Discoid Roaches for Bearded Dragons

Discoid roaches (Blaberus discoidalis) are also called false death’s head roaches, for the pale marking behind the head. They are a common feeder for pet reptiles. Discoid roaches for bearded dragon diets work well for one simple reason.

The species cannot climb smooth surfaces such as glass or plastic. Adults rarely fly even though they have wings. A dropped roach stays inside the enclosure instead of scattering across the room.

That is the main edge keepers cite over crickets. This page covers feeding discoid roaches to a bearded dragon: composition, a clear verdict, portion sizes by age, gut loading, dusting, risks and how to offer them.

For a full rundown of every feeder type, see the bearded dragon feeder insects list. This page does not repeat that comparison.

Discoid Roaches for Bearded Dragon Nutrition

A peer reviewed study in the Journal of Animal and Feed Sciences analyzed three roach species used as reptile feed together. The group was Blaptica dubia (dubia roach), Blaberus discoidalis (discoid roach) and Blatta lateralis (red runner roach).

Crude protein ran 489 to 547 grams per kilogram of dry matter in subadults. It ran 602 to 678 grams per kilogram in adults, across the combined group.

Fat ran 236 to 363 grams per kilogram in subadults. It ran 145 to 214 grams per kilogram in adults, again for the combined three species.

The same paper found a calcium to phosphorus ratio from about 1 to 1.9 up to 1 to 23.5 across all samples. Phosphorus outweighs calcium in the raw insect by a wide margin in most of these figures.

The authors did not publish discoid only figures isolated from the other two species. Treat these numbers as combined roach family data, not a discoid specific table.

The range still explains why gut loading and dusting matter. Roaches as a group arrive calcium poor relative to phosphorus. A dragon fed insects without correction risks metabolic bone disease over time.

Are Discoid Roaches Good for Bearded Dragons?

Yes. Discoid roaches suit bearded dragons of every age once sized, gut loaded and dusted correctly. They also carry a practical edge.

They stay inside a smooth walled enclosure if one gets loose. They lack the ability to bite or pinch the way some other feeders can. Their soft exoskeleton digests easily compared with harder bodied insects.

The tradeoff is a slower breeding rate than dubia roaches. A discoid colony grows more slowly if you plan to raise your own supply.

How Many Discoid Roaches to Feed a Bearded Dragon

NC State University’s veterinary hospital sets out feeding by life stage for Pogona vitticeps. The same age bands apply to sizing and portioning discoid roaches.

Juveniles under one month old take flightless fruit flies and gut loaded, pinhead sized insects. Dragons from one to four months old move on to small roaches or crickets sized to the head, with occasional superworms or mealworms.

From four months to adulthood, the diet broadens further. It adds larger roaches, superworms, mealworms and up to one pinky mouse per week.

Portion counts vary by dragon size. Let the head width rule set the size, not a fixed count.

Offer as many roaches as the dragon eats in about 10 to 15 minutes. Then remove any leftovers.

The Size Rule, Gut Loading and Dusting

NC State CVM states the rule plainly: do not feed an insect “wider than the width of your dragon’s head.” Many keepers use the narrower gap between the eyes as a stricter version. An oversized roach raises the risk of impaction or regurgitation.

Measure the roach across its body, not its length, against a juvenile’s head.

• Gut load roaches on a calcium rich diet for 24 to 72 hours before offering them. Dusting alone cannot replace proper gut loading, per NC State CVM.
• Dust every feeder insect with a calcium supplement right before offering it. This follows the Merck Veterinary Manual’s general reptile feeding guidance.
• Alternate a plain calcium powder with a vitamin and mineral blend a few times a week, rather than one dust at every meal.
• Never collect wild roaches or other wild insects as feeders. NC State CVM warns these often carry parasites, and an exotic animal veterinarian quoted by LafeberVet adds that whether a wild insect was “sprayed with any sort of chemicals” is “the harder thing to figure out.”

Risks of Feeding Discoid Roaches

Discoid roaches carry few risks next to wild caught insects or stinging feeders. That holds as long as they come from a clean colony free of pesticides.

The main hazards are oversizing, which can cause impaction, and skipping gut loading and dusting. Skipping either step compounds the calcium to phosphorus imbalance above into a long term deficiency.

Buy from a dedicated feeder supplier rather than a general pet store bin. Quarantine any new colony stock before it reaches the enclosure.

Some states restrict which live roach species residents may keep or import. Rules differ by location. Check your own state’s exotic insect and agricultural rules before ordering a discoid colony.

How to Offer Discoid Roaches

Feed roaches from a shallow dish, or by tongs for a young or shy dragon. Loose roaches can hide under substrate.

A smooth sided feeding tub keeps escapees contained, since discoid roaches cannot climb glass or plastic. Remove any roach not eaten within about 15 minutes, so it does not burrow or bite the dragon while it sleeps.

Discoid Roaches vs Dubia Roaches

Dubia roaches breed faster and are the more widely kept feeder roach overall. Discoid roaches share that same inability to climb smooth surfaces. They also cannot fly as adults, which some keepers prefer.

See the full dubia roaches for bearded dragons page for dubia specific composition and legality notes. This page covers discoid roaches alone.

Keeping a Discoid Roach Colony

A discoid colony needs a warm, dark bin with egg crate for cover, a shallow water dish and dry dog food or roach chow. It breeds more slowly than dubia, so start with a larger founding group for a self sustaining supply.

Discoid roaches fit into a broader feeder rotation. See the crickets page for how roaches compare with that staple.

Check the bearded dragon feeding schedule for how often to rotate feeder types by age, including the hatchling and juvenile bands.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can bearded dragons eat discoid roaches?

Yes. Every age of bearded dragon can eat discoid roaches once the roach is gut loaded, dusted with calcium and sized no wider than the dragon’s head. They digest easily thanks to a soft exoskeleton.

Are discoid roaches good for bearded dragons compared with crickets?

Many keepers rank discoid roaches above crickets as a staple. Discoid roaches cannot climb out of a smooth sided enclosure or bite a sleeping dragon the way crickets sometimes do. Crickets still work fine as a rotation feeder.

How many discoid roaches should I feed my bearded dragon?

Offer as many correctly sized roaches as the dragon eats in about 10 to 15 minutes. NC State CVM’s schedule is twice daily for dragons of one to four months, once daily to adulthood, then daily or every other day for adults alongside a greens based diet.

Is Blaberus discoidalis the same as the dubia roach?

No, Blaptica dubia is the dubia roach, and Blaberus discoidalis is the discoid roach. Both are common reptile feeders with a similar nutrient range in combined lab studies. They are not interchangeable in breeding rate or legality by region.

Do discoid roaches carry parasites like wild insects do?

Farmed discoid roaches from a dedicated feeder supplier avoid the parasite risk that NC State CVM ties to wild caught insects. Always buy from a feeder specific source rather than collecting insects outdoors.

Can discoid roaches escape and climb the enclosure walls?

Discoid roaches cannot climb smooth glass or plastic, and adults rarely fly. Escapees typically stay inside a standard smooth sided enclosure rather than scattering through the house.