rearing german cockroach

[katee571]

Hi. I have the task of rearing some German cockroaches for work purposes ( need about 200), and it is my first time rearing this species. Does anyone have some general advice on getting the best results possible ? Currently maintaining the container at about room temp and ensuring the environment is humid. Diet is varied with dog food and fruit and vege scraps. Thanks.

[Tenevanica]

For maximum production? 95 degrees, with frequent feedings of fruit. Also, B. germanica prefers a dry environment. Keep in mind that they live in our houses, which tend to be very dry indeed.

You'll get great production at room temperature and feeding them dog food. These will breed under almost any condition.

[katee571]

Thanks very much for the reply and the information, much appreciated. I will certainly up the temperature a bit from what they are currently on, and also provide some fruit and dry dog food. I only managed to capture about three adults and about five nymphs. Also an egg case which I am not sure is viable as yet. Does anyone on this forum keep these or other pest species for different purposes ?

[UncommonRoachBoy]

I keep lobsters, they're considered a pest species I believe. Rather cheap as well.

[katee571]

Ok sounds interesting...i keep speckled feeder roaches. And pest species where required for work purposes.

[UncommonRoachBoy]

They breed fairly quickly, what work are you in? pesticides?

[katee571]

These ones breed quickly, the speckled feeder roaches. I breed a few of the pest species for private companies that need them for research from time to time. Apart from that breeding roaches for reptile industry.

[katee571]

I have been reading up of different mutations of American & German roaches, also sounds very interesting. Especially the red eyed American.

[UncommonRoachBoy]

Pretty nice gig haha and the color morphs come from inbreeding, as most mutations of roaches do. Takes a long while for someone to come up with something and isolate it.

[Tenevanica]

I keep lobsters as well, and they are a pest species. However, they are not capable of infesting houses. There has not been one case of lobsters infesting a house. They are more just pests in greenhouses.

[UncommonRoachBoy]

From my experience, only males have escaped and Tenevanica is correct.

[katee571]

N cinerea (we call them woodies in Australia anyway) are also not really capable of infesting as I have had plenty of escapes in the house and shed. They seem to appear on the walls and are then easily recaptured. I had a friend helping with sorting tubs one day in the shed and dropped a tub containing around a kg of them. Many were recaptured however there were many escapees however still did not infest.