Do dubias give you allergies?

Hey there everyone!
I don't have beardie yet, but this year I might be finally getting around to setting it all up! I've don't tons of research, but still, I'm nervous!
I've looked into keeping dubia roach colonies since I don't want to go with crickets until summer when they can be outside... I don't like the smell or the endless chirping!
I'm nervous that keeping a colony in my room will give me allergies... I have a small room, and I'm in there often. I just don't want to end up with irritation and make it more of a negative thing than it should be. I read that even if you keep their bin super clean, their frass will still cause problems in some people.
I don't have allergies to anything, but I've had a hard enough time convincing the people I live with that roaches aren't an awful idea, that it would be embarrassing to explain that they gave me or someone else allergies.
Hopefully, someone can help with my worries!
Thanks!

Hi there,

Good question. Unfortunately it's one that no one will be able to give you an exact answer on. I'll share my experiences though.

My first colony many years back was kept in the room I slept in. However it was kept in a closet. And I never have used a cleaner crew. In fact, a couple times I even cleaned the colony right there in my room. I'd highly advise against that though, as you really will be stirring up a bunch of stuff into the air.
But, I never developed any allergies or sensitivities to them. And I do suffer from some pretty severe food allergies.

Fast forward to today, and I have a new colony that I keep in my dragon room. Its once again in a closet. And I clean it outside in my garage when needed. I also have an air purifier in my dragon room.

Developing allergies is a very real possibility for some. It's more likely for some than others, and who knows the criteria. For that reason, I make sure that when I clean the colony, I am wearing a mask or respirator. it doesnt hurt, and it's better safe than sorry. I dont mind handling them with my bare hands, I just always make sure to wash my hands after handling the roaches. But I do this with pretty much everything beardie related.

What I would suggest though, is investing in a good air purifier. it will help keep the air in your room clean. And help catch and trap any particles that might get stirred up from you messing with the roaches.

So if it were me, I would get a colony. I would keep it in the closet. I would have an air purifier for my room, and I'd only clean and sort the colony outside.

Usually if you are going to develop an allergy to something like this, it develops and worsens over time. So you will be able to see it coming.

Good luck

-Brandon

I don't have a dubia colony (per se)... yet. When I ran the numbers, it didn't make sense for me with just one dragon. Soon I'll be adding another (different) insectivore, so I'll have to run the numbers again. I do order 1000 at a time, so it's kinda like a colony, except they aren't big enough to reproduce, and get eaten within a month or so...

The frass begins to smell after about a week, and/so I clean them whenever I can smell them.
I recycle TP & PT tubes instead of egg crates. I got the idea from seeing a "cricket tube" on YT once, and it works. I can pull a tube, hold it over Z's bug bowl, and rap on the side to dump a bunch in the bowl.

I'm allergic to some dust, pollens, & molds anyway, but I can't say I've noticed a reaction to frass one way or the other.

Yeah, I'm planning on one dragon, would it be expensive to buy bulk every month?

I found this little air purifier on Amazon, and wonder if I put it in the wall behind where I'd be putting the roach bin, it'll help ease my worries.
https://www.amazon.ca/HAPHID-Purifier-Pluggable-Negative-Generator/dp/B07X9N8221/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

I know it would be best to clean everything outside, but during spring/fall/winter months, on milder days would they be able to survive in temperatures from -5 and up for 20 minutes? I don't know how tolerant they are since they're tropical critters.

Thanks for the help everyone!

That's not actually an air purifier.. or filter I guess you'd say. It wouldn't do anything for removing particulates and allergens in the air.

This is what I use in my house
https://www.costco.com/winix-c545-4-stage-air-purifier-with-wifi-with-plasmawave-technology.product.100500281.html

You will want something that actually filters particulates, and preferably with a HEPA rated filter too. This particular one has a pre filter followed by a carbon filtered followed by a HEPA filter. I can't say enough good about it.

You don't really need to clean their bins that often. I do it maybe a few times a year. You can time it around when the weather is good.

So are you located in Canada? Based of the link you provided I'd assume yes? Dubias are illegal in Canada.

-Brandon

Ah, I missed that. :silent:
Thanks for letting me know!
Surinam roaches... pretty sure those are okay? I found a supplier that sells both Australian roaches and Surinam roaches, and I think Surinam roaches would be best since they seem to be able to reproduce by themselves... parthenogenesis it seems.

HEPA filters... I found another mini one,
https://www.amazon.ca/GROUNDMT-Purifier-Negative-ion-Activated-Cleaner/dp/B07SMQJG41/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=mini+dust+air+purifier&qid=1582816580&s=kitchen&sr=1-4
And the reason I'm looking for smaller ones first is that I have a loft set up in my room, and along with an enclosure it would get pretty cramped...

thanks!!

AFAIK, the only roaches legal in Canada are those that are now considered "domestic", e.g. "German cockroaches". You might try:

insect feeders in canada a list of legal feeder insect dealers/sources in Canada

Shoot! Can't get this legal stuff right huh :lol:
Guess I'll go looking for German roaches!
I'm looking at BSFL too... they seem pretty good and I think i could figure out a way to raise them.

Thanks all!