Do you have Dubia roach questions? We have answers! Our Dubia roach FAQ contains topics we haven’t covered elsewhere on our site (guides, posts, or product pages) or provides a quick answer and link to more information for questions we’ve already addressed. If you don’t find what you’re looking for here, let us know in the comments below!
Is there anything I shouldn’t feed Dubia roaches?
As breeders, there is nothing you can’t feed Dubia roaches. As feeders, don’t provide food you wouldn’t want your animals to consume. Citrus fruits, for example, can cause temporary gastric distress in some reptiles. Excess calcium may not be healthy for tarantulas. As with any feeder insect, the end consumer should be your focus.
Do Dubia roaches require fresh fruits and vegetables?
Dubia roaches can survive on well-formulated dry food and do not require fruits and vegetables. However, consider adding fresh fruits and vegetables to their diet. Roaches like fruits and vegetables. They contain nutrients dry foods don’t, and they boost productivity. In short, fruits and vegetables likely benefit Dubia roaches, and they’re healthy for the animals that feed on them.
What is the best food for Dubia roaches?
There is no one food that Dubia roaches do better on than others. Aim for a well-rounded diet that contains healthy foods with nutrients Dubia roaches need for growth. The trick is knowing what nutrients they need at which time. Without going into the details, their general nutritional needs can be met by providing a variety of grains, fruits, and vegetables. For feeders, try to include foods that contain the nutrients you want your animals to consume.
What do Dubia roaches eat in the wild?
The Dubia roach’s natural diet includes dead leaves and decaying plant material, secondary bacteria, fungi, fruits, roots, and dead insects or mammals they may come across. Occasionally, they even eat each other. However, because cockroaches evolved in and near human civilization, they also enjoy many human foods.
What are Dubia roach’s favorite foods?
Dubia roaches are particularly fond of apples, bananas, beets, carrots, various greens, oats, oranges, squash, and sweet potato.
How can I increase Dubia roach reproduction?
Temperature is arguably the most critical factor in Dubia roach breeding, followed closely by nutrition and other environmental factors. We cover this topic in our in-depth Dubia roach breeding guide.
Should I give Dubia roaches vitamin and mineral supplements?
We don’t recommend feeding vitamin or mineral supplements to Dubia roaches unless it’s for gut loading before feeding the roaches to your animals. Beyond that, this is a tricky topic. Our best general advice is to feed your Dubia roaches a balanced diet with plenty of healthy, fresh foods that will help keep them healthy and nourish the animals that feed on them.
How much roach chow do Dubia roaches need?
5,000 breeding adult Dubia will eat roughly one cup of roach chow each day if offered no other food. That means 1,000 roaches can eat about six cups of chow a month, and 100 roaches can eat one cup every two months. Of course, these estimates depend on environmental conditions such as temperature, stress, and access to other foods.
How long do Dubia roaches live?
Female Dubia roaches live about two years, and males live about 18 months under ideal conditions. In captivity, Dubia roach longevity is related to temperature and food availability. Maximum lifespan occurs when they are kept around 80ºF and not provided access to constant food. The further away from these conditions that Dubia roaches get, the shorter their lives.
What happens if Dubia roaches escape in my house?
Depending on location, most Dubia roaches that escape into a home will die in days or weeks. Dubia roaches are not invasive like German or American cockroaches. They require a tropical climate to reproduce and grow, and they cannot colonize in most locations within the U.S. The possible exceptions are Hawaii and Southern Florida, and these states restrict the importation of Dubia roaches.
Do I ever have to separate adult Dubia roaches from nymphs?
The only time it’s necessary to separate adult Dubia roaches from nymphs is to alleviate overcrowding caused by colony and nymph growth. Dubia are social roaches that naturally live together in large numbers. They prefer the company of other roaches, but overcrowding causes stress within a colony and should be avoided.
Can you tell male and female Dubia roaches apart before they’re adults?
You can distinguish between male and female Dubia roach nymphs by counting the segments on their abdomen, starting at the hind legs. Female Dubia roaches have five segments, while males have six. The sixth and final segment on males is typically narrow and pointy compared to females.
What if I buy Dubia roaches and they breed out of control?
Dubia roaches reproduce slowly and do not suddenly breed out of control. Instead, their numbers tend to increase slowly and steadily over time. This provides plenty of opportunity to intervene if necessary. Reducing temperature and restricting food will slow or stop Dubia roach reproduction, and these things can be done long before their numbers increase to a point where they become unmanageable.
Will Dubia roaches hurt or bother my animal if I let them loose in its cage?
Dubia roaches don’t bite and are generally mild-mannered. They typically keep to themselves and do not bother other animals inside an enclosure. If you’re concerned about Dubia roaches wandering around, you can contain them in a feeding dish and remove the extras when your animal is done feeding.
Will Dubia roaches eat the plants in my animal’s cage?
