Housing for American Cockroach

[Keith]

If purchased captive roaches that are disease free, what setup do they live in? Normally they are in sewers and kitchens, all places that are damp and full of dropped food and water.

Do they need substrate or just something like paper towel roll? What about water, clearly these guys are adapt to water as they swim great. Do they need to be misted with water, shallow water dish?

[satchellwk]

I have a couple of mixed P. americana and fuliginosa nymphs currently occupying a gallon-sized jar, though, as they mature I'll end up moving them into something larger. The only thing you need to make sure is that they can;t get out; since they climb well. I use standard substrate with rotten wood and leaves in it. You could probably get away with no substrate, but it'll be harder to retain humidity. These species may adapt to live in sewers, but they would feel much more at home in a damp wood pile. They need humidity, definitely, so either have an enclosure that retains moisture well, or mist, or keep a water dish, whichever floats your boat (though i might be worried about small nymphs drowning in a dish). Also, you really don't need to worry about the random P. americana carrying any disease. As long as you go to sanitary places to collect (wood piles are a Periplaneta's heaven), there shouldn't be any problem. Frankly, I wouldn't even worry about the stray individual that might wander into your house having anything; I think the idea that they all carry nasty diseases is just part of western culture's hatred towards them and nothing more.

[Nicolas Rousseaux]

Hi

I have some Peryplaneta brunnea nymphs, and at the moment, I breed them in a very dry tank. I think you can use leaves and rotten wood just as satchellwk said, any roaches can be bred on this substrate, but I'm sure you can also try with no substrate... Just keep in mind a tank with substrate looks cleaner for longer

I never mist them and they don't seem to be interested in humidity, I rarely see them eating fresh apples or anything.

[pierre72]

I have a couple of mixed P. americana and fuliginosa nymphs currently occupying a gallon-sized jar, though, as they mature I'll end up moving them into something larger. The only thing you need to make sure is that they can;t get out; since they climb well. I use standard substrate with rotten wood and leaves in it. You could probably get away with no substrate, but it'll be harder to retain humidity. These species may adapt to live in sewers, but they would feel much more at home in a damp wood pile. They need humidity, definitely, so either have an enclosure that retains moisture well, or mist, or keep a water dish, whichever floats your boat (though i might be worried about small nymphs drowning in a dish). Also, you really don't need to worry about the random P. americana carrying any disease. As long as you go to sanitary places to collect (wood piles are a Periplaneta's heaven), there shouldn't be any problem. Frankly, I wouldn't even worry about the stray individual that might wander into your house having anything; I think the idea that they all carry nasty diseases is just part of western culture's hatred towards them and nothing more.

Amen. I lived with German roaches for 11 years and nothing happened to me. So unless a person is allergic to roaches, no species should be a health threat to them. I get so tired of all the hyped up bad publicity our poor little friends have. Unfortunately most people's minds are already made up.