Gail":wyzlrxjj said:
I had a large colony of Discoid for awhile but they creeped me out something terrible. I ended up putting them on the porch this winter after many failed attempts at giving them away.
I've developed bad roach allergies but I'd love to find a species that doesn't bother me. I might try hissers next and I though about green banana roaches but I don't know if I want fliers.
Its the frass. It gets disturbed and becomes airborn...and it can bring on allergy attacks like something vicious. When I raised roaches on a large scale, I couldn't go anywhere near them without a full respirator. It eventually got to the point where it simply wasn't worth the hassle. I did have hissers, and they weren't as bad. Their frass is much larger then normal, and isn't prone to dusting like other species. They are slower breeding however, and only the small nymphs are suitable food for a dragon. Adults are simply too big and too well armored to be fed. They are really neat insects however...and make a descent pet themselves
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As for allergies, my suggestion is to wear a mask whenever you open the roach bin, and to keep it as clean as possible. Keeping the colony on the smaller side can also help, so take out the excess and freeze them (quick kill and they can be used later).
As for banana roaches...they are on the smaller side, making them not really suitable as feeders for an adult dragon. They also are pretty fast, and can fly. The adults CAN climb....so you'll need to use a roach barrier to keep them in the bin. They are native to southern states, and do pose a pest risk if they escape and you live in a warm climate.
If you are really considering banana roaches, I'd look into lobster roaches instead. Very similar, except they get a bit bigger and breed like gangbusters. Excellent feeder roach. Biggest drawback is that they can climb...so a barrier is necessary. They technically can fly, but its very rare and they can't get far. These too can live and breed in most southern US states, so they pose a mild pest risk if they escape. Lizards seem to love these guys though.