Dubia roaches

[landoflor]

/deep breath
to start with i suck at trolling the forms.
i have a few questions on Dubia roaches
first off i was wondering if i could get some pics of different peoples roach bins.
i have been reading that you can but human heating bad underneath a plastic container. but wouldn't that melt it? is there another way?
what is the rough cost of setting up a colony including buying the Dubia roaches?
where is a good place to buy them at?
how big r they when there full grown?
i think thats all of my questions for now
thanks for your guy's time
Sean

 

[Bellalee]

i have been reading that you can but human heating bad underneath a plastic container. but wouldn't that melt it? is there another way?
Sure.. use a heat lamp, honestly temps need to be up at 90-ish degrees. Those tubs are usually made of polypropylene, in short. Melting temp = 320 F. No it wont melt. I use a human heating pad, and I think my dubias are doing just fine..

what is the rough cost of setting up a colony including buying the Dubia roaches? I would say about 100 for a good package for the roaches, depending on when you want to feed. The more adults you get ($$$$) the faster your colony will grow. Be looking to spend on average $3 on a seperate pair of adults.

where is a good place to buy them at?
Ian: http://www.theroachranch.com, http://www.theroachguy.com, you can also look in the forsale section of this forum.

how big r they when there full grown?
2 inches or so.

 

[zebraflavencs]

I don't use a heating pad or UTH.. I have Megas in 3 of 4 of my enclosures, and set the bins over that area on the top of my enclosures... I'm guessing I did right... cause I have over 8k and the females are dropping more daily ....lol
Janie.

 

[Twobeardieguy]

I use a human heating pad on medium with no auto shut off and have no problems.

 

[SugaReina]

I don't use a heating pad or UTH.. I have Megas in 3 of 4 of my enclosures, and set the bins over that area on the top of my enclosures... I'm guessing I did right... cause I have over 8k and the females are dropping more daily ....lol
Janie.

Janie,

Please tell me your secret! My dubias are dying off, and I'm pretty sure it's my heating pad. What do you use for heat!? Thanks!

 

[Fallencomrade2008]

Human heat pads are made not to burn humans.....they wont melt plastic if they wont burn you lol. I use a heat pad on mine and its wonderful.

 

[doopie]

I used a Sunbeam heating pad. Cut the timer and controller out of the circuit and had them in a container in my shop in 15 degree weather on a wood table that I have welded on. The heating pad makes the floor of the container around 103 and the Dubias are packing the egg cartons. I then put a blanket over the whole thing and ventialte it twice daily to ensure fresh air.

I purchased from Ian at the roach ranch and have had 4 large nymphs molt into these alien looking white bugs. Unfortunately they all turned out to be males. Wish I had more females.

My wife will not let them in the house except to feed Xanadu which she has become addicted to. I put some dubias in before I went to work and did not wake her up since it was 3am. My son got up at 6:15 and said she was awake before him and the roaches were all gone. She normally stretches out around 9am. She needs a full 12 hours rest it seems. She getslots of energy and had her first run in with the cat who is declawed but was not impressed by her miniature beard but did shy from her open mouth. She isspunky and loves to jump especially after dubia.

Good luck they are relatively easy to keep.

Raymond

 

[Pacmanandy]

My bin is on a heat pad set on high, and I've taped (foil tape can withstand 300+ F) a 30-40 gallon Zoomed UTH that I just had lying around to the side. The temp inside (taken with a probed digital) is only mid 80's, and with a temp gun the wall the UTH is taped to is mid to high 90's. Is this excessive? I don't know why my temps are still so low when I'm using WAY more heating then anyone else. My bin is an 18 gallon sterlite plastic tub, and my vent hole is 8"x6", double screened.

 

[Pacmanandy]

With the human heating pad, how do you ensure the heat is transferred in the bin and not to the floor? I just felt the floor under my pad, and it's burning. A little worried about fire at this point...

 

[Fallencomrade2008]

Mines not that hot.