Keeping roaches long-term? Our roach care & breeding guide applies here too.
Lobster roaches (Nauphoeta cinerea) are a fast-breeding, soft-bodied feeder that punches above its weight. Ranging from 4mm nymphs to 3cm adults, they cover everything from baby chameleons and small geckos up to bearded dragons, birds and fish — with an excellent meat-to-shell ratio that makes them easy to digest.
Why keepers choose lobster roaches
- Prolific: among the fastest-breeding feeder roaches — a small starter colony grows quickly
- Soft-bodied: less chitin than crickets, so more digestible for smaller animals
- Always the right size: a colony contains every size from pinhead nymph to adult at any given time
- Quiet and low-odour compared to crickets
Nutritional value (typical, live basis)
| Nutrient | Approx. value |
|---|---|
| Protein | ~20% |
| Fat | ~7% |
| Moisture | ~70% |
Dust with a calcium supplement before feeding to reptiles, as with all feeder insects.
Care — one important difference
Unlike dubia, lobster roaches can climb smooth surfaces, so keep them in a tall smooth-sided bin with a secure lid and a barrier of petroleum jelly around the top few centimetres. Otherwise care is simple: egg trays for hiding space, warmth (24–30°C), Roach/Cricket Chow and water crystals. Well-kept colonies stay healthy for months.
Shipping
Packed for live arrival and couriered nationwide.
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