Are roaches a good diet for Green Tree Frogs?

[DC101]

Hello guys!

Im going to start a roach colony so i can breed them. In live in Australia and i only seem to be able to find woodies.

I rang the pet store and they said that woodies are good as a supplementary and that crickets have better nutrients.
I don't really believe the pet store because i know that crickets are pretty much an empty shell.

So, would woodies be good to feed Green Tree Frogs?

The frogs will only be around 3-4 months old and im getting 3.

Thanks!

[JeffreH]

The term 'woodies' is going to be unfamiliar to a lot of us in the states and elsewhere - but correct me if I'm wrong in beleiving it is a feeder slang term for species of wood roach.

The woodies I have heard of are either the Australian roach or lobster roach (Nauphoeta cinerea) and both make excellent feeders. That isn't to say it may be another species of roach, but regardless most roaches make for a very solid staple feeder and will primarily only vary in their care needs and how prolofic they are.

Most roaches species have very similar nutrional content, here is a source to back this (including a table comparison to other feeders, such as crickets):
Feeder Insect Analysis

Obviously gutloading is going to be important for any species of feeder, make sure to properly gutload and supplement all feeders prior to feeding.

Pictures or a specific species name would be be nice so that we may further assist you in care needs and helping you out with established a colony. Australian roaches differ from lobster roaches in that the latter can climb and the prior tend to be very similar to our common Shelfordella (Blatta) lateralis and common American roaches, although they do prefer things a little warmer and more humid.

Edit: If you can find out the exact species, I can let you know the information you desire about these woodies as far as their reproductive rate and care that you were asking about in the other thread you recently made about them = )

[DC101]

Thank you so much Jeff, your a life saver

Yes, you are correct, they are called the wood roach. Sorry for not clearing that out.

They are very similar if not the same as lobster roaches as i have read.
Ill still try to have a mixture of both so they don't get bored of the same food all the time.

Thanks!

[JeffreH]

Do they look like this?

*Photo courtesy of Aaron Pauling at Aaron Pauling.com

If so they are lobster roaches, which make an excellent feeder. They are incredibly prolific breeders and give live birth as well, but they are a little on the smellier side for a roach (still not as bad as crickets) and they can climb smooth surfaces such as glass. We can discuss more in detail if this are the woodies in question = )

Edit: Picture fail... wayy too small haha. Go ahead and google 'Lobster Roach' or 'Nauphoeta cinerea' and take a look at the pics.

[Deac77]

I was thinking about doing lobster roaches but I don't like the climbing smooth surfaces I'll stick with my Dubia lol

[DC101]

Yeah, i love dubias but here in AUS, we can't get them.

its alright though, just a bit of Vaseline.

[JeffreH]

It can be a nuisance - but I do prefer lobsters for arboreal species. They are quite soft bodied and tend to move around more while the dubia are more prone to bunkering down and sitting for periods of time. All feeders have their pros and cons and all roach species have their pros and cons = )

If they are lobsters you'll want to slap a layer of petroleum jelly/vaseline around the rim of their bin; spread thinly and evenly in a band about 1" in width around the perimeter. Works like a charm to keep my lobsters and various hisser species from climbing out and it isn't too messy (and its cheap). Just re-apply when it starts getting dry every couple of months. Escapees are inevitable with this species however. I still find less of them than I do crickets but somehow a random lobster will turn up in another bin or somewhere every couple of months.

Lobsters are also the most prolific roach I have kept. They may produce just slightly less than lateralis monthly but because they produce live offspring there is less room for error as ooths are prone to the elements once outside of the mother. If you want an inexpensive roach that will reproduce like mad...lobsters are the ticket.

[Deac77]

I kinda want to keep hissers lol!! Just te giant though

[DC101]

Yeah, thanks guys, especially Jeff!

This weekend, im buying 600 wood roaches for just $30!!!

[JeffreH]

No problem DC101! Let us know if you have any questions... I know there are other lobster roach keepers on this forum as well. Definitely one of the easiest roaches to culture = )

I kinda want to keep hissers lol!! Just te giant though

There are smaller species of hissers that are just as awesome and adorable as the Madagascaran counterparts ; )

For example, Elliptorhina chopardi (Dwarf Hisser) and Elliptorhina javanica.

I'm quite partial to my Elliptorhina javanica (AKA Javan Hissing Roach, AKA Halloween Hissing Roach). Adults max out around an inch and a half or so in length and they are absolutely gorgeous. They're fairly docile and being smaller they are not as spiky as the larger hisser species out there for handling purposes. They make for an excellent display roach and/or pet. Finally, I find them fairly prolific for a collector species... I started with 6 (3 pairs) and the colony seemed to pop up in no time. Here are some pictures of mine:

[Deac77]

Those are cool!!! I'd like both those and the Madagascar!!!!!!!

[DC101]

You are so lucky jeff to has such exotic roaches!
Here in Australia, we don't really have ones like that.

When i get the roaches, ill post some pics and maybe a tutorial on how i breed them!
Thanks for your help guys!