Maintaining the Dubia Roaches

[Rocky2022]

So while Rocky brumates AKA naps, I am trying my best to maintain these roaches. I have about 300 small and medium roaches. I am cleaning and feeding but there are some random large male and female and some so large I think they are about to fly off - another I think is about to die so I separate it-
I am not trying to force feed Rocky but let him decide if he needs to eat when he comes out and he definitely basks when he ate but at this rate, I will have these bugs for awhile.
The largest bugs that look as if they are growing wings-- I know they are males but seriously, I opened the container, and it appears they are the size of my pinky finger- I have never had any that large-

Also should I be concerned about parasites? Or as long as I am cleaning/feeding properly - I should be okay?

 

[Groggyfroggie]

Depends on where you get the dubias from, some can definitely carry parasites if they're from unreliable places. If you've been feeding this batch w/o any issues then it's fine. Just clean them regularly. I now have half a dozen adult males too and they DO look scary!

 

[Rocky2022]

oh okay- the FIRSTS of everything are crazy to me- everything is moving around fine so I guess that's good. I took them out. I guess I can put them back but I have to space out the ratio or there will be fighting.

 

[Rocky2022]

I usually order from the main sites, I just don't know what to look for regarding sick roaches if you will. I guess they will just die or look different?

 

[xp29]

Only the males have the wings, they can't actually fly. It's more like a controled fall lol.
You don't have to seperate them, they won't fight or eat their young. You can however take the adults out and set up a breeding bin. Keep them warm and (i think) around 70ish % humidity to get them to breed. They grow slow but if your successful it saves having to buy as many. Before you decide (not implying you would) to get rid of the adults, go price those suckers, it's insane what they want for the breeders.

 

[Groggyfroggie]

I usually order from the main sites, I just don't know what to look for regarding sick roaches if you will. I guess they will just die or look different?

Yeah there's no sure way to tell except by sending them to a lab and running some tests. If your beardie doesn't have parasites then the sites you order from are fine. A breeder told me that if the dubias arrived and had a bad smell right away then they're most likely not good. Dirty egg crates can contribute to parasites also.

 

[Rocky2022]

Yeah there's no sure way to tell except by sending them to a lab and running some tests. If your beardie doesn't have parasites then the sites you order from are fine. A breeder told me that if the dubias arrived and had a bad smell right away then they're most likely not good. Dirty egg crates can contribute to parasites also.

Oh then I am good. No smell, no dirty crates. I will put him back (I got distracted)- I didnt see him attempt to fly- he's just so large. He's growing at hornworms speed.