How Long Can a Cockroach Live Without Food Or Water?

There are many species of cockroaches and they can survive up to a month without food and water. But you have to know that roaches are highly sensitive to dehydration. Even a few parched days will make them sluggish and helpless. When they go without food and water, they begin to shed weight and their metabolism slows down.

Depending on the species, a cockroach can survive up to eight days without food and about a month without water. However, if their food supply is extremely low, they will start eating each other to survive. Cockroaches will eat a variety of materials, including animal skin, human hair, and even fingernails. They will also feed on each other if they do not find anything else to eat.

The lifespan of a cockroach depends on many factors, including food supply, climate, and habitat. According to the National Pest Management Association Inc., the German cockroach can live between fifty-four and two hundred days, and the Oriental cockroach can live up to two years. Some species can survive in freezing temperatures for up to a year.

Cockroaches are not the greatest swimmers. They can survive in water for as long as they don’t suffocate. They also do not use their mouths for breathing. They breathe through small tubes in their bodies called spiracles. This helps them survive for up to three months even without food and water.