roach for feeders

[Sparky]

I found out that roaches smell less than crickets and they are higher in nutrients. I would like to know what species is the best as feeders.

If I am raising them as feeders would that make a difference in enclosure and what I feed the roaches?

Thank you to all of those who helped.

[Zephyr]

I've heard that discoids are one of the best feeder wise, turkistan and lobsters are fast reproducers so if you have smaller lizards go with them.

[Shawn H]

What are you planning to feed with the roaches?

[Sparky]

mantids

[Allpet Roaches]

mantids

I think firefly roaches may be the best for mantids, they are good climbers so your culture cage ought to be a bucket cage. Lobsters are also good though the mantids have to be kept in bare-bottom cages or lobsters will not work. Firefly roaches are the better of the two but not everyone finds them as easy to culture nor as cheap. Nearly any roach works well for mantis food but if you plan to feed small mantis nymphs you'd want a species that starts out very small (Blaberus, Eublaberus, hissers, etc. hatchlings are too large for most mantids prior to fifth instar). Most first instar mantids will eat first instar fireflies while lobsters are too big for most mantids prior to third instar.

[Shawn H]

Not too familiar with raising mantids, I'm more of a reptile guy to be honest. But what Orin says makes alot of sense and I'm fairly certain he has experience with mantids.