Been awhile, but I’m back with a question

[Matttoadman]

In 2016, I got into roaches. I greatly enjoy them. However, 8 species later and I began to have some allergy problem. Sifting through the dry frass would mess me up for days. Hissers literally gave me hives. So I started to cut away the species. But with each species reduction only pantanal roaches don’t bother me. My guess is pantanals are kept in damp coco fiber and the “composting” ability keeps the dust and frass down, plus they eat all the body parts of the dead.  So other than other Eublaberus species, does anyone have any other suggestions? I do use them as feeders for my leopard geckos so they do need to produce decently and steadily. The pantanals seem to be “seasonal” and slow down to a crawl during the winter. 

[Shinylarvitar97]

I haven't had any major issues with roach allergies, but possibly Pycnoscelus species might give you a similar result as Eublaberus sp. Not a guarantee of course, but i keep the genus fairly similar to Eublaberus species. So I would theorize they might be a viable alternative. Maybe some others more familiar with roach allergies may be able to assist further.  I do know many people do react fairly badly to hissers though in particular, but are ok with other species. Lucihormetica might work out to a degree as well, but nothing is certain.

[Matttoadman]

If I did anything to stir up the substrate (dubia, B. Lateralis, N. cinarea, B fusca ) my eyes would water, nose run, sinus swell, sneeze, cough etc. My assumption it was to the dry frass and exoskeletons. The Eublaberus seem to eat and compost the above. Pycnoscelus Species are cool. I will research them. Thanks. 

[Shinylarvitar97]

Yeah I'm sure it was their frass and exoskeleton that probably gave you those bad reactions. Sucks, but at least the Eublaberus genus hasn't given you much issue. I feel Pycnoscelus may have similar behavior/traits as well, so it may be worth a shot. Yeah species like P. striatus, P. nigra, P. tenebridgera are some of my favorites. Potentially good feeders as well for bare bottom enclosures or in smooth sided food bowls as the smaller nymphs cannot climb, but adults can. Only con is they're much smaller bodied than Eublaberus sp. 

[Arthroverts]

Blaberus I would think is also an option, as they require a moist environment and in my experience often will hollow out the exoskeletons of dead specimens.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

[Matttoadman]

The good thing is after a visit to the allergy doctor (dang alpha-gal) I believe my assumed allergic reaction to my roaches may have been misplaced. It seems I have some other allergy problem going on. Funny how you can jump to a conclusion and then your mind helps foster it. My wife started her own colony of Dubia which she is keeping like my Eublaberids. Coco fiber, sticks, bark hide and oak leaves. I am going to add one more species. Something for my 2.5 gallon tall bugarium. 

[Allpet Roaches]

I suggest Lucihormetica subcincta or Lucihormetica verrucosa, they won't bother your allergies and can be kept more damp than the pantanal.  They breed decently well if you have an established colony. Have you tried the other 3 Eublaberus species in captivity?

[Matttoadman]

I just got a group of 25. Eublaberus sp. “ivory” last week. Lucihormetica is high on my possibility list.

[Hisserdude]

Parcoblatta don't seem to irritate people with roach allergies, generally like things humid, and some are very prolific and easy to breed, like P.fulvescens. Would make great feeders for leopard geckos IMO. 

[Matttoadman]

On 11/1/2020 at 9:25 PM, Hisserdude said:

Parcoblatta don't seem to irritate people with roach allergies, generally like things humid, and some are very prolific and easy to breed, like P.fulvescens. Would make great feeders for leopard geckos IMO. 

I like them but I have a few of those native in my backyard. So not enough to keep them. Right now I am deciding between three species. 1) Lucihormetica sps. 2) Epilamprae “Borneo” and 3) Opisthoplatia orientalis. The last two I would eventually actually try them in a semi-aquatic enclosure. I have have semiaquatic tanks since I was in high school. Fiddler crabs, fire bellied toads and currently marsh crabs and marsh snails.  With fish snails various crustaceans. Worth trying. 

[Hisserdude]

On 11/5/2020 at 9:34 AM, Matttoadman said:

I like them but I have a few of those native in my backyard. So not enough to keep them. Right now I am deciding between three species. 1) Lucihormetica sps. 2) Epilamprae “Borneo” and 3) Opisthoplatia orientalis. The last two I would eventually actually try them in a semi-aquatic enclosure. I have have semiaquatic tanks since I was in high school. Fiddler crabs, fire bellied toads and currently marsh crabs and marsh snails.  With fish snails various crustaceans. Worth trying. 

Problem with Epilamprids and semi aquatic setups is they produce so much frass, and a lot of them don't like filth buildups even on normal substrate... But their waste would foul the water very quickly in captivity, which would be annoying to deal with, and they do best with flowing water BTW, as most semi-aquatic Epilamprids live by streams, not still bodies of water. 

[Matttoadman]

Yeah that was the one question I had. You could stack flat slate rocks for them to live between but unless you could keep enough water plants to utilize the frass as fertilizer then yes it would be gross 

[Matttoadman]

Perhaps having a display setup in which you only kept a few 

[Hisserdude]

On 11/6/2020 at 6:39 PM, Matttoadman said:

Yeah that was the one question I had. You could stack flat slate rocks for them to live between but unless you could keep enough water plants to utilize the frass as fertilizer then yes it would be gross 

Yeah it'd get gross quick. Could just have a few of them in a tank at a time, but they are rather secretive so I don't know how cool of a display that'd be.