# What Do Cockroachs Eat?

> What cockroachs eat: Omnivore (almost anything organic), foraging style, and seasonal shifts in Forests, burrows, and human buildings worldwide.

- **Species:** Cockroach (*Blattodea*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Omnivore (almost anything organic)
- **Habitat:** Forests, burrows, and human buildings worldwide
- **Lifespan:** Several months to about a year
- **Top speed:** ~5 km/h (3 mph), very fast for its size
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/cockroach/what-do-cockroach-eat/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/cockroach/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

Cockroaches are flattened, fast-moving insects known for their toughness and ability to thrive in many environments. Most of the thousands of species live in the wild, but a few have become common household pests. They are omnivores that eat almost anything and can survive for weeks without food.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a captive feeding plan from a veterinarian. This page is wild diet, not a pet-care sheet.

## Built for survival

Cockroaches have flat, flexible bodies that let them squeeze into tiny cracks, and they can move very quickly to escape danger. They are highly adaptable, tolerating a wide range of conditions and going for weeks without food. These traits have made them successful for hundreds of millions of years.

## Help protect the Cockroach

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

---
Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/cockroach/what-do-cockroach-eat/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.