Betta132 Posted November 18, 2016 Share Posted November 18, 2016 Banana roaches are surprisingly pretty for roaches, and from what I've read, they aren't too skittish. They seem like they'd be suitable for some sort of nicely decorated display enclosure rather than the usual bin full of dirt. Assuming they didn't have a very bright light shining on them, would they come out and be visible? Also, could they theoretically be kept with some sort of low-light plant, like maybe some ferns? Or would they just eat anything that tried to grow no matter how much additional food they got? And, if the goal was only to have a stable colony and not to grow five bazillion of them, how big a tank would they need? And would they use vertical space at all if given climbing things? I've found some really nice mini terrariums for sale, but most of them are tall and made for climbing things. It'd look a bit silly to have roaches in only the bottom quarter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pannaking22 Posted November 18, 2016 Share Posted November 18, 2016 I can't answer most of your questions since I haven't had mine for that long, but I will say that they seem to climb as high as the vegetation/leaf litter/etc. goes. I have mine in a 1 liter jar and I have yet to really see the adults climb above the leaf litter. If the adults are relatively day active I'd say they'd make a great display species! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krissim Klaw Posted November 19, 2016 Share Posted November 19, 2016 I have a 20 gallon-long-tank of these guys. I consider them moderately skittish. I find them to be a dorky lot. Seems I am constantly having to brush them off when doing things in their tank. When I first started out with 50 it felt like I was keeping a tank full of eco-earth as a pet. About 6 months in though the colony took off and now they are everywhere. The soil is a withering mass of nymphs and a lot of the adults hang out topsoil on the cage decorations, all the way up to the lid screening. The adults can be pretty to look at although they usually freeze up if there is too much light/movement. I tend to keep my tank covered with a towel when not doing stuff with them, so I am not sure if they will accumulate more to a more constant light source during the day. Usually when I am getting ready to do something in the tank I will shine a desklight I have in it for about 10 minutes prior because most of the adults will leave the screen if I do that. I don't use life plants, but I can say I got them one of exo terra's plastic boxwood bushes and that poor plant has lost 50-75% of its leaves at this point. It is made out of hard thick plastic and they don't eat the leaves per say so much as they sit and boredom chew through the plastic stems while perching in it. The poor thing looks like a stringy mess and I was planning to get a new one sometime soon. I will probably take some photos of the old one next to a new one to show the carnage when I do. I guess what I am saying is good luck with the live plants. That being said, they do love plants to hang out on. The adults get so thick sometimes it is like having a little tree with green roaches instead of leaves. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bufo Bill Posted November 19, 2016 Share Posted November 19, 2016 Hi, these guys do climb, and they are out in the day time and active as adult specimens (the young burrow except at food time). I have kept these guys with plants such as ferns, and they do browse on the leaves, but if you keep them well-fed on fruit and veggies the damage is not to obvious, but to keep the plants in good condition the feeding routine must be constant and adhered to religiously. Planted Vivaria are rarely low maintenance, and probably never low maintenance when the inhabitants are roaches. Hope this helps, from Bill. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatsKreations Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 How bad are they are on flying? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 31 minutes ago, KatsKreations said: How bad are they are on flying? In my experience with Panchlora sp. "White", they are rather calm in the day time but crazy skittish and flighty when it gets dark, don't know if the same applies to P.nivea though, they may be skittish 24/7 lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatsKreations Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 I tried to keep myself to nonclimbers/nonfliers... that didn't work and quickly got some climbers, sure fliers aren't far in the future! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 2 minutes ago, KatsKreations said: I tried to keep myself to nonclimbers/nonfliers... that didn't work and quickly got some climbers, sure fliers aren't far in the future! Yeah, I had the exact same restrictions at the start too, broke the climbing one very quickly and not too long after that I got some fliers too. For now the only restriction I have is no pest species, probably won't be breaking that one anytime soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatsKreations Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 I hope I don't go past the no pest rule! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All About Arthropods Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 I'm currently keeping a Blatta orientalis nymph, guess I've finally lost it.....I'm crazy for roaches! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pannaking22 Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 My P. nivea tend not to be too flighty, though they skitter all over the place when disturbed no matter what time of day it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.