Are dubia carnivorous?

[KarenInCA]

I have a dubia bin now, and one or two die every few days. Ive noticed, when taking the dead ones out out the bin, many times they are just shell...often times just a piece of a shell and skeletal remains.

Are the other ones eating the flesh off of them when they die? I don't have any scavengers in my bin. Very few of them die, but that's what I've noticed when they are dead, and it only takes a day to become that way, because I take out any dead ones (if any) daily.

 

[cfjustin]

I have a dubia bin now, and one or two die every few days. Ive noticed, when taking the dead ones out out the bin, many times they are just shell...often times just a piece of a shell and skeletal remains.

Are the other ones eating the flesh off of them when they die? I don't have any scavengers in my bin. Very few of them die, but that's what I've noticed when they are dead, and it only takes a day to become that way, because I take out any dead ones (if any) daily.

The shell you are talking about is their molt. They shed their shell to get bigger, if you have seen any white dubias those are freshly molted and that's when they are the softest.

 

[jarich]

Roaches are omnivorous, so even though they mostly eat vegetable matter, they can and will eat each other too. They are used to low protein diets/environment, so when some is available they will often devour it and store it for when there is no protein available to them. They have a rather unique way of storing it as uric acid to be later synthesized back into protein when needed.

 

[Elmontare]

Roaches are omnivorous, so even though they mostly eat vegetable matter, they can and will eat each other too. They are used to low protein diets/environment, so when some is available they will often devour it and store it for when there is no protein available to them. They have a rather unique way of storing it as uric acid to be later synthesized back into protein when needed.

...and the roaches shall forever live on....great... i recently just picked up a batch of them and i hate them so much lol.

 

[jarich]

Theyre amazing creatures! :lol:

 

[KarenInCA]

Theyre amazing creatures! :lol:

I, too, find them kind of cute. I actually keep the lid skewed sideways so they get air inside, because I haven't had time yet to cut a hole in the middle of the lid and add mesh wire.
But it's actually comical when I open the lid, because there will be several down on the bottom, feeding away, and I don't know if it's because they see me or notice more light all of a sudden, but they stop and get dead silent, then scurry away frantically. It reminds me of a bunch of minions from Despicable Me.

 

[KarenInCA]

Yes I have seen the vanilla looking ones, and saw a post from someone that those are the best feeders. I've been choosing the smallest ones and the blonde ones to feed to Rin.
I'm giving them chicken scratch and oranges, although I find that sometimes the orange slices will get mildew on them before they're eaten. Someone here said that they love oranges, but mine don't seem to like them so much. Nor apple slices. I'm going to get a very small and cheap bag of dog or cat food to add to the chicken scratch. Any suggestions from anyone, if it should be dog or cat food? Also, what's another good and cheap food for them?

When do they turn in to adults? (I got the extra large dubia when I ordered them, and found they seemed so big that I am going from the smallest size I can get out of them, for the feeders). They aren't really seeming to take the water crystals either, although maybe they are, and I'm just not noticing it. I misted them the other day, lightly, thinking that will help with their molting. Should I do that, or should I just let them alone?

Also, what's that clicking sound they all seem to be doing when I open the bin up? Are they clicking to each other like crickets chirp, or are they just moving around and hitting their shells against each other to get out of my view?

 

[cfjustin]

Yes I have seen the vanilla looking ones, and saw a post from someone that those are the best feeders. I've been choosing the smallest ones and the blonde ones to feed to Rin.
I'm giving them chicken scratch and oranges, although I find that sometimes the orange slices will get mildew on them before they're eaten. Someone here said that they love oranges, but mine don't seem to like them so much. Nor apple slices. Im going to get a very small and cheap bag of dog or cat food to add to the chicken scratch. Any suggestions if it should be dog or cat food, from anyone? Also, what's another good and cheap food for them?

When do they turn in to adults? (I got the extra large dubia when I ordered them, and found they seemed so big that I am going from the smallest size I can get out of them, for the feeders. They aren't really seeming to go for the water crystals either, although maybe they are, and Im just not noticing it. I misted them the other day, lightly, thinking that will help with their malting. Should I do that, or should I just let them alone?

Also, what's that clicking sound they all seem to be doing when I open the bin up? Are they clicking to each other like crickets chirp, or are they just moving around and hitting their shells against each other to get out of my view?

If theyre large and white i wouldnt feed them off due to them beginning to turn into adults. If you stop by i could give you a little roach chow i make that works perfect for free. Oranges are fine just remove the molding ones. They dont make sounds those are just the shells hitting eachother

 

[KarenInCA]

Awesome! You working tomorrow or Sunday? My daughter goes to Wilton every Sat and Sun for riding lessons, and we normally go back toward your direction around 11ish.

 

[cfjustin]

Awesome! You working tomorrow or Sunday? My daughter goes to Wilton every Sat and Sun for riding lessons, and we normally go back toward your direction around 11ish.

Tomorrow from 12-4! This chow is the best, theyll grow huge

 

[KarenInCA]

Awesome! You working tomorrow or Sunday? My daughter goes to Wilton every Sat and Sun for riding lessons, and we normally go back toward your direction around 11ish.

Tomorrow from 12-4! This chow is the best, theyll grow huge

Do you order dubia or do you breed them? If you breed them, and the colony gets overgrown, let me know when you're ready to let some go, and instead of buying them online, I could pay you the same for the same amount. That way you can get rid of some of your colony and I could buy some from a local guy I trust, without wondering if they are in the heat with USPS.

 

[cfjustin]

Awesome! You working tomorrow or Sunday? My daughter goes to Wilton every Sat and Sun for riding lessons, and we normally go back toward your direction around 11ish.

Tomorrow from 12-4! This chow is the best, theyll grow huge

Do you order dubia or do you breed them? If you breed them, and the colony gets overgrown, let me know when you're ready to let some go, and instead of buying them online, I could pay you the same for the same amount. That way you can get rid of some of your colony and I could buy some from a local guy I trust, without wondering if they are in the heat with USPS.

Yes i do breed and that sounda awesome. definitely!