Feeding Woodies (wood roaches) Pros and Cons
Woodies (wood roaches) are one of the most widely used feeder insects in Australia, and for good reason — they're hardy, active, and easy to source. But like every feeder insect, they come with trade-offs. Whether you're setting up a feeding routine for a bearded dragon, monitor, or skink, it pays to know the pros and cons of every feeder.
This guide breaks down the pros and cons of feeding woodies, so you can decide whether they're the right fit for your setup and your reptile. For a wider look at all the feeder insects available in Australia, see our complete guide to feeder insects in Australia.
Quick takeaway: Woodies are hardy, active, and readily available, making them a great staple feeder — but they are fast, escape easily, and can climb, so they suit keepers willing to put up with those downsides to get the benefits.
What Are Woodies
Woodies, or wood roaches, are a feeder insect that's been a staple in Australian reptile keeping for many years. They're fast-moving and hardy, which makes them appealing both as a practical feeder that won't die on you, and as enrichment for reptiles that respond well to active prey.
They sit in a useful middle ground among feeder insects — tougher than crickets, but more active and harder to contain than some alternatives. For the full rundown on daily care, see our woodie (wood roach) care guide.
The Pros of Feeding Woodies
There's a reason woodies remain a go-to feeder insect for so many Australian keepers:
- Hardy and forgiving: Woodies tolerate a wider range of temperatures and conditions than more delicate feeders, which makes them a safer option if your feeder setup isn't fully temperature-controlled.
- Strong feeding response: Their fast, active movement triggers a strong prey response in reptiles that can go off slower-moving feeders.
- Widely available: Woodies are a well-established feeder species, so are easy to source consistently across Australia.
- Long shelf life: Woodies live long and grow slow, making them a much better feeder option than crickets, if you want to buy in bulk and stock up.
- Solid nutritional value: When properly fed and gut-loaded, woodies provide a good protein and moisture balance for most reptile diets.
The Cons of Feeding Woodies
Woodies aren't a "set and forget" feeder, and it's worth knowing the downsides before you commit to them as a staple:
- Escape risk: Woodies climb far better than most people expect, and a poorly secured enclosure will end in an escaped colony. See our guide on how to stop wood roaches escaping if containment is a concern.
- Moisture sensitive: Too much moisture in their enclosure can quickly cause die-off and odour problems, so their food and hydration needs to be managed carefully.
- Ventilation dependent: Woodies need consistent airflow to stay healthy. Generally the more ventilation the better, though it's important to note this will effect how easy it is to heat them.
- Can develop odour: If moisture or waste builds up, woodies can start to smell — this is avoidable with regular maintenance, but it does mean more hands-on upkeep than some keepers want.
- Harder to feed directly from a bowl: Their speed and climbing ability make woodies trickier to offer in an open dish compared to superworms and mealworms. However, by popping reptile calcium in the bowl, the woodies struggle to climb once they have the powder on their feet.
Who Woodies Are Best Suited To
Woodies tend to work best for keepers who don't mind a slightly more active feeder. They're a strong choice for:
- Reptiles that respond strongly to fast-moving prey, such as monitors and active dragons
- Keepers without closely temp controlled feeder setups, since woodies tolerate broader conditions
- Keepers that want more shelf life out of their feeders.
If you'd prefer a feeder that's slower, easier to contain, and lower maintenance, it's worth comparing woodies against the other options in our guide to choosing the best feeder insects for Australian reptiles.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming a standard sealed tub will contain them without a climbing barrier
- Leaving fresh food or excess moisture in the enclosure too long
- Skipping ventilation to save on setup effort
Cost and Convenience
Woodies are generally an affordable feeder to buy in bulk, and because they breed reasonably well in captivity, they're usually available readily.
The main inconveniences of woodies is their speed and climbing ability. If you're happy to manage those, you end up with a feeder that's affordable, hardy, and long lived. They're hard to beat!
Nutrition and Gut-Loading
Like any feeder insect, a woodie is only as nutritious as what it's been fed. On their own, woodies offer a reasonable balance of protein and moisture, but gut-loading them with a nutritious dry feed and fresh vegetables in the days before feeding significantly improves the nutritional value they pass on to your reptile.
This is especially worth doing if woodies make up a large part of your reptile's diet rather than an occasional feeder. For a full breakdown of how to do this properly, see our guide on how to gut load feeder insects.
Getting Started With Woodies
If the pros outweigh the cons for your setup, we at Reptifauna ship woodies across Australia (excl. WA & TAS) in a range of sizes to suit different reptiles:
You can browse the full range in our woodies collection.
Final Thoughts
Woodies earn their popularity as a feeder insect for good reason — they're hardy, active, and reliable once you understand their quirks. The trade-off is a bit more hands-on management around moisture, ventilation, and containment.
For most Australian keepers, that trade-off is well worth it. If you're ready to get started, our woodie care guide walks through the full setup, or browse our wider feeder insect guide to compare all your options.