crepsis
Third Instar
Hi, my name's Chris. I recently was given a baby Woodhouse toad, Toady, and have had a Double Yellowheaded Amazon parrot, Panamamaru (his nickname after watching way too much Inuyasha), for about 12 years. I've been doing a lot of research on crickets (as feeders for Toady), and I am currently attempting to culture "wild crafted" *ha!* Gryllus veletus - the black spring field cricket. That's how I ran across roaches as feeders - and the benefits of not having stinky, noisy crickets around, something I realized I may have to deal with should I be successful with my ongoing cricket adventure. (You know, that last sack of Acheta crickets from the pet store almost made me gag!)
I have always been totally fascinated with the sciences, mainly life sciences, genetics, and (almost) any sort of animal (and plant!) husbandry. So naturally, the more and more I read about keeping roaches as feeders for other animals, and now as fascinating and beautiful pets in their own right, the more I find myself coming to the conclusion that I have to start a colony. (No, no, there's nothing you can say to sway my mind, it's made up!)
The species that I have decided to start this adventure with is Blaberus craniifer. Why, you ask? It's elementary: they don't fly, so they won't fly out of the vivarium that I set up for them, nor will they be able to climb the glass, which is a great bonus, and since they are tropical, they will not be able to live and breed without the proper environment, should they escape (escpecially good traits for a starter species for an insect I have almost no experience with - My experience lies in hearing societal stigma against roaches, and the fact that I once saw a bunch of tiny roaches in this guy's bathroom in Minneapolis, about 1/2 an inch long, and back then I thought that was really gross). Since this is a typically slower breeding species (from what I've read), this would be ideal for me, since I am mainly interested in starting and keeping the culture, rather than using them as feeders (at least initially, if I get overpopulated, then I'll see if Toady likes 'em). I think that this species is about the most eye-catching, and nice-looking of any of the ones out there, and I look forward to observing and experiencing them first hand.
So, that being said, that's pretty much why I'm here, I'm looking for more information to start, and a couple weeks to a month down the road, I'll most likely be looking to aqcuire some true Blaberus craniifer. So I'd certainly be happy to hear from anyone with advice and anyone who has true craniifer cultures (or knows where they can be purchased). When I get around to acquiring them I will probably be looking for craniifers that preferably have never been hybridized at all (if that's even possible, from what I've read most all of the lines in the US have been at one point or another), and maybe also craniifers from a couple different lines, so I start with a good, strong genetic base.
Looking forward to it...
Nice to meet ya!
PS One question that has just come to mind that I have been wondering for a while now - Are roach populations subject to any type of deleterius effects resulting from inbreeding depression, and if so, what do they tend to be?
I have always been totally fascinated with the sciences, mainly life sciences, genetics, and (almost) any sort of animal (and plant!) husbandry. So naturally, the more and more I read about keeping roaches as feeders for other animals, and now as fascinating and beautiful pets in their own right, the more I find myself coming to the conclusion that I have to start a colony. (No, no, there's nothing you can say to sway my mind, it's made up!)
The species that I have decided to start this adventure with is Blaberus craniifer. Why, you ask? It's elementary: they don't fly, so they won't fly out of the vivarium that I set up for them, nor will they be able to climb the glass, which is a great bonus, and since they are tropical, they will not be able to live and breed without the proper environment, should they escape (escpecially good traits for a starter species for an insect I have almost no experience with - My experience lies in hearing societal stigma against roaches, and the fact that I once saw a bunch of tiny roaches in this guy's bathroom in Minneapolis, about 1/2 an inch long, and back then I thought that was really gross). Since this is a typically slower breeding species (from what I've read), this would be ideal for me, since I am mainly interested in starting and keeping the culture, rather than using them as feeders (at least initially, if I get overpopulated, then I'll see if Toady likes 'em). I think that this species is about the most eye-catching, and nice-looking of any of the ones out there, and I look forward to observing and experiencing them first hand.
So, that being said, that's pretty much why I'm here, I'm looking for more information to start, and a couple weeks to a month down the road, I'll most likely be looking to aqcuire some true Blaberus craniifer. So I'd certainly be happy to hear from anyone with advice and anyone who has true craniifer cultures (or knows where they can be purchased). When I get around to acquiring them I will probably be looking for craniifers that preferably have never been hybridized at all (if that's even possible, from what I've read most all of the lines in the US have been at one point or another), and maybe also craniifers from a couple different lines, so I start with a good, strong genetic base.
Looking forward to it...
Nice to meet ya!
PS One question that has just come to mind that I have been wondering for a while now - Are roach populations subject to any type of deleterius effects resulting from inbreeding depression, and if so, what do they tend to be?
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