The "nicest" roaches

crittergu

Fourth Instar
Just wondering. What species do you consider to be the least offensive of the roaches we culture?

By offensive I mean

-smell

-big leg spines

-fond of pooping on you when you pick them up.

-you get the idea.

for comparison I recently obtained B. dubia and E. prosticus. I like the dubia much more though I admit the prosticus are pretty nice looking. However, prosticus are pretty well armed with leg spines and will stick you pretty good when you try to pick them up(for adults, I found grabbing their wings works very well to avoid that), they have a distinct defensive odor(not really a bad odor but still), and the nymphs are fond of smearing you with droppings or regurgitating on you when picked up. The dubia, in contrast, have very small spines and can be picked up by putting fingers on opposite sides of them and picking them up without worry of your fingers getting pricked. They have no smell that I can detect, and are very nice roaches in general.

I've kept peppered roaches(big spines, but very clean), and hissers(spiny, nymphs will sometimes poop on you), and B. lateralis(no spines, not much smell, but squishy bodied and very fast...so not really what I'm looking for as a winner of this contest).

Or maybe another way of putting it. If a squeamish(not scared) person wanted to hold a roach in your collection...what would you give them?

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I would hand them any number of roaches, because I have never had one of mine poop when I picked it up, though I don't make a habit of handling them....

 
Orange heads FTW!

I've never had an individual stink me up, but the colony has a few times.

 
My glowspots are really turning out great. They seem like they'll be an EXTREMELY popular PET roach once they get established enough... Medium size... slow moving...bright colors (on the males)....live birth...long lived...

Can't ask for much more in a roach!

 
I have to agree with Graham and Orin. Hormeticas are worth every nickle, and G.grandidieri "tiger hisser" absolutely rocks! Those are classic collectable cool roaches. Though...I have so many favorites! I have a tendancy to really like some of the hard to keep varieties just for the challenge....

My glowspots are really turning out great. They seem like they'll be an EXTREMELY popular PET roach once they get established enough... Medium size... slow moving...bright colors (on the males)....live birth...long lived...Can't ask for much more in a roach!
 
Hormeticas are worth every nickle, and G.grandidieri "tiger hisser" absolutely rocks!
@Matt,

which Hormetica spp? There is non species in culture up to date!

My favorits are:

1. Schultesia lampyridiformis (BCG 20)

2. different Eurycotis spp. (BCG's 47; 81; 104; 105; 106; 112) - they smell nice (like almonds)

3. Africalolampra ehrmanni was also pretty and nice (BCG 76), may we lost them for cultures.

@all,

Please used the scientific names!!!! We don't now sometimes, which species are you meaning. We are using other popular names, which I can use too, but you can not understand too!!!!!!!!

best rgards

Ingo

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sorry! Lucihormetica subcincta, Lucihormetica verrucosa, and Gromphadorhina grandidieri 'black and white'.

Schultesia lampyridiformis and Eurycotis spp. are great also! (I really enjoy Eurycotis decipiens) and wish I had an opportunity to culture Africalolampra ehrmanni.....

For what common names do you have in Europe that are not in the USA, or are differnt? I am curious to know what different common names things go by, even though I prefer not to use them.

@Matt,which Hormetica spp? There is non species in culture up to date!

My favorits are:

1. Schultesia lampyridiformis (BCG 20)

2. different Eurycotis spp. (BCG's 47; 81; 104; 105; 106; 112) - they smell nice (like almonds)

3. Africalolampra ehrmanni was also pretty and nice (BCG 76), may we lost them for cultures.

@all,

Please used the scientific names!!!! We don't now sometimes, which species are you meaning. We are using other popular names, which I can use too, but you can not understand too!!!!!!!!

best rgards

Ingo
 
For what common names do you have in Europe that are not in the USA, or are differnt?
I will give you an example:

Blattella germanica - german roach - also known as russian, preussen, france etc. any region in german has different names for the same species, also in Europe.

Rhypharobia madeara - I think Drummer in the State, in Europe Madaira raoch

Shelfordell tatara/Blatta lateralis - turky roach, which one from their, if we have an other in culture from this state, you will get problems.

And if you use the scientific names, anybody around the world will understand you clear and it gives you a touch of professionality.

 
I still would go with the peppereds, evan though they have pretty big spines, mine have never stuck me with them.

For a runner up i would go with Polyphaga aegyptica, they are pretty good, they have never performed any of the above behaviors to me, and besides, how cool are the females!

 
I LOVE my G. portentosas! They're wonderful pets and even seem to enjoy it when I handle them.. Our daughter has a project planned to "dress one up" with swarofski crystals and wear it like jewelry! Mine don't hiss much at me - they're soooo mellow.

(Pics shown on this site) We recently moved them to an 80gallon tank just so they could continue to overpopulate...SPOILED ROACHES. Go figure!

 
Back
Top