Where'd you get your Dubia colony???

[saulANDcharlie]

Where did everybody get your Dubia Colony??

I'd like to start breeding Dubia but I'm a super duper tight budget so I'd like to know the cheapest places I can get them.
I'm OK with starting out small, since it's better then nothing.

 

[TeachersPetDragon]

The cheapest place I've seen is DubiDeli, though I have not purchased from them. I bought mine from a local reptile show :mrgreen:

 

[randommonks]

Where did everybody get your Dubia Colony??

I'd like to start breeding Dubia but I'm a super duper tight budget so I'd like to know the cheapest places I can get them.
I'm OK with starting out small, since it's better then nothing.

If you go to the For Sale section, you'll find someone selling smalls for $25 for 500 smalls shipped. You'll need to wait quite a while (up to 6 months) before you can start feeding from the colony though, but that'll be the cheapest way to go.

 

[TeachersPetDragon]

Where did everybody get your Dubia Colony??

I'd like to start breeding Dubia but I'm a super duper tight budget so I'd like to know the cheapest places I can get them.
I'm OK with starting out small, since it's better then nothing.

If you go to the For Sale section, you'll find someone selling smalls for $25 for 500 smalls shipped. You'll need to wait quite a while (up to 6 months) before you can start feeding from the colony though, but that'll be the cheapest way to go.

It's probably a waste of time/money to go that route for building a colony, since you'll need to be feeding your bearded dragons something while you wait. Better to spend a little bit more (~$30) up front and start feeding in one month rather than six.

*EDIT* Even if you are n a tight budget, you should weigh your long-term costs against the higher upfront costs of starting a decent sized colony. You can probably find someone that will sell you 5 cockroaches for under $10 shipped, but your bearded dragons will be adults by the time your colony is producing enough to sate your dragons. Juvenile beardies eat a lot, mine will eat 2 dozen crickets a day. If I buy those from the pet store that's $2.50/day, or $75 a month! I think it's a better plan to spend that $50-$75 on a good dubia colony setup and then never have to buy food again except for variety. You'll be saving money in just 1 or 2 months.

 

[saulANDcharlie]

I have to go cheaper, because I don't have the money for the upfront costs of a large colony, I know it's cheaper but I just can't afford it.

 

[randommonks]

How much are you willing to spend? Roaches in particular are an investment, especially to breed, as they are rather expensive to buy as simply feeders.

 

[TeachersPetDragon]

I have to go cheaper, because I don't have the money for the upfront costs of a large colony, I know it's cheaper but I just can't afford it.

What are you feeding your beardies right now? And how much do they cost?

 

[saulANDcharlie]

I'm hoping to spend $25 or less(less is better)

They currently eat crickets, but when they're bigger I want to feed them Dubia. So I figure I better start a colony now.

I get 12-ish for $1(though the store usually eyeballs it, today I got about 50 for $3, last time I got about 100 for $2, great deal!)

 

[TeachersPetDragon]

I'm hoping to spend $25 or less(less is better)

They currently eat crickets, but when they're bigger I want to feed them Dubia. So I figure I better start a colony now.

I get 12-ish for $1(though the store usually eyeballs it, today I got about 50 for $3, last time I got about 100 for $2, great deal!)

If you pay $1/dozen and have 2 beardies, each eating ~15-20 a day, you're spending $75 a month already. It seems cheap while you're doing it, a few dollars here or there for crickets, but it adds up really fast. When I was feeding mine crickets I'd end up with like 20-50% of them dying as well. Are you getting dead ones too?

 

[randommonks]

Cheapest option for you now might be to order large quantities of crickets online until your dragon(s) hits 16" and then slowly switch them to superworms. I normally am able to get 500 supers for under $20 shipped and those might last me half a year since I feed only 7 every other day.

 

[TeachersPetDragon]

Cheapest option for you now might be to order large quantities of crickets online until your dragon(s) hits 16" and then slowly switch them to superworms. I normally am able to get 500 supers for under $20 shipped and those might last me half a year since I feed only 7 every other day.

My crickets died constantly. And smelled horrible. Just worth noting if you plan to buy 1000 of those smelly little guys.

 

[randommonks]

Oh I forgot to mention that often, there are members who just want to get rid of their colonies or overages in the For Free section so you should keep a sharp eye out for that. You never know when you might get lucky.

 

[Trajega]

Dont be afraid to check craigslist. There are a number of people who sell starter kits in my metro. And yes, they will sell loose if needed. Both of these for about 50-80% of the price for any of the online venders.