1.Dry Them Out! FACT Roaches need water to live. Without it, they die within a week even though they can live up to a month without food. 2.Starve Them Out! FACT A roach can find a snack just about anywhere. They eat crumbs, pet food, dead leaves, and trash. If they get really hungry, they might eat glue or soap. 3.Keep Them Out! FACT Roaches spend most of their lives hiding. They love cracks and can squeeze in just about anywhere. Young roaches can fit into a space as thin as a dime. An adult male needs a crack about the thickness of a quarter. Female roaches carrying eggs need more room - a space as tall as 2 stacked nickels.