Dubia problems

[owtoty]

Ever since I got my dubia, the adults have been slowly dying and there are atleast ten dead. I got them earlier this month, and they also aren't breeding. I have a under tank heater, and a small heat lamp on top. They are in a small ten gallon tank with a screen lid. Should I put them in a plastic container? Do they breed only in the dark? It seems that just the under tank heater doesn't do much. Any suggestions?

 

[speedyfuzzball]

Hi! Do you know what the temperatures are inside the tank? It should be around 85-95 degrees and there should be a cooler side they can retreat to if they want to escape the heat. They prefer to be in the dark.. You can get an opaque storage bin from Walmart or target for under $10! Also, could it be possible that your dubia provider unknowingly sent you older roaches? It could just have been the end of their life cycle.. Good luck!

 

[owtoty]

Well I already have a storage been i used to use for crickets, so I guess I'll just use that again. Also, won't the heating pad melt the plastic?

 

[speedyfuzzball]

That's what I was afraid of at first too but I've been using a human heating pad under a plastic storage bin for months and I've had no problems so far!

 

[owtoty]

Okay great I'll do that. Once I transfer them, will they start breeding?

 

[speedyfuzzball]

I hope so! They might need some time to get used to their new home though. Just make sure the temperatures are good and that they have food and water 24/7. You might also want to do some research on here on what a good male to female ratio is. I've heard having around 5 females for 1 males was alright but you should double check bc I'm no expert =)

 

[unkempt1]

I would check the specs on the UTH prior to using it, as it may get hot enough to melt plastic. Human heating pads, on the other hand, are typically safe (I use one too).

In regards to male/female ratio, 1 male for every 5 females is fine, or somewhere close to that. When you get closer to the 1:2 or 1:1 ratio you begin to see fighting.