Orange head roaches too many males!

[jamest0o0]

My ratio of males to females is screwed up. I have wayyyy too many males. I'm still getting a lot of nymphs, but these guys hog the food and take up space. I try to feed the smaller ones off, but my Cham hardly eats roaches as it is. Wish I had my tegu already lol. Any suggestions on what to do with them?

 

[nightanole]

I sell them or just set them free outside

If you have way to many males they will start beating up the females. You must have less males than females, 2:1 min and some run 4-5:1

 

[poison]

Get yourself one of these

 

[jamest0o0]

haha can that thing eat a full grown roach? Maybe I'll see if anyone wants to buy them, if not I'll just let them loose I guess?

 

[NHenn]

I assume you already know but just wanted to throw it out there that Orange Head Roaches are not like Dubia and both males and females will develop the wings. So don't go through your collection and remove all the winged ones as you will be throwing away adult breeding females as well.

 

[jamest0o0]

Now I feel stupid. I did not know that! I assumed as with dubia they are the winged ones.

 

[jamest0o0]

Maybe i have nothing to worry about then.... My bad guys!

 

[NHenn]

Now I feel stupid. I did not know that! I assumed as with dubia they are the winged ones.

Hahaha, no worries at all. I thought the same thing as I was seeing so many wings when I first started to breed them and had to do some research to find out both sexes will mature with wings.

 

[poison]

haha can that thing eat a full grown roach? Maybe I'll see if anyone wants to buy them, if not I'll just let them loose I guess?

Pssh that guy eats fingers as a steady diet.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

DO NOT release non native insects outside!!!! This is why we have laws restricting roach species and other creatures, because people dump their unwanted feeders and pets and they become problematic in ecosystems they did not evolve in.

 

[jamest0o0]

Normally I wouldn't and haven't ever. I only considered it because I can't imagine tropical male roaches reproducing here.

 

[Lennoncham]

DO NOT release non native insects outside!!!! This is why we have laws restricting roach species and other creatures, because people dump their unwanted feeders and pets and they become problematic in ecosystems they did not evolve in.

Exactly what I was going to say. That is why it is illegal to have roaches in Canada. We don't want them infesting our houses or our neighbours houses.

 

[AZChamFan]

When I need to thin my dubias I freeze them (the extras) or give them to a local reptile store.

 

[jamest0o0]

@Lennoncham thankfully tropical roaches have never infested a Pittsburgh city home. They don't even want to live here lol

 

[poison]

I believe Pittsburgh get much colder than out here in CA. Even I've had lots of dubia escape out here (bin got knocked over). I started seeing lots of dead raoches around the house the following weeks and months. I don't believe they can survive and thrive in these climates. I just wouldn't release them cause I wouldn't want a huge roach climbing on me in my sleep or something.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

The point isn't whether or not they can live or breed. Many times it wasn't expected for invasive species to have the ability to become invasive. The real point is that it's just good practice to release creatures that could either inhabit and degrade ecosystems or carry and spread unknown diseases to native species. When you bring another living being into your care, you should mange it responsibly and there are lots of better, more responsible ways to deal with excess roaches. Offer them the other keepers for the cost of shipping, give them to a pet store, freeze them, sell them, hell, cool them up and eat them, but don't release non native species into the environment.

 

[jamest0o0]

You're right, as usual lol. Guess the family is getting roaches for dinner this week

 

[Extensionofgreen]

By the way, I want coming down hard on you or trying to be critical. I'm just trying to enlighten everyone to their responsibilities, when keeping exotic animals. I wasn't trying to be harsh.

 

[jamest0o0]

@Extensionofgreen no worries there, i understand. I've said the same thing to others about taking responsibility for living things we own. I should make sure to live by that myself. Your post was fair and made sense.

 

[Chameleon Mike]

My bearded dragon is good roach control.