Discoid Roach Care Sheet

Distribution: 
Mexico, Central and South America. Wild populations can also be found in Florida.
Description: 
Blaberus discoidalis, a.k.a Discoids a.k.a The False Death's Head Roach. Both Male and female discoid roaches have wings, with females being slightly larger and heavier bodied then males. They cannot climb glass or plastic, nor can they fly. Discoids can flutter fall to the ground covering several feet until they hit the ground, depending on high they were when they jumped.
Size: 
1/8th inch when born, upto 2 3/4 inches with females being slightly larger then males
Lifespan: 
16-24 months
Care Difficulty Level: 
Moderate
Caging: 
Discoids cannot climb glass or plastic. I like to house all of my roaches in rubbermaid or sterlite containers with screened lids. I suggest screening 80% of the lid as you can always cover part of it with a terry cloth towel to help retain humidity.
Substrate: 
I use egg crates positioned vertically for additional floor/living space. A substrate of coconut fiber (eco earth, bed a beast, coconut coir) and sphagnum moss can be used as can other soil mixtures. If you use any kind of substrate from a hardware store or garden shop, MAKE SURE IT IS CHEMICAL FREE!
Required Temperatures: 
78 - 95 degrees
Humidity: 
40%-50% You can keep a spray bottle handy to help keep humidity up in drier areas or soak the above mentioned terry cloth towel and place it over some of the screened lid. Wetting down the substrate periodically can help maintain proper humidity as well
Food Requirements: 
Like most roaches, discoids are decomposers, feeding on ripe fruit and other plant materials in the wild. I also keep my home made dry roach food available to them at all times as part of their daily care. When feeding any fresh fruits or vegetables, do not put in more then they can eat in 24-36 hour period to avoid problems caused by rotten food. I also provide water gel to my roaches as a water source at all times. Discoids seem to do better if they have a little more animal protein in their diet then other roach species. This can be achieved by adding a little bit of dog, cat, or high quality fish food.
Maintenance: 
Keep food and water available at all times. Clean out the waste as needed. I do not allow the waste to get any deeper then 1/2-3/4 of an inch.
Breeding Notes: 
Discoids can have 25-35 babies per month, depending on the conditions they are kept under.