Do they absolutely have to burrow?

[Villosa]

Hi all,

First post here although I have spied on this forum for a bit already. I seem to have run into a corner I can't get out of. The title is one of the few questions about blaberus non-climbers.

1) Do burrowing nymphs of the family have to burrow? I do have giganteus in bed-a-beast but they seem to get lost in it and have a hard time finding food. Which leads me to

2) Humidity... If I were to remove the substrate and and use water crystals plus a gravel filled watering dish would that supply enough moisture for molts?

3) I keep reading that egg cartons are ok for even larger species such as giganteus while others say don't do it, what's the definitive answer to this problem? For smaller species such as discoidalis, would it be ok?

Thanks

[PeriplanetaAmericana]

1) All ninph of Genus Blaberus likes burrow but it isn´t necesary. I keep B. giganteus and B. craniifer "Black Wings" without substrate, only egg cartons.

2) I give them fruits and veggies and a water dish too for the humidity and they molt ok.

3) I use egg cartons for all my roaches (and I have 16 kind of roaches) and it´s ok.

Best regards,

Javier.

[Villosa]

Hmm...sounds like a definate possibility. I'd love to not have to use a substrate. It's too messy and can harbor other unwanted buggers that travel around with roaches sometimes. I assume you keep your cartons vertically? Thanks

[PeriplanetaAmericana]

No, I keep egg cartons horizontaly, better for Blaberus. They´re "cleaner" than Blatta lateralis for example.

Best regards,

Javier.

[Villosa]

Thanks for the reply. if you keep the cartons stacked horizontally, wouldn't that lead to molting troubles with larger species? Of do they molt at the edges of the cartons where it's more even? Did that makes sense? I sometimes think things that don't sound right written down...haha

[PeriplanetaAmericana]

There´s no problem with moltings

Best regards,

Javier.

[Villosa]

Anyone else have any insight they would like to share? Thanks!