FAQ

Frequently asked questions in the roach-keeping hobby

Q: What's the best beginner species?
A: To be honest, there are many species that could stand as the best beginner species. Right now in the U.S hobby the answer would be the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach (Gromphadorhina portentosa) or the Dubia roach (Blaptica dubia), but that's because they're the most readily available. You can choose from similarly hardy species that may appeal to you better, like a different madagascar species (Elliptorhina sp., Aeluropoda sp., etc.), Domino roaches (Therea sp.), Shadow roaches (Pycnoscelus nigra), the Big Black Beetle Mimic roach (Ergaula pilosa), Sand roaches (Polyphaga sp.), etc.. So long as the species is within the beginner parameters (not picky about temperature and humidity, prolific breeder, simple set up needs, and inexpensive) then go for it!

Q: Do cockroaches have to be housed together or can I have one by itself as a pet?
A: Yes! Cockroaches are social animals. They live in colonies of 10+ individuals. You may see a cockroach by itself roaming around buildings, but the rest of its family isn't far. Cockroaches are happiest and healthiest together.

Q: How big does the enclosure have to be?
A: This depends greatly. It depends on how many you have, how large they are, and if they're territorial or not. Here's a very general guide:

10~ small nymphs: 1 quart

10~ medium nymphs: 3-4 quarts

2 mature adults: 5 quarts

15-20~ small nymphs: 3-5 quarts

15-20~ medium nymphs: 8-12 quarts

20-30~ small nymphs: 7-10 quarts

25-30~ medium nymphs: 11-20 quarts

30+ small nymphs: 14-20 quarts

30+ medium: 20+ quarts

Note: this is a rough guide. Your species may have specific needs. 

Q: What foods do they eat?
A: Cockroaches need protein, vitamins, and moisture. The general diet for pet cockroaches is dog food and apples (organic or peeled to prevent pesticide poisoning). The dog food provides protein and the apples provide the moisture and remaining nutrition. And no, you do not need to buy expensive dog food. Cheap works just fine. You can try giving your cockroaches other fruits and veggies, but it isn't necessary.

Q: How do I control the population?
A: Understandably, some people fear that their colonies will over-populate. You can mediate this by feeding them to other pets such as lizards, frogs, tarantulas, centipedes, etc,. Or, you can cull them via freezing. This sounds inhumane, but understand that insects do not 'feel' temperature the way humans do. Entomologists cull their specimens via freezing. It's a practice that's been around for a long time and if there were suspicions that it's torturous to them then it wouldn't be common practice.
If you can, I would try to pick out the oldest roaches in your colony so you aren't culling younguns that haven't had a chance to live their life. This is difficult because cockroaches don't visually age much, but do your best.

Q: I've heard you can have allergies to cockroaches; is this true?
A: Yes. Sadly, it is possible to develop an allergy to cockroaches. Not everyone does, and it can depend on how much you handle your roaches without gloves, but it is very possible. The allergy can range from minor itchiness with a small localized rash to intense itchiness and/or localized red bumps and rashes. I personally only handle my roaches without gloves when I'm quickly checking an individual; otherwise, I wear gloves.

Q: Can cockroaches bite?
A: Nope! Their mouth parts aren't strong enough to break human skin.

Q: Do I need to give my cockroaches a water dish?
A: No. Do not give your roaches a water dish. They're prone to drowning themselves accidentally, and they don't need a puddle of water to meet their moisture needs anyway. Just provide them with apple slices and give their enclosure a small misting every week. You can give them water jelly/crystals but it isn't necessary so long as you're able to provide them their moisture via fruits and mists.

Q: Is it okay for my cockroaches to interbreed? Don't I need to introduce unrelated individuals?
A: Yes and no, respectively. Cockroaches can interbreed just fine. They don't face genetic abnormalities for breeding with their mothers, lol.

Q: Do I need to use special substrate?
A: Nope. Cocoa fiber is most common and works well by itself. You can throw springtails in there as well with just the cocoa fiber so long as it's moist enough. Some people like to add organic topsoil for something more dense. The substrate should not be coarse and hard or too loose. If it's too coarse it will make it hard for the roaches to properly harden from their molt and if it's too loose it will be challenging for them to comfortably burrow. Examples of this would be large chunks of vermiculite or orchid bark (by themselves).

Q: How do I stop mold from growing?
A: Some molds aren't actually a major threat to cockroaches especially if you house springtails with them, but some people, like myself, don't like the look of it and find it annoying, and of course some molds can be threatening. The answer is to keep moisture levels down and airflow high. Cross-ventilation helps with proper airflow and increasing ventilation helps keeps moisture from sticking around too long. If your species needs lots of moisture, then good airflow is vital.

Q: How do I identify my species?
A: Well, hopefully the person/store you bought them from has them labeled properly to begin with, but if you're suspicious or you found your roaches from the wild, you can hit up the community on the official cockroach forum or the Roach Guild discord, or you can submit some detailed photos to iNaturalist which will give you some suggested genera/species and the community will either confirm or re-suggest the genera/species.

Q: How long do cockroaches live for?
A: This varies by species, but the average lifespan is 2 years.

Q: I want to expand my collection. How do I know which species is right for me?
A: You'll have to do your own research for this one. It depends on your taste, your experience level, and your budget. I'd first base it on which species you find the most interesting, then narrow it down to which ones you can afford, then which you can properly care for.

Q: Can you use cockroaches for composting?
A: Theoretically, yes. There's been projects made to see how effective roaches are at composting, but you can't just use any species. Many roaches are surprisingly picky and you can't feed them just any leftover food because of pesticide poisoning. There's limitations, but it is possible. You'll have to do extended research on this topic.