Dubia Roach storage

[TrebleClef]

Hi! I've never fed my beardie's dubia's before, however I'm thinking about trying it. I wanted to know whether they can be stored in a cricket keeper that is kept out in our garage. I wasn't sure if the temperature in the garage (being fairly hot since it's summer) would kill them. Also, when it gets colder in the fall and winter (we live in Ohio) will that be a problem as well? I'm not sure how hardy they are and I don't want to order 500 or 1,000 of them and kill them off by doing something stupid like trying to store them in an environment that is either too hot or too cold. I thought dubia's might be a better choice than crickets because they don't smell, they don't chirp, they don't hop...and I think I read somewhere that they are more nutritious for the beardie's than crickets anyway. My husband really doesn't want them kept inside the house though, so the garage seems like the only option I have unless I can talk him into it ;-) What are your thoughts?

 

[onceblue]

I kept mine in the garage for a few weeks, and temps here (Texas) get to be over 100. They did fine, but I decided to move them inside because they weren't breeding. They like high temps, but I'm thinking the temps in my garage were TOO high for breeding. I didn't suffer any die-offs though. I don't think high temps in a garage will be a problem if you're just storing feeders and not expecting them to breed. I don't have experience with low temps, though.

I don't know how humid it is by you, but some humidity is important for dubia because they need it to shed. That isn't a problem where I am (it's always humid), but it may be worth consideration for you.

 

[TrebleClef]

Thanks onceblue! It gets pretty humid here in Ohio during the summer. After reading your reply I'm not worried at all about storing them in the summer months. I still don't know how they would fare in the fall and winter...but I'll wait and see if anyone else has any knowledge on that. And yes, I would only be keeping them as feeders and not breeding them.

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. I would bring them in once the temps fall. Dubia are tropical and will die if it's under 70 in their environment. I store mine downstairs with a heating pad under the tote and they do very well.