Dubia roaches are unlikely to eat decorative plants in terrariums or other animal enclosures. While they eat a lot of things, houseplants are not typically among them. While possible, the chance of this happening is remote.
Can I feed my animals only Dubia roaches?
While Dubia roaches are healthy feeders, insectivores do best on a diet containing at least some variation. Try to mix it up every once in a while if you can.
Why are Dubia roaches different colors?
Color variation among Dubia roaches is probably caused by genetic variation, age, diet, and environment. Individual Dubia roach color can vary substantially, even within the same colony where the roaches are directly related.
Why are some Dubia roaches flat while others are more round?
Dubia roaches that haven’t eaten in a while will appear relatively flat. Ones that are “rounder” have food in their guts. Flat ones will regain a fuller appearance when they eat or drink.
Can Dubia roaches live without their heads?
Like other cockroach species, Dubia roaches can survive without a head for a short time. Roaches have an open circulatory system and don’t breathe through their mouths. This allows them to survive for a few days without their heads. However, they are unable to eat without their heads, and they soon die.
Could I be allergic to Dubia roaches?
Yes, it’s possible to be allergic to Dubia roaches. Roach dust, like grass, pollen, and mold, can trigger an allergic reaction in some people. Cockroach allergies (external link) are not common but they do occur.
Are Dubia roaches legal in Florida?
Dubia roaches are legal in Florida only for people with a state-issued permit. The Florida Department of Agriculture considers Dubia roaches a nuisance species, and Florida law prohibits people without a permit from importing or keeping them. You can read more about federal and state legislation here, including information on the legal status of Dubia roaches by state.
How long does it take for Dubia roaches to mate?
Mature Dubia roach adults often mate immediately upon introduction or shortly after provided with the environmental conditions necessary for breeding.
Do Dubia roaches bite?
Dubia roaches do not bite. Hungry roaches occasionally nibble at the skin when handled if they haven’t been fed for a while, but this usually happens after someone has also handled food. We have never known Dubia roaches to attack people or animals.
Is there any way to make Dubia roaches grow faster?
Like all insects, the Dubia roach growth rate is set by genetics but can be altered by modifying their environmental conditions. Temperature, humidity, light & dark cycle, colony stress, and nutrition contribute to the Dubia roach’s rate of growth and reproduction.
Can Dubia roaches fly?
Dubia roaches are flightless cockroaches. However, while adult females do not have wings, adult males do, and when temperatures are high, they can jump from high places and use their wings to flutter to the ground. However, they are unable to fly long distances.
Why are Dubia roaches so popular?
Dubia roaches are popular mainly because they are exceptionally nutritious feeder insects for reptiles and other insectivores, are easy to keep and store, and are widely available. You can read more in our post about the many reasons to try Dubia roaches.
Can I feed Dubia roaches “cricket diet” or something similar?
Manufacturers may design insect diets for short-term use on feeders or as gut loads rather than complete nutrition for breeding, so whether or not they make good food for Dubia roaches depends on what you’re using them for. Gut loading enhances the diet of insectivores without regard for the insect. Therefore, gut loads may have a negative impact on Dubia roaches generally and Dubia roach breeding specifically, depending on their ingredients.
What’s the best temperature to keep Dubia roaches at?
The best temperature for Dubia roaches depends on what you intend to do with them. For best results in breeding, keep Dubia roaches between 85ºF and 95ºF. Feeders can handle a much greater temperature range. We recommend keeping Dubia roach feeders at room temperature with the caveat that if the temperature dips below 50ºF at night, warm them up to around 70ºF during the day to keep them healthy and active.
What colors do Dubia roaches come in?
Adult Dubia roach color varies greatly and can range from solid black to black with tan spots to orange with some black and tan (Dubia roaches are sometimes called the Orange Spotted Cockroach). Color differences probably depend on natural genetic variation and environmental factors. Dubia roach nymphs, on the other hand, are always brown or tan.
Are Dubia roaches healthy for humans?
Hmm. Well…probably. People in some cultures eat insects, and Dubia roaches are high in protein and minerals. They’re healthy for reptiles and other animals that eat them, so it would seem to follow that they might also be healthy for humans. Something to think about (and not necessarily do).
Are Dubia roaches legal in Canada?
It’s unclear at this time. Canada requires an import permit for some cockroach species but not others. Dubia roaches are not currently among the cockroach species the Canadian government has evaluated for import (external link). They do allow some tropical roach species, so it seems likely that they would ultimately allow the importation of Dubia roaches.
How long does it take to start a Dubia roach colony?
It depends how many roaches you start with, how you keep them, what you feed them, and a variety of other factors. Generally, it can take anywhere from zero days to four months to establish a Dubia roach colony, depending where you start.
Can I keep all of my insect feeders together. For example, Dubia roaches and crickets?
Dubia roaches are mild-mannered and tend to keep to themselves. They will not attack other feeder insects. On the other hand, some feeder species, like Superworms and mealworms, may be aggressive toward Dubia roaches and other animals. If you see one feeder insect attack another, consider separating them.
