Troubleshooting Dubia Colony

[Littlebuddysmomma]

Hey everyone, seeking advice from successful dubia breeders here. I decided to start a colony, and I’m already having some trouble with die-off after only 2 weeks. As this is my first time doing this, and I was a little reluctant to do so in the first place, I expected that I’d encounter some problems. However, my reluctance is gone and now I just want to get it right. Here’s the current setup:

-56qt Sterilite bin (23”Lx16”Wx12”H) the bin is clear but I wrapped the outside in opaque sticky contact paper to block light
-The bin sits on top of a heat pad
-Plastic lid on top of bin with a 4”x4” hole cut in the middle of it, with screen mesh hot glued over the opening
-Egg cardboard scraps taking up about 3/4 of the space inside, which were accumulated from what I’ve been receiving in my weekly dubia shipments
-Dish for water crystals in the empty space
-Food dish next to water dish. I’ve been feeding mostly fresh produce so far.
-5 adult males, 10 adult females, and then 100 other roaches of assorted sizes

Today I noticed 2 of my adult males and 1 adult female have already died off, along with some of the smaller ones.

Here are the potential problems with my setup I’m now realizing:
-The heat pad is the same length of the bin. I’m guessing they are probably too hot and are unable to escape the heat as the entire floor of the bin is heated. To confirm this suspicion, I just took the temp by putting the probe between the heat mat and the bottom of the bin, and it read 101. Too hot.
-Dry chow would probably be better than feeding fresh food, as it reduces the chance of bacteria/mold growth
-The bin might need more ventilation
-Need a higher ratio of adult females to males

As I’m reading more and more, I’m finding these ridiculously in-depth breeding guides with endless options, and I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. I’m really looking for some more specific tips and advice based on what works for other people. Can you guys offer an explanation of your successful colony setups? What’s your feeding and cleaning routine like? I’d like to keep things as simple as possible, but also want a healthy colony. Thanks!

 

[DorgEndo]

Looks like you have already done some research on changes that will benefit your colony.

Food. I have had good success always keeping dry oatmeal on a small frisbee as a plate. I add fresh vegetables or fruit everyday and take out anything leftover. They can only eat so much fresh food in one day. Add a small amount. Like part of a carrot or a slice of potato. Those are rot resistant veggies and easier to start a colony with.

Heat. I use a heat pad with a thermostat. The one I got was actually made for plant seedling beds. I don't have any brand preference, having a thermostat ensures it won't be too hot or cold. Personally I had trouble getting my roach box hot enough. Where you live and your house will have different challenges compared to other people.

Ventilation. More ventilation. You could add two similar size 4"x4" panels to the sides of the container. Creating cross ventilation for airflow. A larger/most of the top bin ventilation opening would be good. That would also help if it is getting too hot.

Sometimes roaches do pass. Fortifying your colony with another 20 females and 4 males could really jump start things. It does take weeks before any babies are born.

 

[Claudiusx]

Hi there,

Your setup doesn't sound that bad. 101 at the floor isn't too bad. Mine is probably around there, or gets there occasionally. Temp drops quickly the higher it gets up. In my tub at least. What is the temp reading 1 or 2 inches up? 6 inches up? Just place the probe in the egg crates to see.
I have my thermostat set to 94, and it rests about an inch or half an inch off the floor. So floor is most likely much hotter, but they have the ability to climb the egg crates higher to pick the temp they want.

Is your tub getting too humid? It's easy to tell. You'll have condensation on the sides or on the lid. I only have 1 vent at the top and it's probably 2"x 12" that's only 24^2 inches compared to your 16^2, and my colony is much larger than yours.

So lets discuss what causes die off.

In adults, typically the only thing that causes them to die off when husbandry is even slightly ok, is age. They are quite hardy really. And unfortunately, some breeders keep track of the ages of their colonies, and elect to sell off their end of life adults instead of their brand new fresh adults. Monetarily, it makes sense. But it's unfortunate for the consumer.

In babies, typically die offs are caused by a lack of protein available. Produce is fine to keep a colony alive, especially if it's large, but really for the colony to keep breeding and producing and growing, it needs protein. And the young, especially brand new nymphs, are very susceptible to dying off when no protein is available, IME.

So the smoking gun(s) that I see for you are 1, you most likely have old adults, and 2, your new babies need protein.

I always recommend starting off a colony with a bit more adults than that, because typically you will be getting some old adults that will die. And I also recommend a mixed lot to add in. Or at the least, large nymphs that will be adults in a few weeks to a month. That way you ensure that you are going to have young healthy adults.

You can make your own chow yourself. I tend to like to keep protein % in my chow around 4-6%. Ground up oats and a fortified cereal make up the bulk of my dry chow. And then of course, they get fresh fruit and veg when it's available.

-Brandon

 

[Littlebuddysmomma]

Thank you both for your input!

Tomorrow I’ll be doing a thorough clean out and start with some changes to what I’m feeding them, as well as ordering some more adults. It’s a little comforting to hear that they likely died from age rather than something I had done horribly wrong. It was alarming to see three of those massive ones already dead.

Any recommendations for where to order the new adults from? I had ordered these adults from dubiaroaches.com, but if there’s a reputable site you like I’d be happy to send my business their way.