me I might be paranoid.

Also if you're feeding off wild caught insects it might be a good idea to do biannual fecals. Again that could just be me being completely paranoid and from an area with plenty of wild herps who could be perpetuating herp parasites.

 

[Montium]

If you do, make sure that you have bred them several generations to ensure they have no parasites, diseases, etc. And as Poison said... I'm not quite sure if they're even healthy. Dubia roaches are a fantastic choice... I have a blog on them if you become interested.

He's not going to get them in Hawaii.

 

[ASublimeDay]

Maybe you stated it already but where are you finding the roaches? I have this vision of you scooping them off of the kitchen floor and popping them into the cage

 

[imcurt]

Maybe you stated it already but where are you finding the roaches? I have this vision of you scooping them off of the kitchen floor and popping them into the cage[/QUOTE
Oh man!!! thats awesome!! im still laughing... My wife wont even let the dubas in our house

 

[ataraxia]

Typically where you are going to find these, your going to find pesticides. Most people try to get rid of them. So if you are collecting from a apartment complex or rental house. If you are considering these as feeders i would definitely not feed the collected ones. I would breed them out and feed off the babies. They will produce like mad and you will be able to gut load them well. So i would think they would be a ok feeder but there is no way in this world i would ever even think about having these...

 

[coldbloodedAL]

Id agree with Ataraxia... Being in the pest control industry, i see all kinds of crazy things people do to get rid of bugs in their house. From using turbo heaters to heat an apartment to spraying BED SHEETS with pesticides... Id say probably 95% of apartment complexes ive been through have done at least some treating for roaches, especially german and american.


If your going to use them, breed them and get rid of the adults afterwards.

 

[joboi1535]

getting the roaches from outside, i get em at night with a flashlight and them gutload em with turnip greens and a water and gutload in one feeder

 

[joboi1535]

ima start breeding them to be more safe because they do breed like crazy and i need some variety in my feeders

 

[pssh]

Do you have any blatta orientalis? They breed really fast too but are less of an indoor infestation risk when bred. Plus they can be parthenogenic so you dont even need the males (which can climb smooth surfaces.) In my experience, the nymphs and females couldn't climb smooth surfaces like the males could.