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Zebra Isopod Care Sheet

Roach Care Sheet

Isopod Care Sheet:

   Zebra Isopods

  Armadillidium maculatum

 

Common and Scientific
Name
Zebra
Isopods


  Armadillidium
maculatum
Breeding Information and
Defining Characteristics

They will breed readily if their requirements are meant. This isopod likes a drier substrate with drier leaves but with a moist retreat.  They love fish flakes and fresh vegetables.  They also like it warmer than many isopods.  If you keep them between 75 and 85
degrees they will breed well.  Lightly mist the enclosure weekly but to not make wet.

 
Feeding Preferences Fish food flakes, fresh vegetables, dried
tree leaves.
Housing Requirements
 Zebra Isopods will do well in a shoe box or any container or aquarium with a lid to keep out pests,
flies, spiders and that sort of thing.
Difficulty Rearing
 Medium difficulty because of the substrate  requirements.
Lifespan
 8 to 12 months which comes from us tracking individual breeders over time.
Substrate
 Peat moss or Coconut Coir bedding.  With a covering of dried leaves.
Temperature and Humidity
 They like it on the warm side, which is
between 75 and 85 degrees.  You can easily reach this temp by keeping them near furnace, on a refrigerator or on
top of a heating pad made for reptiles or plants.  I
have linked to a couple as a reference.
Pictures

 

 Zebra Isopod 

Care Video

Zebra Isopod Care

Posted by Invertebrate Network on Saturday, December 16, 2017
Video

 

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Red Head Roach Care Sheet

red head roaches

Roach Care Sheet

Roach Care Sheet:
Red
Head Roach
Oxyhaloa deusta

 

 

Common and Scientific
Name		 Red Head
Roach
Oxyhaloa deusta
Breeding Information and
Defining Characteristics

They
breed well at about 80 Degrees.

Their main defining characteristics are that they breed
readily, their babies are about the size of fruit flies
and they have red heads.  See pictures below.

 
Feeding Preferences Dog and cat food, fruits and vegetables and a
dish of Cricket Crystals to provide humidity and drink.
Housing Requirements
 Small container with lots of egg crates and a
lid.
Difficulty Rearing
 Very Easy
Climbing Habit
 Climbing species. Can easily climb plastic
walls. You Bug Boundary and a lid.
Substrate
 Coconut fiber and sphagnum moss, or nothing
at all.  We raise ours without substrate and they still
breed like crazy without the worry of mites and mold that
comes with substrate.
Temperature and Humidity
 Fairly high humidity with good ventilation.
Requires temperature of 78 to 85F
Restrictions
 Not Florida Legal

 

Pictures:

Red Head Roach
Red Head Roach
Video

 

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Superworm Farming

superworms pupating

Superworms are a great worms.  They do have specific requirements like temperature, feeding and separation of individual worms before they will pupate.

One of the most labor intensive jobs on our superworm farm is to pull the larva and beetles from the seperators.

Not only does it take a lot of time, but it is a disgusting and smelly job at times.  If you have never smelled a dead and rotting superworm, you are lucky.  It is the kind of smell that gets into your nose and skin and stays there no matter what you do to try to get rid of it.

I don’t have  solution for you on the smell except to tell you to ensure that the pupating worms have plenty of air flow so that if they die they don’t rot.

The point of this post is to show you a large amount of superworms larva.  We place the larva in pans and incubate them at an even temperature and humidity so that we get perfectly formed superworm beetles.

 

super worms
Superworm Seperators

superworms pupating

 

 

 

 

 

The video below is of thousands of super worm larva.  I thought it would make a cool video to show you what that looks like.

Please write if you have questions about breeding your own superworms.

https://youtu.be/cEMYMnewg_s

 

If you want to breed your own superworms try our superworm breeding kit with detailed instructions.

 

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Ivory Head Roach Care Sheet

Roach Care Sheet

Roach Care Sheet:
Ivory head roach
Eublaberus Ivory

 

 

Common and Scientific
Name		  
Ivory head roach
Eublaberus Ivory
Breeding Information and
Defining Characteristics

Is
fine at room temperature but will breed best at temps of
80 to 90F.
They are a great roach for Blatticomposting.

 
Feeding Preferences Moist cat food and  scraps of fruits and
vegetables
Housing Requirements
 Any container with slippery sides.  They
can take crowding very well.
Difficulty Rearing
 Easy to medium
Climbing Habit
 Cannot climb smooth surfaces
Substrate
 Peat moss or coconut coir bedding
Temperature and Humidity
 Keep with water crystals at all times, mist
weekly and keep at 80 to 90 degrees to breed.
Restrictions
 Not Florida Legal

 

Pictures:
Video

 

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Lobster Roach Care Sheet

Lobster Roaches are easy to care for and breed readily.  They are probably the easiest roach species to breed, feed and care for.  Unfortunately, they are also great escape artists so a tight fitting lid on their enclosure is needed to contain them.

