Can't get my dubia over 84!

[jenneelk]

I had them in glass aquariums and decided to switch to tubs like everyone recommends.. but I can't get the darn things over 84. I have a 30-50 gallon heat mat stuck to the bottom.. it's not super firm (lost a bit of sticky when I took it off the glass aquarium) to it but I have the tub on a screen so that the mat is for sure touching the bottom of the tub well.
Tub is about 25 gallon size I think and has my new colony of 15 females, 5 males and around 250 assorted sizes. No die off which is good but the temp is frustrating me.

It's warm here so the house is 78 most of the day and still is tonight. Opened the tub twice today to feed and then check the water real quick. Hasn't been opened for about 5 hours and still only at 84. It's never gone above that.

Here you can see what the setup is and I have the temp gauge right in the middle.

 

[MealwormsForSaleHQ]

Hey,

In All Honesty, 84F Is A Great Temp. They Will Produce Rapidly At This Stage. Just Make Sure To Keep Feeding Them And Hydrating. Hotter Isn't Always Better. I Keep My Dubia Roaches At My Facility Around 85-88F And During Summer Months, It Can Reach 90F-95F. I Honestly Don't See Much Of A Difference, They Do Seem To Be More Active But Other Than That....Nothing Else Really.

Hope This Helps, Cheers!

Johnny @ Mealworms For Sale HQ

 

[dociledragons]

I currently have well over 4000 dubia and keep them at 80-84 degrees. So, 84 degrees is fine

 

[jenneelk]

Excellent! Thanks for the replies.
I'll let them do their thing for 6omths and won't worry.
I just didn't want to go a few months and have no nymphs.. Would be such a waste of time.

 

[icelore]

It also depends a lot of WHERE you are taking the temps. I have an old heating pad under mine, and it can get as hot as 105* on the bottom, but at the top where it's open, it's only room temp (70-73). So there is a varying temp gradients withing the tub - as long as it's around 85 *somewhere* in the bin, they will find it, and they will breed. They are roaches after all.