Melanozosteria soror (White-Margined Cockroach)

Housing:

Something like a 1 gallon bin works well as a starting enclosure (or even as a permanent enclosure for a smaller colony), up to a 5 gallon bin for a more established colony. All life stages can climb well, so an airtight lid and/or a climbing barrier is recommended.

This species likes high ventilation levels, and rather low humidity. A thin layer of substrate, such as coconut fiber, is recommended for moisture retention. I recommend only keeping a quarter of the substrate moist, the rest should be kept rather dry. Lots of hides in the form of bark, cardboard rolls, or eggcrates should be provided.


Diet:

Dog/cat/fish food, fruits and veggies work well for their staple diet.


Temperature:

Temperatures in the 75-85F° range are recommended for optimal growth/breeding.


Breeding/Life Cycle:

Adults live for 6-8 months on average, and females are quite prolific, laying ooths and attaching them to hides in their enclosure, which hatch after 2-3 months. Nymphs take around 5-6 months or so to mature under optimal conditions.

This species is not particularly sensitive to crowding, pests or filth buildups, however if the humidity/moisture levels in their enclosure get too high, they can have noticeable die offs (similar to Drymaplaneta semivitta). Other than that, they tend to be a pretty hardy and prolific species.

This species can produce a strong cherry/almond smelling defensive fluid, which while generally pleasant to the human nose, is very bitter distasteful. So not a good feeder option for vertebrates (though many invertebrates will eat them with zeal).

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