Crickets are so expensive and so hard to breed. I want to start a roach colony but heard that there are some really bad health issues associated with them. I live in an apartment and my colony would have to stay in my room. So how can I avoid developing an allergy to them?? And can they infest?
Not everyone is allergic to them. I haven't had any issues but my colony is in the basement which may make a difference. I'd probably keep a cleaner crew in there to keep the waste under control which may help too. I just added some superworms to the bottom and they seem to do pretty well. Dermestid beetles of various kinds are popular too. I haven't had any infestation issues but that's not to say it couldn't happen. I keep mine in a 20g long tank with a mesh lid and they can't climb the sides and haven't escaped in the few years I've had them.
Cleanness of the keepers and breeding tanks is the key to this - ordinarily it's the fras and moldering fras and dead insects and food (spores that become airborn when the keeper is disturbed) that contribute to allergic responses (usually some kind of respiratory response).
Cooper is on the money if you don't want to be regularly cleaning the keeper and having to have at least 2 spare keepers set up to do this.