If you need feeders that will breed faster than you can feed them off to your reptiles, spiders and mantids, then Lobster Roaches are it.

If you are looking for Lobster Roaches for sale, then please check out our selection at some very inexpensive prices here.

Roach Care Sheet:
Lobster Roaches
 Nauphoeta cinerea

 

 

Common and Scientific
Name		 Lobster Roaches
 Nauphoeta cinerea
Breeding Information and
Defining Characteristics

Breed
readily.  Gives birth to live young.  If kept above room temp, with food provided they will breed
prolifically.

 
Feeding Preferences Dry dog food, cat food, fresh fruits and vegetables such as romaine, carrots, apples, bananas,
oranges, celery, squash, peas and others.
Housing Requirements
 Extra large critter keeper, a 5 gallon bucket with a lid or rubber storage tubs with ventilation holes.
Add a thick layer of Bug Boundary Grease or paint a boundary
with Bug Boundary, to reduce losses and prevent escapes.
Difficulty Rearing
 Easy
Climbing Habit
 They climb glass and plastic well but prefer
to stay hidden in egg crates and hiding spots.
Substrate
 No substrate needed.  Vertically
positioned egg crates are all they need to be happy.
Temperature and Humidity
 Keep the cage between 70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The environment should be relatively humid by
misting the cage at least once in a day very lightly.
Do not make it wet.
Restrictions
 Not allowed in Florida

 

Pictures: Lobster Roaches
Video

 

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Roach Care Sheet: Madagascar Hissing Roaches

Madagascar Hissing Roach

Roach Care Sheet

Roach Care Sheet:

Madagascar Hissing
Cockroaches

Gromphadorhina
portentosa

 

Common and Scientific
Name
Madagascar Hissing
Cockroaches
Gromphadorhina
portentosa
Breeding Information and
Defining Characteristics
 Hissing Roaches will readily breed with
enough food and warmth.  We have found that very ripe
bananas seem to help the breeding process.
Madagascar Hissing Roaches will make a hissing sound when
disturbed.  This is a defense mechanism.  Hissing
roaches are harmless.
Feeding Preferences Dry dog or cat food, fresh fruits such as
apple, banana, orange, strawberries and romaine lettuce as
well as fresh vegetables.  They can sometimes be
picky.  They will devour a banana one day and then
ignore it for Romaine Lettuce the following day.
Housing Requirements
 Can be housed in as small as half gallon
container with adequate ventilation and crawl/hide
spaces.  We use egg crates.   Petroleum
jelly, Bug Boundary or Bug Boundary Grease around the upper
rim to prevent escapes.
Difficulty Rearing
 Easy.
Climbing Habit

They
can climb glass and smooth plastic
Substrate
 Slightly damp coconut fiber.  If you do
not provide a substrate, then keep a nice size cup or bowl
of Cricket Crystals because they will go to it to get the
humidity that they need to molt.  See video below.
Temperature and Humidity
 Place a water bowl in the cage, filled with
Cricket Crystals to keep the environment humid. They can
cope at room temperature, suitable breeding temperature is
95 degrees Fahrenheit. A heat pad or lamp can be used to
provide warmth.
Restrictions
 Not allowed in Florida.

 

Pictures: Madagascar Hissing Roach
Video

 

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Oriental Roach Care Sheet

Oriental Roach

Roach Care Sheet

Roach Care  Sheet:  

Oriental Roach


Blatta orientalis

 

 

Common and Scientific
Name
Oriental Roach
Blatta orientalis
Breeding Information and
Defining Characteristics

They
will breed readily when the environment is right.
They will lay egg cases which will hatch in a couple of
weeks with temps around 80 degrees.

They
are a dark colored, almost maroon, fast moving
roach.

 
Feeding Preferences They feed on dead decaying organic matter.
Housing Requirements
 A well ventilated container with lid and
Vaseline to prevent escape, eg cartons, food, water and heat
Difficulty Rearing
 Medium.  We have raised these on very
moist substrate and lost every roach.  We also have
raised them where the temps dipped and they died.  If
everything is right they will thrive.  They look a
great deal like Blatta Lateralis except that the adults are
larger and darker in color. They are not as easy to raise as
Blatta Lateralis.
Climbing Habit
 They can climb glass and plastic.  They
like to climb over branches and egg cartons.
Substrate
 No substrate is needed
Temperature and Humidity
 They prefer dark, damp and cool areas. The
optimum temperature is between 68 and 84F
Restrictions
 Florida Legal.

 

Pictures:
Video Oriental roach video

 

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Surinam Roaches Care Sheet

Surinam Roaches

Roach Care Sheet

Roach Care Sheet:  Surinam Roaches  (Pycnoscelus surinamensis)

 

Common and Scientific
Name		 Surinam Roach (Pycnoscelus

surinamensis)
Breeding Information and
Defining Characteristics

They need it warm and humid to breed.  Think Florida.


