Turkistan Roaches

[JeffreH]

They make excellent staples; and they make better cricket replacements in my opinion. Far less likely to hide and bunker down than B. dubia, cannot climb smooth surfaces, and they tend to move around a lot more to attract attention. Their smaller size and thinner exoskeleton makes them ideal for smaller herps as well.

There is one flaw to Turkstan roaches... and I would argue that they are not easier to care for as a result. While they are easy and can be more prolific than B. dubia and G. portentosa, they do not incubate oothecae internally and therefore do not yield live litters.

Oothecae (egg cases) are dropped into the external environment. These are highly susceptible to drying out, and successful breeding can sometimes be a more difficult than many beginner roach hobbyists plan for. I've had great success using a substrate for this species, and would highly recommend it. A small layer of coir (coconut fiber/eco-earth) or a similar potting soil/peat mix is ideal. This acts as a buffer from the heat source and helps to retain moisture inside of the colony's bin, which prevents the ooths from drying out and allows them to hatch properly. It is not uncommon for female Blatta (Shelfordella) lateralis to drop 1-2 ooths every month, with each one containing in excess of 20-30 offspring...incredibly prolific roach once you get the setup down.

Some people find them incredibly easy and can rear them without a substrate, but I know that desiccated ooths are a common problem. You can also play around with other ways to increase ambient humidity: maintain a good supply of water crystals in the bin at all times, reduce ventilation slightly, or even introduce a cup with soaked paper towels that cannot be accessed by the roaches to increase bin humidity. The substrate is still recommended and usually does a good enough job in its own right.