Red Runner Roaches Care
Red Runner roach (Shelfordella lateralis) is a species of non-climbing, non-burrowing roach that thrives in a sub-tropical environment. They are also called Turkestan roaches or Rusty Reds. They are a very hardy species that thrive when humidity and temperature are both high. Due to their fast movement speed and non-burrowing nature, they are a very popular feeder insect for a wide range of insectivores that are particularly enticed by prey movement (e.g., tarantulas, scorpions, and tree frogs). Their body is relatively soft when compared to Dubia roaches, making them easier to swallow when compared to the same-sized Dubia roaches. Nutritionally, they are similar to Dubia roaches with slightly less protein, but also with lower fat content. You can find out more about Red Runner nutritional value in this article.
Housing
These roaches can be housed in a critter keeper or a deep plastic tub with layers of egg cartons. Even though they can’t climb smooth surfaces. The container should have a lid if you are housing adult roaches as the males can perform jump-assisted flight that can go up to 12 inches in height. Lids will effectively help prevent males from escaping.
Substrate is not necessary for these roaches unless the ambient humidity is too low. When humidity is low, a layer of moist coco fiber can be used as substrate. Higher humidity will allow them to better molt and grow. If you are aiming for a bioactive setup, you can use any tropical soil mix or use coco fiber mixed with organic topsoil in a 1:1 ratio as a cheaper alternative.
One great thing about the Red Runners is that they are very low maintenance and their enclosure only needs to be cleaned once every three to four months to remove the frass. Unlike Dubia Roaches, where dead individuals may pile up and cause a fly infestation, Red Runner colonies are almost self-cleaning, where all dead individuals are mostly “recycled” by other members of the colony.
Diet
Red Runners roaches are not picky eaters and can eat a variety of fruits, grains, and vegetables. Some of their favorites include romaine lettuce, carrot, banana, apple, and wheat germs. If you feed them fresh fruits and vegetables, then you don’t need to provide them with water on the side. Try to refrain from feeding large quantities of dog/cat food to your Red Runners because those are high in protein and may cause uric acid to build up, which often lead to a higher mortality rate and gout in reptiles that eat individual roaches with high uric acid.
Important: if you are starting your own colony, you must keep them well fed or they will eat each other.
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Red Runner roaches FAQ
Q: A few individuals escaped during feeding; will they infest my home?
A: No, they will not infest your home because these roaches require high temperatures to thrive. You will most likely find the escapees dead and shriveled up in a corner somewhere. Depending on where you are, they may establish in your yard.
Q: My pet failed to catch a few individuals; now they are loose in the cage, will they bite my pet?
A: No, unlike crickets, they will not bite your pets. To trap them inside your pets’ enclosure, you can place a small smooth-sided cup with a piece of fruit inside and lean the cup against a decoration or something the Red Runners can climb on. The Red Runners will go into the cup to eat and then won’t be able to get out.
Q: Do they emit a foul odor?
A: Slightly. There is a balance between a smelly Red Runners colony and a healthy colony because of the humidity. When humidity is too high, they will smell a bit musty, I found 50% humidity to be ideal to keep the smell down while maintaining a healthy colony.
Q: Do you ship them in a container or loose in box?
A: We ship them inside a punched plastic cup with egg cartons and some food, but the holes are small enough to prevent escape. We found this shipping method to be most convenient to our customers and easiest to transfer between enclosures.
Q: How long do they live?
A: Females live around 1.5 years, while males live around 1 year.
Q: The males have wings, do they fly?
A: The males can not fly, but they can use their wings to do an assisted jump to reach higher areas, therefore, it’s best to keep a vented lid on the Red Runner enclosures.
Q: Can I feed them to my bearded dragon?
A: Absolutely, you can feed them to any insectivorous reptiles.
Q: Can I feed them to my tarantulas?
A: Red Runner is one of the best feeders for tarantulas and spiderling.
Q: I only have spiderlings; how do I make sure I only receive smaller Red Runners?
A: Attach a note to your order during checkout and we will try to pack only smaller Red Runners.
Q: One of my Red Runner is completely white, is it safe to feed to my pet?
A: Absolutely, like all invertebrates, Red Runners will molt and shed off their exoskeleton to grow, right after shedding, they are pearl white color.