Arenivaga tonkawa ​

”Tonkawa Sand Roach”

The Tonkawa Sand Roach indigenous to the southwestern deserts of North America and from the great state of Texas, not to be confused with the not so great state of Taxes, which is where I am from.  

They are sexually dimorphic with the males fully winged and females  wingless. 

In Spite of the word “sand” in their name, sand roaches do best in a  substrate of crushed leaf litter, coconut fiber or peat moss,  with little to no sand.  In fact, if kept in coarse sand (think sandpaper) the roaches tend to dessicate and die.

In nature, they typically inhabit the upper layer of detritus that accumulates in rodent burrows.

They feed almost entirely on dried leaves and consume very little food in general. Dog food or fish flakes can be provided occasionally for protein. 

This desert dweller does require regular slight moisture which mimics the cooler, moist conditions often found in rodent burrows, which are a couple of feet below the dry, hot surface of the desert.

This is a sensitive species and is recommended for advanced hobbyists. Adults reach approximately 1/2 an inch.