Slizarus

"Black wings are a pure, non-variable wild coloration." That's what I was looking for.. Glad to hear it.. Taxonomy is a very confused study without knowing exactly what you're working with and where it came from and sometimes even it's genetic code.. ugh.. I find the same problems in Varanids, Monitor lizards.. The Ackies are getting awfully hard to stay apart because the two subspecies are often bred together and then marketed as the more valuable (Reds in this case) often unintentionally.. and only way to know pure stock is to trace it down or for it to show a full vibrant red along it's dorsal side.. Much like the Black Wing Craniifers.. you know it's a pure Death head if it exhibits the colors shown above.. Mind boggling, sometimes I wished I picked an easier hobby, but it's even worse with my carnivorous plants :-/ Cultivars *mumble*

As long as it isn't a Centipede.. I bought two when I lived in Malaysia.. I was 10 then and the whole joy of the impulse buy kind of evaporated quick as I envisioned them crawling out of their cages and eating me. I don't know, they're just so alien and scary, a walking deadly tank to the creatures they prey on.. big ones too.. the Fire red ones from the area. Millipedes are awfully interesting though.. I like the tank, what you putting in it?

Now I'm curious. I've seen pictures of Craniifer labeled "European Strain" and now we're labeling these distinctly as "Black Wing Craniifer" Which Appear in nature and what's the true Death Head? Someone said that the Black wings are a morph, then that's not the base stock? I'm slightly confused, can someone help me out? --- Pictures.. Labeled as Craniifer, BSG 3 The Black Wing, BSG 3a (The morph?) What's the history on 'em? Source: In Russian, but detailed picture

I've kept Lobsters, Discoids, Dubia, Hissers, Craniifer.. But out of them all.. I've had the Lobsters infest tanks.. but I've never seen one outside of my herp's tanks.. The hissers on the other hand... I've found them on the inside of a toilet paper roll I was in the process of using in the bathroom on the other side of the house. I've had a lot of escaped hissers.. always nymphs of course.. but they're excellent survivors and god do they cover quite a range.

I'm a huge fan of Blaberus Craniifer and Hissers (Giants, Blacks, Tigers, or any of the other Genus/Species like Princesses) I really really miss my hisser colony. I got 100 giant adults for $25 shipped one time, man I wish I could find that deal again.

I don't mind Hybrids or Mixed Colonies, but misidentification and misleading people is definately a huge concern.. I would like to pick up some of the Craniifer X Fusca Hybrids, simply because I hear they breed well and fast and it would indeed be particularly interesting to see them. But human error in their distribution is annoying and a lot of people get screwed over in their deals nowadays with people being lax. Blaberus is a very interesting Genus..

Crystals or Fresh Fruits/Veggies.. usually I have both offered, as I need something to do with the scraps my herps don't eat and the roaches are never picky

Haven't kept B. Giganteus but as I don't see them as being particularly carnivorous, they're likely getting substantial amounts of protein from the dog/cat food you're already giving them.

I just got some purestrain Craniifer from James Tuttle and started with 4 as pets (1 Adult Male and 3 Huge Nymphs) It's really small to be honest, but I love the looks of Craniifer, I've wanted them for years and I could only now get what little I could afford... For a Pet colony though under best conditions I'd go for no less than 10.. I had 10 Black Hissers, 7 Tiger Hissers, and 3 V Horn Hissers before my house burned down and they bred at a fairly steady pace though the V Horn all turned out to be males and I really couldn't do anything with them.. The blacks and the tigers did well though and were quite pretty bugs For a Feeder... I'd say no less than 50 and shoot for 100 large nymphs preferably.\ Of course, that depends on your needs.. and if you have a lot of small lizards/Arachnids/bugs to feed.. then get a delicup of 200 lobster roaches for $20 and just add food. Your pets will never go hungry again.. I eventually had to kill off all my lobsters. I had far too many of them and they infested my tanks.. and I just decided I hate setting up Petroleum boundries..

It depends, obviously I haven't researched, but if they're pinned or otherwise implanted in the roach (which doesn't make a great deal of sense) then I don't support it.. If it's simply Glued.. then it's likely that the Hissers are probably the best ones to wear it being without wings and as full adults, have especially hard carapaces.. I don't see it as a problem, if it exposes people to them as pets (and jewelry) then all the more to it so long as it's not ill treated, I don't believe the roach cares, while they do show an amount of intelligence, their sensory input is the driving factor behind their decisions.. and so what if the scenery is moving about while they stand still? I've held my hissers in handfulls before and they've never showed a care. Now as for other creatures.. like the popular studding of Turtles and Tortoises (even attaching a loop to hold it) is just sickening.. the only time I see a bolt behind bored into a chelonian's shell is when it's being affixed after being hit by a car or some other shattering incident..