Starting a Dubia Roach Colony

[AnthonysGotMilk]

Hello, I have a bearded dragon that is about 6 inches long and weighs 10 grams. I decided that I needed to start a Dubia Colony ASAP so that I could have a sustaining food source for my baby! I ordered them from Dubia Deli, but I didn't like the price and contents of the colony starter so I kind of ordered it custom:

Note: I know that I should have less males than females but the males were 25c each and the females a dollar, so I ended up getting 10 males and 5 female adults.

- 5 adult females
- 10 adult males
- 200 1/4" nymphs
- 200 3/4" nymphs
- 4 egg flats

I also already have flukers cricket diet and water crystals, so I will be feeding with that. I don't have a mat heater, but I do have heat bulbs extra and I am planning on using that until I can get a heater.

I just wanted to check with some experienced dubia breeders to see if this setup should work out. I plan to use a big storage bin for keeping.

Thank you!

 

[AcceptableGeek]

I feed my dubia the same salad as the beardie. I would suggest getting rid of some of the males. For a colony start up you definitely want more females tha males. A good heat source will be beneficial. I use a ceramic heat emiter. Hope that helps. Igappy to answer any other questions

 

[Nihilist]

I feed my dubia the same salad as the beardie. I would suggest getting rid of some of the males. For a colony start up you definitely want more females tha males. A good heat source will be beneficial. I use a ceramic heat emiter. Hope that helps. Igappy to answer any other questions

How do you have the ceramic heater set up? and what wattage? I am looking at starting a colony myself. I was going to try and use a human heating pad to keep the temps up.

 

[Rampagingraptor]

Not really pertaining to your question, but you want more females because you can have males mate with multiple females, but only the female will produce offspring, and only a bit at a time. Having more males doesn't really do anything for you other than to use them for feed later.

 

[AcceptableGeek]

I have a 60 watt CHE from zoo med in a Walmart clamp lamp. It sits on top of the screen

 

[Nihilist]

I have a 60 watt CHE from zoo med in a Walmart clamp lamp. It sits on top of the screen

What size of tub are you using, I was looking at a 31 gallon. I initially want to get 200 roaches but want to move up to 1000. Sorry lots of questions, extremely tired of spending $22+ a week on crickets, $11 for 100 twice a week. Was having lots of deaths but put in damp soil in my keeper and barely any deaths now. Also the smell is horrendous, I never knew crickets smelled so bad. I clean my keeper out after every batch and that doesn't even help with the smell.

 

[CooperDragon]

31 gallon should be OK. I use a 20g long and have well over 1,000 dubia now.

 

[Nihilist]

31 gallon should be OK. I use a 20g long and have well over 1,000 dubia now.

Thank you so much for the quick responses. So CHE is the best way to heat them?

 

[AcceptableGeek]

I'm using a 10g tank. I only have maybe a few hundred dubia. IMO ceramic heaters are better. Not to say you can't have good results from a heat pad or mat. It was the better option for my setup and budget

 

[CooperDragon]

I used just an under tank heat pad for a while but the basement got cold in the winter so I put in a CHE on an adjustable stand. They seemed to like it a lot so it stayed.

 

[Nihilist]

Looking at buying 200 Large Roaches from amazon and 3 LBS of water crystals, also from amazon. Where would I find a good price for egg crates or is taking the ones that come with my eggs OK?
Edit: I think I might have been searching for them wrong, calling them egg crates didn't work but egg flats seems to be...

 

[ruben0311]

I would love to get a colony going but my wife is stuck on a big ol NOPE!

 

[Nihilist]

I would love to get a colony going but my wife is stuck on a big ol NOPE!

lol ya mine was the same until I showed her how much we would save on buying crickets. Then it was as long as she doesn't have to see them or touch them.

Think I found my egg flats, a little more than I wanted to spend but couldn't find them cheaper

 

[ruben0311]

ive found the egg flats on craigslist and ebay for a few dollars for like 100 of em, still in packaging and all.

 

[Nihilist]

ive found the egg flats on craigslist and ebay for a few dollars for like 100 of em, still in packaging and all.

Thanks couldn't find any on craigslist but found 50 on ebay for around $20, with shipping
Edit: oh wait shipping is $20