Roach Wrangling

[Canopy Chameleons]

I have Turkestan roaches for my crew, but those suckers are so damn fast! What method does everybody use to catch them? I have my Chams using cups, so it's not like they're running all over the cage. It's just a matter of getting them from the roach cage to the chameleon's cup!

Any tips?
-Jaz

 

[Marc10edora]

I am trying to breed dubia right now. When I try to catch them all I do is pick up the toilet paper rolls that I put in there and shake it like crazy until a couple fall into a cup. I cut the paper rolls into little segments so that only 2 or three roaches could fit in it. So far it works out for me.

 

[Mikew2006]

hoover tube end + cloth over the end? lol suppose it will work

 

[Heika]

I have turkistans too, and they are awfully fast. I use a paper towel tube with one end covered with paper that I glued on. I just leave it in the enclosure, pick it up FAST and cup one end. Open my fingers wide enough to sprinkle in some dust, gently shake, and then try and carefully dump a few into the cages. The consolation is that everyone loves them? Trying to catch them one at a time is impossible... suckers are very, very fast. Thankfully, they also don't dive for cover like other roaches.

 

[Canopy Chameleons]

Hmm, good to know. A stupid question... do they bite? lol. I tried breeding my own superworms, but I was terrified of the morio beetles after one bit me. It seems if it's a snake or reptile bite, it's fiiine. But if it's a bug it just creeps me out.

I think I'm going to throw a toilet paper tube in there now...

 

[Heika]

I haven't been bitten by any of them. Not sure if they do or not. I have hand fed dubias to sick chameleons before, and they don't even bite when they are being squished. I have a bunch of superworm beetles, but have never been bitten by one of them, either. I have been bitten by the worms before.. not painful, didn't bother me. You know what freaks me out? Hornworms. I am glad that no one here seems to like them, because I really don't like them.

Make sure you put a cap on one end of the paper towel tube. They run out the ends when you pick up the tube, and as you know, they have no problem leaping out into space when you are walking to a cage. Luckily, they aren't fast enough to avoid my foot. I squish em when one gets loose.

Heika

 

[Canopy Chameleons]

Hornworms are crazy. I haven't tried them yet, and I think I'm going to. I know it will be a one time thing though, lol. I don't know about clipping off the mandible before feeding. I've had enough of bug mutilating with ripping the legs off crix.

I think I may use one of my extra cricket keeper tubes. Just throw that in there, seems it would work fairly well.

 

[roo_71]

those suckers are so damn fast!

They dont call them "red runners" for nothing. I use the paper towel tube method too.

-roo

 

[Brian S]

I believe the only feeder that i actually enjoy to handle is the silky. I just can't get enough of something about them.