They grow to about 1 inch in length as an adult.

Colonies are mostly, if not all,
female.  Surinam Roaches reproduce through parthenogenesis
which means that females reproduce by making exact
copies of themselves.

 
Housing Requirements
 Any secure container is suitable for Surinam
Roaches.  Surinam can jump. A petroleum jelly barrier
can be used to prevent them from getting out of the
container. We use Bug Boundary Grease to stop escapes.
Difficulty Rearing
 Easy
Climbing Habit
 They can climb plastic and glass and they can
jump.
Substrate
 Any substrate is suitable, preferably cypress
mulch because it is easy to clean up, but coconut coir
bedding, or any type of mulch type bedding is fine.
Food Preference Freshly planted foliage such as flowers, tree
leaves, weeds and potted plants.  They like fresh and
dried grasses, straw and Oak leaves.  They will not do
well without this type of food and you may experience
die-off without a source of plant material as food.
Pick some leaves and bag them for an off season food source
or you can buy Surinam food from us.  You can also get
bagged leaves on from these links.
Temperature and Humidity
 They need heat to breed. Their respiration
gives enough humidity, there is no need to add water but you
should have a small bowl of Cricket Crystals in their
enclosure to ensure moisture.
Restrictions
 Florida Legal

 

Pictures: Surinam Roaches
Video

 

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Live Roach Care Sheet: Orange Head Roaches

orange head roaches

 

Roach Care Sheet

Roach Care Sheet: 

Orange Head Roach(Eulaberus posticus)

 

Common and Scientific Name Orange Head Roach (Eulaberus posticus)
Breeding Information and Defining Characteristics

If all requirements are met, then Orange Head Roaches will breed readily once they develop wings.  The time with which they will reach maturity will depend upon warmth and food supply.

They emit an odor when disturbed that sort of smells like garlic bread.  Adults develop and orange head which their name reflects.
Housing Requirements Any container is suitable for use, size
depends on how many roaches you intend to keep.
Difficulty Rearing Easy. 
Watch for wing biting.  Orange Head Roaches are known
for wing biting and they will eat their cleaning crews so
watch out.  Keep constant protein supply and water
crystals with them at all times.
Climbing Habit Non-Climbing
Substrate Orange Head Roaches love a substrate of
coconut coir or peat moss and leaves.  They love to
burrow and hide.  The problem is that the moist
substrate will make the smell worse.  They already have
a smell when disturbed.  Keep them without a substrate
and provide hiding spaces using egg cartons and empty paper
towel and toilet paper roll inserts.
Temperature and Humidity They can eat any type of food. Examples
include fruits, vegetables, grains and they will even eat
each other and other insects that they can get at.
Restrictions Not Legal in Florida or Hawaii.

 

Pictures:
Picture on the left is and adult Orange Head Roach
The picture on the right is of a nymph.
Video

 

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How to Breed Mealworms Easily

Breeding your own mealworms can save you money and ensure that your pets and wild birds are getting the very best food.

What you will need:
1. Mealworms. Please get them from us. We have mealworms for sale and on sale here. 🙂

2. You will need a bedding/food source. We use wheat bran. You can also get that from us or from any farm and feed store.

3. You will need 2 shoe boxes. You will not need the lid unless you live in a very dry climate.

Mealworm Life Cycle:

Mealworm Breeding Instructions:

1. Retrieve your worms from the package and place them in one of the containers with about 1/4” of the bedding/food.  You will not need the other container right now so store it in a safe place.

2. Feed the worms a slice of potato or cucumber. Please replace daily and throw away the old piece.

3. Let your worms eat the bedding and drink from the vegetable until the morph into beetles which should happen over the next couple of weeks.

4. Keep them worms in a warm place. Room temp or above, to about 85 degrees, will work well.  Ensure that the bedding does not get wet or mold.  You can do this by fluffing it weekly.

5. Your worms will morph into pupa and then they will becomebeetles.   Remove the beetles from the container and place them in the second breeding container with ¼ “ of the wheat bran and give them a slice of potato.

7. Over the next couple of weeks the beetles will lay eggs in the bedding. After about a week, baby worms will be visible in the bedding, especially under the potato slices.

8. Just leave the beetles in that container and allow them to lay eggs until the die, which will take a couple of weeks

9. The worms will take a few weeks to grow out into large worms and then you will be able to repeat the process.

10. To size the worms, just move the beetles into a new container every week. You can use a shoe box or a Rubbermaid container. You do not have to do this but this will help you have the same size worms in each container. This is how the big superworm farms do it.

You can supplement their wheat bran bedding with non-medicated chicken feed, table bran, and things like whole grain cerial and oats.

You can also just get yourself a mealworm breeding kit from us and most of the work is done for you.  Plus, it comes with meal worms. We have Mealworm Breeding Kits for Sale here.