First dubia order (what to expect)

[DenverDaenareys]

death counts now around 120-130 total not to many dead today only around 5 total

 

[DenverDaenareys]

2 visable dead ones today hopfuly this is it

 

[DenverDaenareys]

still getting at least one death a day and ive been keeping temps ect all the same

 

[unkempt1]

still getting at least one death a day and ive been keeping temps ect all the same

Man, this is really tough. Can you post a pic of your bin? If not, what type is it? How are you heating it? How are you measuring the heat?

 

[DenverDaenareys]

This is best picture i could get of the feeder bin

today i found 42 dead in it 41 nymphs and 1 adult male it has been a while since i did a thurough check and i noticed they were black and some had there heads missing (wasnt just a shed could tell innerds were there)

Temps have been between 76-85 constantly i use a red light for heat and the digital thermometer i use for temperture is the same brand i use for my crested gecko and Daenareys cage. They have been fed the same food a mix of puppy food, kibbles and bits dog food, whiskers cat food, fish pellots, fish flakes, and cricket food. As well ive put half a orange in each container for a couple days no mold or anything formed. They also have water crystals available at all times not once did they run out.

158 counted deaths so far since the order got here, prior to the order i had no deaths with the 25-100 dubia i kept for feeding. I was going to a pet store and buying dubia but due to moving i had no option but to order online.

 

[unkempt1]

Is that your temp reader laying on the top of the egg crates? Is that where you measure the temps?

 

[Taterbug]

Can you switch foods to make sure it's not your food? They may be sensitive to something in the kibble a you are feeding. They can do quite well on much less protein, and it may not actually be as important/good for them as it is for crickets. There is an article by Allen Repashy that mentions deaths from too much protein, but I've not heard too much other than the one report on that.

I feed my colony veggies and chicken mash (once a week or so) and only have had mass die offs when I feed things that I didn't wash well (pesticides) or that time I gave them a custard apple (natural pesticide it turns out!)

What was in the bin before the roaches? Could the bin be contaminated?

 

[DenverDaenareys]

bin held legos and then winter hats and ive washed it out many times since all this began not to mention 2-3 times when i got it set up all with hot water and no chemicals. Ill try switching the food around though

 

[DenverDaenareys]

yes thats the thermometer on the egg crates. the temps are measured between there and the bottom ive been switching it around nightly or so since this all began to make sure no one spot was to hot or to cold

 

[Taterbug]

good luck, it's really strange they are dieing off. I wish I had more help to offer.

 

[DenverDaenareys]

Thanks, its just strange to me ive done fine with them until this shipment :? . Either way this roach delema is the least of my worries these days, if anything it gets my mind of other things worrying about dieing roaches :lol:

 

[unkempt1]

yes thats the thermometer on the egg crates. the temps are measured between there and the bottom ive been switching it around nightly or so since this all began to make sure no one spot was to hot or to cold

Measure the temp where your heat source is. If its on the bottom, measure the bin bottom. Where is it and what is it?

It's either something poisoning them or they are overheating if you are measuring the air temp and not surface temp. If its not the heat I would shell out $5-$10 for a new bin and change their diet. While I don't see protein overload as the cause (way too soon in my experience), Tater is right to worry about something in the food possibly poisoning them.

 

[DenverDaenareys]

I use a red light for heat as at the moment i cant afford any other heat source. The temps i get are normaly at hottest spot wich doesnt exceed 85 in the feeder bin its about 95 in the colony bin (hottest spot). The dead are usualy found on bottom wich is why somtimes i get the reading from the bottom to make sure its not to cold. Im almost posative its not the bin as each group is in a completly diffrent size/shape bin but both are plastic and have been washed off alot. I am changing diet to include more veggies and taking out the kibbles and wiskers in exchange for just cricket food and fish food.

Just to clarify again i get die offs from both colony and feeders but alot more consistantly from the feeder bin. The feeder bin has only the roaches from my online order where the colony is mostly roaches i bought premove at the pet store, and none of the ones from the pet store who were all mature have died other then a couple males from old age most likly.

 

[DenverDaenareys]

removed all the kibbles and bits from the diet so now its just whiskers and cricket food and deaths seem to of stopped although i havnt had time to do a thurough check, there are no visable ones dead like before. I was thinking of adding some crested gecko diet from repashy and natural juvenile bearded dragon food from zoo med into the mix for more vitamens ect anyone else used either of these for roach food? ide rather have confirmation they arnt going to cause more deaths before i try adding it to the food mixture. :silent:

 

[unkempt1]

Maybe it will help if you know my setup (not bragging or being flippant, but I have a very successful colony that is borderline overrunning me).

I use a Sterillite bin that cost me about $15 and has the locking clamps on the sides (I bought it for the size, not the clamps). I cut a square shape out of the top off and duct taped some screen over the hole to allow ventilation. I have 6 egg flats in there (the typical paper ones everyone uses), a styrofoam (I think) egg carton that fits 6 eggs for the water crystals, and a butter tub top for additional dry food if needed. I also have a half-filled water bottle with holes pricked in the cap and top for humidity.

For heat I use a strip of flex watt tape I bought at a reptile convention for $20 (was worth it instead of soldering one together myself). I keep it on the left side of the tub instead of the bottom to allow for a cool side so they have gradient temperatures and a place to cool off where the food and water crystals are.

Speaking of food, their diet consists of veggie scraps, cheap wheat bread, and dog food. I also throw in the occasional dog treats, stale cookies or coconut flakes or breakfast bars or whatever, and other food I have that is close to turning. The only exceptions are nuts and veggies that may hurt my dragon.

I have a separate bin (the old one I used to keep the colony in) to house adult males that I gut load for my reptiles. That's it. No cricket or gecko food, nothing fancy. I live in Texas, so there is no need for me to keep my feeder bin heated.

I guess ask yourself what you are doing differently. You shouldn't have to spoil your roaches, as they are very resilient. Maybe try some or all of these things to see if you get different results? I am also interested in hearing what other roach owners feel.