I admit it. I was amused by an El Paso zoo offering to have people name roaches after their ex and then have them fed to the meerkats. And yet, I was a bit torn too. See, I’ve been raising b. dubia roaches for my bearded dragons for years now. While I wouldn’t say that I am friends with the little guys, let’s just say they’re not as icky as people think they are. Of course the bearded dragons think they’re delicious!
I don’t talk about it much in Hidden or in the newly released Tonic Chords, but no doubt Tory has to keep some kind of insect colonies for Pito, her bearded dragon. My guess is that b. dubia are probably out of the question. They’re illegal in Florida due to the fact that the roaches need a high humidity to molt their skin. Therefore, in most of the US, they can’t survive long enough to become an invasive species. Hawaii and Florida are the exception.
My roaches eat the stems of the greens I feed my lizards, some “roach chow” (both purchased and homemade), and like to use Repashy Bug Burger for their “water” source. I’ll share some pictures later. But Kimba and Artemis both are getting some roaches for lunch, so I can tell you feeding them isn’t just a Valentine’s Day tradition. Just in case you’re wondering, I don’t name my roaches.
