Little Kenyan Roaches for Sale The Little Kenyan Roach (Paraplecta cf. minutissima “Kenya”) is one of the smallest roaches kept in captivity worldwide and the smallest one in our entire catalog. Adult females reach about 10 mm (less than 1/2 inch), males about 8 mm, and newborn nymphs are roughly the size of a fruit fly at around 2 mm. The species is native to the Mara-Narok region of Kenya in East Africa, near the Maasai Mara national reserve. This product fills a feeder niche no other roach we sell can: it suits dart frogs, mantid nymphs, tarantula slings, juvenile geckos, and other very small insectivores that need feeders smaller than even small Dubia or our standard Green Banana Roaches. Sold to feeder users and breeders in counts of 30, 100, or 300 mixed nymphs. Overview Little Kenyan Roaches are blaberid family roaches in the genus Paraplecta, which is new to most US hobby keepers. Like other blaberids, females give birth to live babies rather than laying eggs. The species was historically sold as “Blaberidae sp. Kenya” before being tentatively assigned to Paraplecta minutissima, hence the current cf. notation in the name. They are shallow burrowers, staying just below the surface of moist substrate and emerging to forage at night. A productive colony forms a dense, easy-to-harvest population that produces small feeders consistently, which is exactly what insectivore keepers want for ongoing feeding rather than one-time purchases. Honest Note on the cf. Designation The “cf.” in the scientific name is Latin for “compare with.” It means the captive line we sell looks like the formally described Paraplecta minutissima but the identification has not been definitively confirmed. The species exists in formal taxonomy; the question is just whether our stock matches it. This is the same kind of uncertainty marker on our Blaberus cf. peruvianus “Peruvian Cave Roach”, where we explain the full cf. vs sp. framework in detail. For practical buyer use, the cf. uncertainty doesn’t matter — you’re getting the documented hobby line consistently maintained across multiple breeders worldwide. For research programs or formal taxonomy work, it’s a known limitation to be aware of. Honest Note: This Really Is Tiny “Smallest” can mean different things depending on what you’re comparing against. Here’s the size context in plain English: Adult female: about 10 mm. Less than half an inch. Smaller than a grain of rice in length. Adult male: about 8 mm. Smaller still. Newborn nymph: about 2 mm. Comparable to a melanogaster fruit fly. Tiny enough that fitting nymph counts into a feeder cup gives you a meaningfully larger meal than the same count of larger roaches. For context: a small Dubia nymph (1/4 inch) is about 6mm — larger than an adult male Little Kenyan Roach. A standard Green Banana Roach adult is about 24mm — more than twice the size of an adult Little Kenyan female. This matters if you keep very small insectivores. Dart frogs, mantid nymphs at L1 or L2 stages, juvenile day geckos, tarantula slings — these eaters often refuse or can’t handle the standard small feeder sizes. Little Kenyan Roach nymphs are small enough that even the pickiest tiny insectivores can eat them comfortably. Honest Note on the Climbing Reality Documented breeder reports on climbing are slightly inconsistent. Here’s the honest summary: Adult males: CAN climb smooth surfaces, but weakly. They have small adhesive structures on their feet that work on glass and plastic, but they aren’t strong climbers and don’t usually get far. Per multiple breeders (“some males are weak climbers but don’t get far”) this isn’t a major escape risk in practice. Adult females: CANNOT climb smooth surfaces. They lack the adhesive foot structures males have. Nymphs: CANNOT climb smooth surfaces. Practical containment: a tight-fitting lid handles them easily. No need for the gasket-sealed setup our flying species require. A standard vented bin with the lid pressed firmly down works fine. Watch for adult males trying to climb the corners of the enclosure, especially the male-female meeting points where they may make occasional escape attempts, but the species as a whole is very easy to contain. Why It’s the Best Feeder for Very Small Insectivores Several reasons this species fills a unique role no other roach in our catalog can: Size matches very small insectivore mouths. Newborn nymphs at fruit-fly size suit jumping spider slings, mantid nymphs, dart froglets, juvenile day geckos, and other tiny eaters. Soft body, easy to digest. Like other blaberids, the body is lightly sclerotized and digestible — easier on small reptile and amphibian digestion than crickets. Productive colonies are dense. The small size means a productive colony in a moderate enclosure produces