The Roaches Survive...Again!

A

Arthroverts

Seventh Instar
Hey all, I had bought some 12+ Therea petiveriana a while back (about a year or two ago). I raised two to maturity (unfortunately they didn't breed), but then the group just sort of died out it seemed. I was recently using the old substrate in their cage for some isopod enclosures, and I noticed something moving! I sifted through the substrate and found seven juveniles! All of them had been surviving in a low moisture, low food environment for at least six months, because I thought they had all died. I am still shocked. I guess roaches, even more sensitive ones like Therea petiveriana, still possess that incredible hardiness that has come to define the amazing insects known as "cockroaches".

Anyway, just wanted to share that with all of you, and ask the question: When have your roaches defied the odds and survived?

Thanks,

Arthroverts

 
Very nice, glad your Therea didn't die out completely! :D  BTW, try feeding them a protein rich diet, with leaves as the supplemental food, and they should grow pretty fast! ;) Also, keeping half the enclosure dry and the other half moist appears to be the best for Therea. 

I received a group of Simandoa conserfariam nymphs from BIC, however there was a cold snap and they all appeared lifeless on arrival. However I kept them anyway, figuring some might thaw out and actually be alive, and to make a long story short, that's exactly what happened. It actually took several days, but three of the nymphs came back to life and regained full bodily function, and went on to eat and molt just fine, even got one to mature before leaving the hobby. :)

So yeah, roaches can really defy expectations and live through some pretty tough scenarios for sure! :D

 
Unbeknownst to me, just prior to selling off my large G. oblongonota colony a lone male escaped. Four months later, who comes walking out from behind my desk? 🤔 I was honestly dumbfounded. That's a long time to rogue! It's been about 2 years and I still have that little guy. He has his very own hisser palace and a prominent place in my heart. 

Similarly, I had an A. insignis go missing... again, unbeknownst to me. I kept hearing strange scratching that sounded like it was coming from inside the walls. I live in an old home that's partly underground; we get mice on occasion so I thought nothing of it, but 2 weeks later I'm still hearing the same sound. Tracked it down to an adult female living in my subwoofer. It seems like the vibrations would make that an unappealing place to hide out, but she seemed quite comfortable. Had to take apart the whole speaker to get her out, though. 

Final story: While checking my banana roaches one day, I see a small tan similar but not similar roach. Caught it. Not one of mine! Turns out it was a wild Parcoblatta enjoying the highlife of steady food and moisture. They are resourceful little buggers. 

 
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