Blaberus giganteus cannibalism

macbrush

macbrush

Fifth Instar
My Blaberus giganteus recently started some really bad cannibalising all the newly molted individuals. I feed them mostly parrot pallets, with some cat pallets every few days, and occasionally fresh veggies and fruits left over from my kitchen. Could it be over crowded or the weather is getting cooler?

Just want some ideas, maybe its nothing, maybe they've been doing it all the time, and just happened I notice the last few times.

Cheers

Kenneth

 
Usually when you see cannibalism it's a response to moisture needs. Overcrowding is another cause.

 
Arh, that make sense, since the tub getting a little overcrowded, and as the weather is getting cold, humidity also dropped quite a bit.

Thanks

Kenneth

 
In my experience moisture and lack of enough protein.

Fruits such as apples and oranges have lots of juice so they are great, giganteus also love bananas. Romaine lettuce has water in it too. As far as protein cat food is good, but when it's dry they don't eat as much as if its wet. I don't know your enclosure setup, I use wood chips and mist my tank once a day with a spray bottle filled with water, humidity aids in shedding and they drink the water droplets, it will moisten the food and make it easier to eat. You can also feed turkey baby food in a very shallow dish, as well as apple and banana flavors too. Even put some dry oak leaves and rotting tree bark in. Your roaches will not cannibalize after all this.

 
Thanks for the reply, I think I'll try increase humidity and possibly do some culling of the colony and see how it goes. Its really packed in the tub, whenever I throw food in there, I just have to spread the food in the tub, and they came out like cockroach attack in movies.

 
Why not buy an extra tub and divide the colony in half, no point culling good stock, and perhaps people might buy from you so you make some $ off them.

 
Keith said:
In my experience moisture and lack of enough protein.

Fruits such as apples and oranges have lots of juice so they are great, giganteus also love bananas. Romaine lettuce has water in it too. As far as protein cat food is good, but when it's dry they don't eat as much as if its wet. I don't know your enclosure setup, I use wood chips and mist my tank once a day with a spray bottle filled with water, humidity aids in shedding and they drink the water droplets, it will moisten the food and make it easier to eat. You can also feed turkey baby food in a very shallow dish, as well as apple and banana flavors too. Even put some dry oak leaves and rotting tree bark in. Your roaches will not cannibalize after all this.
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I absolutely agree- moisture and protein.

 
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