Mold

[crepsis]

So would common molds developing on food or on substrate actually poison roaches, i.e. Aspergillus, Penicillin etc, or are they tough enough to handle any toxins produced? I know most everybody removes any signs of mold or tries to keep it from growing, but is it actually physically harmful to them?

[Matt K]

So would common molds developing on food or on substrate actually poison roaches, i.e. Aspergillus, Penicillin etc, or are they tough enough to handle any toxins produced? I know most everybody removes any signs of mold or tries to keep it from growing, but is it actually physically harmful to them?

No, the mold is not harmful. It is however a sign of husbandry issues that might need to be addressed. Sometimes a little moldy food happens. But the idea is to feed them just enough so that they eat most or all of it before it goes moldy, then give them a chance to get hungry again and repeat the process. Every colony is different because of each keepers home environment may vary, habits vary, number of roaches vary, and temps/humidity can be off. So advice from anyone has to be taken with a grain of salt, though if you consoder the advice and take from it what applies to you then you get prosperous colonies.

That being said, feed them less often or feed them more often with less food. Then no mold. Though mold is not harmful it can make thier enclosure "uncomfortable" or difficult to live in and thereby inhibit breeding/feeding/growth.

I feed mine suprisingly little for the most part, let them get dry then wet again, and room temp is 71-76 with a relative humidity of 75 +/-5. No mold and breed like crazy.

But that is just my habits.

Anyone else?

[Zephyr]

I've had problems with mold in the past with my hissers.

Their droppings would slip beneath the coconut chunks substrate and grew penicillin, to which I am HIGHLY allergic.

So that solves the mystery of why I sneezed so much while cleaning/shifting the substrate.

The roaches didn't not seem to show any ill signs, but it's alot cleaner now that they don't have substrate.

[Matt K]

I've had problems with mold in the past with my hissers.

Their droppings would slip beneath the coconut chunks substrate and grew penicillin, to which I am HIGHLY allergic.

So that solves the mystery of why I sneezed so much while cleaning/shifting the substrate.

The roaches didn't not seem to show any ill signs, but it's alot cleaner now that they don't have substrate.

...Good point, Zephyr. I had overlooked the fact that fecal buildup in loose substrate will readily mold. I get that sometimes but I also replace substrate regularly.