How to Buy Discoid Roaches: A Keeper's Guide to Sources, Sizing, and Live Arrival

I've fed discoid roaches to bearded dragons and leopard geckos for years, and buying them well is half the battle. A good order shows up alive, correctly sized, and clean; a bad one shows up as a box of dead, smelly bugs that stresses you out and underfeeds your animal. This guide is how I size an order, pick a source, and make sure the roaches arrive in shape to actually feed.

Why discoid roaches as a feeder

Discoid roaches (Blaberus discoidalis) are a staple feeder for a reason. They're high in protein, soft-bodied enough to digest easily, and far less fatty than something like a superworm. Compared to crickets they're quieter, basically odorless, don't jump, and live for months instead of dying off in a week.

Two facts get them confused with another roach. They are not Blaptica dubia — dubia is a separate species. And one detail that matters in the US: discoids are the only feeder roach the USDA permits you to ship into Florida without a special permit, so Florida keepers buy discoids specifically.

The other thing keepers love is that they don't climb smooth walls and the adults don't fly. A smooth-sided bin contains them without a fancy lid, and an escapee can't establish a colony in a normal home.

Sizing your order to your animal

Size is the single most common ordering mistake. Too big and your animal can't (or won't) eat it; too small and you're tweezing dozens of tiny roaches per meal. A good rule is to keep the feeder no wider than the gap between your pet's eyes.

If you keep animals at different life stages, ordering a mixed-size lot or a small starter colony lets you pull the right size on demand instead of reordering constantly.

Vetting an online source

Most "where to buy" advice boils down to avoiding sellers who cut corners. Here's what I actually check:

Clear product descriptions

A real seller tells you the species, the size range, and the count. Vague listings that won't commit to a size or quantity usually mean inconsistent stock.

A written live arrival guarantee

This is non-negotiable for shipped live insects. The guarantee should spell out what counts (often photos within an hour or two of delivery) and how they make it right. No guarantee means the seller isn't confident their packing survives transit.

Sensible pricing

Suspiciously cheap roaches usually mean poor breeding conditions or thin packing. You're not just paying for bugs; you're paying for them to arrive alive. Reasonable, not rock-bottom, is the target.

Real reviews

Look past the star average and read for the specifics that matter: did insects arrive alive, were they the right size, how did the seller handle a bad box. Forums and reptile groups are more honest than on-site testimonials.

Honest shipping practices

Good sellers offer heat packs in winter and cool packs in summer, use ventilated containers, and are upfront that you should time delivery around weather. If a seller never mentions temperature, that's a red flag.

I keep one outbound recommendation here: I source mine from All Angles Creatures' discoid roach collection, which handles the sizing and live-arrival side the way I'd want.

Getting them home alive

When the box lands, open and count it the same day. If you bought a live arrival guarantee, document any losses immediately per the seller's terms.

Move the roaches into a smooth-walled plastic bin with vertical egg-crate flats for surface area and hides. Keep them at 80–90°F with 40–60% humidity — too dry and they struggle to molt, too wet and you get mold and mites. Feed a dry grain-based chow plus fresh produce (carrot, squash, leafy greens) for moisture; skip open water dishes, which drown them. Pull uneaten produce daily so the bin stays clean.

Feeding them to your pet the right way

Two steps turn a roach into actual nutrition. Gut-load for 24 to 48 hours before feeding — what the roach ate becomes what your pet absorbs. Then dust with calcium right before you offer them. Like nearly every feeder insect, discoids are phosphorus-heavy with a poor calcium-to-phosphorus ratio, so the dusting corrects the balance; the Merck Veterinary Manual on reptile nutrition explains why that ratio matters. (Black soldier fly larvae are the one common exception that's naturally calcium-rich.) For animals that need it, use a calcium-with-D3 product on the schedule your species requires.

A reliable supply, sized right and dusted right, is what keeps a reptile's color, energy, and shed quality where you want them.

For the husbandry side once your roaches arrive, see breeder secrets for keeping discoids alive and my 10 tips for growing a healthy discoid colony.