Are discoid roaches more nutritious than crickets?

Generally yes. Discoids offer more consistent protein (~20% vs crickets' variable 15-21%), comparable fat, and they hold gut-loaded nutrition for 24-48 hours, longer than crickets typically do.

Do discoid roaches smell like crickets?

No. Crickets develop a sharp ammonia odor within a couple of days from frass and die-off. A discoid bin is essentially odorless with basic maintenance — you can keep one in a bedroom and not notice it.

Can discoid roaches escape and infest my house?

No. Discoids cannot climb smooth plastic or glass and cannot jump, so a smooth-walled bin is escape-proof. They also can't establish in most homes. Crickets jump, climb textured surfaces, and chirp from inside walls for weeks.

Will discoid roaches bite my reptile?

No. Uneaten discoids left overnight simply hide. Uneaten crickets will chew on a sleeping reptile's eyes, toes, and vent, which is why most keepers remove crickets within 15-20 minutes.

Are crickets cheaper than discoid roaches?

Per insect at checkout, yes. But once you account for 30-50% cricket die-off, replacement orders, and maintenance time, the per-feeding cost is often comparable, and roaches bought in bulk can be cheaper.

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Feeder Insects

Discoid Roaches vs Crickets: An Honest Feeder Comparison

By Matt Goren · Updated June 26, 2026

I started out on crickets like almost everyone does — they're at every pet store, they're cheap, and they're what you're handed first. Then I switched my colonies to discoid roaches (Blaberus discoidalis), and like most keepers who make that jump, I never went back. Here's the honest, category-by-category breakdown of how these two stack up.

Nutrition

Both are nutritious, but roaches have a meaningful edge in a few areas.

Discoid roaches run roughly 20% protein, 7% fat, and 65-70% moisture. Their calcium-to-phosphorus ratio still needs supplemental dusting — like nearly every feeder, they're phosphorus-heavy — but it's more favorable than crickets, and they gut-load exceptionally well, holding their last meal's nutrition for 24-48 hours.

Crickets provide about 15-21% protein (it varies a lot by source and diet), ~6% fat, and ~73% moisture. They gut-load fine but process food fast and tend to lose that nutrition quicker than roaches.

Bottom line: discoids deliver more consistent protein and retain gut-loaded nutrition longer. For anyone focused on getting the most out of every feeding — especially growing juveniles — roaches win nutritionally.

Smell

This is where it gets dramatic. Crickets smell terrible. Within 48-72 hours you'll notice a sharp, ammonia-like odor that only intensifies. It comes from frass, decomposing dead crickets, and the insects themselves, and it's the single most universal cricket complaint.

Discoids produce virtually no odor. You can keep hundreds in a bedroom bin and notice nothing as long as you pull old food and keep ventilation. The difference isn't subtle — it's a completely different experience.

Noise

Male crickets chirp, constantly, and loudest at night — exactly when you're trying to sleep. In a bedroom, office, or thin-walled apartment it'll drive you (and your neighbors) up the wall.

Discoids are silent. No chirping, no clicking, nothing. If noise matters at all, this category alone can justify the switch.

Lifespan and shelf life

Crickets are fragile and short-lived. Expect meaningful die-off within 1-2 weeks of bringing them home — faster in warm rooms or after shipping stress. Dead crickets pile up fast, feeding the smell and the waste, and you're always racing the clock.

Discoids live months to years with minimal care. Toss them in a bin with food scraps and water crystals and they're healthy weeks later. That means far less waste, fewer emergency reorders, and a feeding schedule you control instead of one dictated by die-off.

Escape risk

Crickets are escape artists — they jump erratically, slip through tiny gaps, and climb most surfaces, including glass with any texture or moisture. Once loose they're nearly impossible to catch and chirp from inside walls for weeks.

Discoids cannot climb smooth surfaces and cannot jump. A basic smooth-walled plastic bin is completely escape-proof. Even if one falls off the tongs during feeding, it stays at ground level where you can pick it up. Zero drama. (This is also why a smooth-sided enclosure matters — anything with a rough interior gives nymphs traction.)

Bite risk to your reptile

This one is underappreciated. Crickets will bite your reptile. Uneaten crickets left overnight chew on sleeping animals — around the eyes, toes, and vent — causing stress, skin damage, and possible infection. Most experienced keepers pull uneaten crickets within 15-20 minutes specifically for this reason.

Discoids do not bite. You can leave uneaten roaches in an enclosure overnight with no risk; they just hide until the next feeding. That's a real safety and convenience win, especially if you can't babysit every feeding.

Parasite and disease risk

Commercially raised crickets have a documented history of carrying parasites and pathogens, including pinworms and cricket paralysis virus. Large cricket farms periodically suffer disease outbreaks that affect the feeders you receive. Good gut-loading and supplementation help, but the baseline pathogen load is simply higher. (The Merck/MSD Vet Manual covers feeder-borne parasite transmission in reptiles — MSD Vet Manual.)

Discoids from a reputable breeder carry a lower parasite burden. Cleaner living conditions, no cannibalism (crickets eat their dead), and a hardier constitution make them a safer feeder overall.

Cost

Let's be honest: crickets are cheaper per insect at checkout. A box of 50 crickets costs less than 50 comparably sized discoids. On paper, that's a clear cricket win.

But the per-feeding cost tells a different story. Factor in 30-50% cricket die-off before you can use them, the replacement orders, and the maintenance time and supplies, and the gap narrows hard. Many keepers find roaches are comparable or even cheaper per actual feeding once waste is counted — and buying discoids in bulk drops the per-unit price further. You can browse quantity options at All Angles Creatures.

Convenience and maintenance

Crickets demand frequent attention: daily feeding and watering, removing the dead, bin cleaning every few days, and reordering every 1-2 weeks. They need egg-crate hides, a water source, and food — and they still die on you.

Discoids need food scraps every few days and water crystals refreshed occasionally. That's essentially it. A monthly bin clean is nice but not critical. The maintenance burden is a fraction of crickets'. I lay out the full routine in my discoid roach care guide.

Which animals benefit most from switching?

Any insectivore benefits, but the biggest impact shows up in:

Bearded dragons — higher protein supports growth; no bite risk during sleep
Leopard geckos — appropriately sized nymphs with better nutrition than small crickets
Chameleons — roaches won't bite an uneaten cham; cleaner enclosure
Anything in a bioactive enclosure — roaches won't shred live plants the way crickets do

The verdict

Crickets aren't terrible — they've sustained millions of pet reptiles. But head-to-head across nutrition, smell, noise, lifespan, safety, and overall keeper experience, discoids win in nearly every category. The only place crickets clearly lead is initial unit price, and even that closes once you count waste and die-off.

If you've been on the fence, try one order of discoids and judge for yourself. Most keepers only wish they'd switched sooner.

Weighing other staples? Compare against the cheap fridge option in discoid roaches vs mealworms, and learn how to make any roach feeder more nutritious in what do discoid roaches eat.

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