a LOT of feeders. Documented breeders describe the species as “fantastic and prolific.” Easy to harvest in bulk. They burrow shallowly and emerge to forage, so collecting feeders for daily reptile feeding is straightforward. Won’t escape your house. Females and nymphs can’t climb glass; males climb weakly. So a knocked-over container is not the disaster it would be with a flying species. Cheap to feed. They eat almost anything (fruit scraps, dry food, vegetables) and don’t need a lot. Honest Note: Mixed-Species Enclosures Work With This Species This is a unique advantage Little Kenyan Roaches have over most of our other products. Because they’re tiny and stay shallow in the substrate, you can keep them in mixed-species enclosures alongside larger non-related roaches without competition or hybridization risk. Per documented breeders (Roach Crossing specifically), pairing this species with larger blaberids like Blaberus or our exotic display species works well. Practical tips for mixed-species setups: Pair only with species that won’t see them as food. Most large blaberids are omnivorous and may eat the tiny Kenyans. Make sure substrate is moist enough for the Kenyans without making it too wet for the larger roaches. Watch for population imbalance — if the Kenyans outbreed everyone else in the enclosure, harvest some to keep balance. For most keepers, dedicated single-species enclosures are simpler and we recommend that as the default. But for collectors building biotope-style mixed setups, this species is one of the few we sell that genuinely works in the role. Care and Setup Husbandry is genuinely simple and forgiving, which is part of why the species is described as “very easy to keep” across documented hobby breeders. Enclosure A 5 to 10 gallon container with a tight-fitting lid handles 30 to 100 starter nymphs comfortably. Smaller plastic shoebox-style containers also work well. They burrow shallowly, so they don’t need deep substrate; one to two inches is plenty. Temperature 70 to 85°F is the active range, with 75 to 82°F for best breeding. The species tolerates wider swings than this (down to about 64°F at minimum, up to about 86°F) but breeding slows at the edges of the range. Humidity and Substrate Substrate should stay consistently damp — not soaked, not dry. This is the most important husbandry detail per documented breeders. Use coco fiber, peat moss, or organic potting soil one to two inches deep, and mist every few days to keep the surface and lower layers slightly moist. Dry substrate kills nymphs during molting; soaked substrate grows mold that kills the colony. Aim for the consistency of a wrung-out sponge. Habitat Structure They love wood hides per documented hobby observation. Add cork bark pieces, hollow wood, or charcoal to provide cover. Stacked bark gives them places to congregate, which they do naturally — you’ll often find dense groups under a single piece of cover. Food Not picky. Fresh vegetables (carrots, potatoes, apples, oranges), dry food like Supreme Feed Premium Roach Formula, and small amounts of dog or fish food for protein. Scatter food on the substrate; they aren’t large enough to use raised dishes. Hydration The damp substrate provides most of their water. Hydro-Thirst Insect Water Crystals work as a supplemental spill-proof source. Avoid open water dishes — adults drown easily at this size and nymphs almost certainly will. Ventilation Moderate ventilation is fine. Stagnant air with high humidity is more of a risk than slight dryness for this species. Breeding Notes Females give birth to live nymphs. Documented breeders describe reproduction as “impressive and consistent” and “fantastic and prolific” — the species is a steady producer once a colony is established. Females excavate small birthing chambers at the bottom of the enclosure if substrate depth allows. Broods aren’t enormous individually, but the colony’s high turnover and frequent reproduction produce a productive feeder supply. A starter group of 30 to 100 mixed nymphs reaches productive feeder output within a few months under warm consistent care. Best For Dart frog keepers needing very small soft-bodied feeders Mantid breeders feeding L1 to L4 nymphs Tarantula sling owners (especially arboreal slings) Jumping spider and small spider keepers Very small reptile keepers (juvenile day geckos, tiny salamanders) Bioactive terrarium hobbyists wanting a small feeder species Collectors building mixed-species roach enclosures (this is one of the few species that genuinely works) Not Best For Larger reptile keepers (use Dubia, hissers, or Orange Heads instead) Display-only keepers wanting to watch large active roaches Setups with consistently dry substrate (nymphs die during molt without moisture) Customers in jurisdictions that restrict non-native cockroach species; check local rules Anyone planning to release roaches outdoors under any circumstances Origin and Locality Notes Paraplecta cf. minutissima “Kenya” is native to the Mara-Narok region of southwestern Kenya, near the Maasai Mara national reserve. The species was previously sold in the hobby under the designation “Blaberidae sp. Kenya” before being tentatively assigned to the formally described *Paraplecta minutissima*. The cf. in our product name reflects that the assignment has not been confirmed against type specimens, though the genus and broad species identity are well-established. Our captive line is maintained in dedicated colonies with consistent care. Receiving and Acclimation Your order ships with ventilation and bedding suited to transit. On arrival, open the package in a clean contained area and transfer the nymphs into a prepared moist-substrate enclosure with wood hides. Because the nymphs are so small (about 2 mm), work carefully — they can be easy to lose against substrate. Give them a day or two to settle and burrow before disturbing them. As with every live insect we sell, do not release them into the wild. Recommended Add-Ons Hydro-Thirst Insect Water Crystals for safe drowning-free hydration at this small size. Supreme Feed Premium Roach Formula for a quality dry diet alongside fresh produce. Blaberus cf. peruvianus “Peruvian Cave Roach” for collectors interested in cf.-designated species; pairs thematically. Panchlora nivea “Green Banana Roach” for keepers who want a larger soft-bodied feeder alongside the Kenyans for slightly bigger insectivores. Live Springtails for bioactive cleanup in the moist substrate setup; pairs naturally with the Kenyans in dense colony enclosures. Frequently Asked Questions How small are they really? Adult females are about 10 mm (less than 1/2 inch). Adult males are about 8 mm. Newborn nymphs are roughly the size of a melanogaster fruit fly at about 2 mm. For visual comparison: an adult Little Kenyan female is smaller than a grain of rice; a nymph is comparable to the head of a pin. What does the “cf.” in the scientific name mean? It is Latin shorthand for “compare with.” It means the captive line tentatively matches the formally described Paraplecta minutissima but the identification hasn’t been definitively confirmed against type specimens. For practical use, the species is well-established in the hobby; the cf. matters mainly for formal research or taxonomic work. What kinds of pets can I feed these to? Dart frogs (all species), mantid nymphs at L1 to L4, tarantula slings (especially arboreal species), jumping spider slings, juvenile day geckos, small lizards, very small frogs, salamander larvae, and other tiny insectivores. The species is too small for adult Dubia-feeder-size reptiles like bearded dragons or larger geckos. Can I keep them with my other roaches? Yes, this is one of the few species that works in mixed-species enclosures. Pair with non-aggressive larger roach species that don’t eat their tankmates. Watch for population imbalance and harvest Kenyans as needed to keep the mix balanced. For most keepers, dedicated single-species setups are simpler. How often do they breed? Frequently and consistently. Documented breeders describe the species as “impressive and consistent” in reproduction, with steady nymph production once a colony is established. A starter group of 30 to 100 mixed nymphs typically reaches productive feeder output within a few months under warm consistent care. How do I handle a roach this small without losing them? Use a soft small paintbrush or a wide-bore pipette to gently move individual roaches. Tipping the enclosure to pour out a measured count works too; just be ready to catch any escapees with a deli cup or small container. Work over a contained surface — a bathtub, a sink, or a roach catch tray — so any drops are easy to recover. Learn More About Paraplecta cf. minutissima These references give keepers background on the species, the genus, and the broader Blaberidae family. Wikipedia: Blaberidae (giant cockroach family). A general overview of the family this species belongs to, including the shared live-bearing reproductive strategy and other broad biological features. Amateur Entomologists’ Society: Blattodea (Cockroaches). An overview of cockroach order biology useful for understanding where small species like Little Kenyan Roaches fit in the broader cockroach world. iNaturalist: Paraplecta observations. A community-sourced biodiversity platform with verified field observations of the genus, useful for buyers wanting to see the species in natural context. Note that East African Paraplecta observations are limited compared with better-documented genera.