Why are some Dubia roaches white or tan?
The outer skin of the Dubia roach, also known as the exoskeleton, is a durable, inflexible shell that provides structure to their bodies and protection from injury. The exoskeleton’s ability to expand is limited, so Dubia roaches must shed it and build a new one to grow. This process is called molting. Molting lasts a few hours, and during this time, the newly exposed skin that emerges as the old exoskeleton is discarded appears white or cream-colored. This fragile new skin hardens and darkens over a few hours as it is exposed to oxygen. This becomes the roach’s new exoskeleton.
Are Dubia roaches legal in Hawaii?
Hawaii has strict rules about importing plants and animals, particularly tropical ones, out of concern for native species and the existing ecosystem. We do not ship Dubia roaches to Hawaii unless the customer has a state-issued permit. You can read more about federal and state Dubia roach legislation here.
How big do Dubia roaches get?
Dubia roaches can grow to about 1.5 inches under ideal conditions, measured after a meal. Because their abdomen elongates in the presence of food, a 1.5 inch roach may measure only one inch when allowed to go hungry for a number of days.
How long can Dubia roaches live without food?
Cockroaches are famous for their ability to survive famine. We have seen Dubia roaches alive after two months without food or water, such as when a package is returned to sender unclaimed. Of course, we suggest keeping your Dubia roaches healthy, which includes regular feeding.
Do Dubia roaches eat meat?
Dubia roaches are omnivorous, so they can and will eat meat. However, meat should only be a small part of a captive Dubia roach’s diet. They can live without it and tend to live longer, reproduce more, and grow faster when fed primarily carbohydrates.
What are the highest and lowest temperatures Dubia roaches can survive?
This is a complicated question. Survive is different than thrive, and there is a temperature range and time-frame for both. In absolute terms, Dubia roaches die relatively fast around 120ºF and 32ºF. When it’s very cold, they become sluggish and they can stay in this state for a while. But they cannot survive freezing. Of course, none of these temperatures are anywhere near healthy for the roaches, which require a much tighter temperature range to grow, breed, and thrive.
Can Dubia roaches climb glass?
No, Dubia roaches cannot climb glass. Some roach species like hissing cockroaches can climb glass, but Dubia roaches cannot.
Are Dubia roaches dangerous?
The Dubia roach is not a pest species like the German and American cockroach. It is neither invasive nor a disease vector. Because B. Dubia is a tropical roach, it cannot reproduce in the wild in most of the United States. The two states with climates potentially favorable to Dubia roaches, Hawaii and Florida, ban their importation. In most of the US, Dubia roaches that escape captivity die from exposure or lack of food.
Do Dubia roaches smell bad?
Dubia roaches do not smell bad. They have no smell when kept in small numbers, such as feeders for reptiles and other insectivores. When agitated, Dubia roach nymphs may produce an odor to discourage predation, but it is slight and dissipates quickly. In large, humid breeding environments, Dubia roach frass attracts moisture and may develop a musty odor when allowed to accumulate, but the roaches have no smell.
Can Dubia roaches breed with other cockroach species?
Dubia roaches cannot breed with other cockroach species. Interbreeding is very unlikely among cockroaches because one of the many interspecies differences includes different genitalia. Cockroaches cannot breed if the male and female genitalia do not match.
Are Dubia roaches the best alternative to crickets?
Dubia roaches are a healthy (arguably healthier) alternative to crickets and make outstanding primary feeders. As a primary feeder insect, Dubia roaches provide nutrients reptiles, amphibians, arachnids, and many other animals need for good health and longevity, often in the amount they need. Due to the realities of captivity, insectivores usually have nutritional needs that go beyond those of wild animals — calcium is one example — so we advise dusting Dubia roaches with an appropriate vitamin or mineral powder and gut loading with nutritious foods or a commercial gut load according to the unique needs of each animal.
Have a Question?
If you have a question about Dubia roaches we haven’t answered in our FAQs, please feel free to ask! You can use the comment form below.
Biencarla says
Where can I see the male and female genitalia of dubia roaches? Externally or internally? I also want to know the difference in their genitalia.
DRD says
Sexing Dubia roach adults is easy. The most obvious difference between males and females is that males have wings and females do not. Males also tend to be long, thin, and dull in color (usually brown or tan), while females are comparatively wide, round, and shiny (usually black, often with white or orange spots). When you see the two side by side, the differences are obvious.
Sexing Dubia roach nymphs is a bit more difficult. When comparing males and females side by side, you will see no significant differences in body shape or color. Males do, however, have an extra abdominal segment at the tail-end of their bodies. This extra segment is small and pointy, very much like the tip of a ballpoint pen. Females lack this extra segment, and the ends of their abdomens are broad and flat by comparison.
While the extra abdominal segment of males tends to make their bodies longer and thinner than females, identification by body shape alone is a less reliable method of determining sex in nymphs than visualizing abdominal segments. Sometimes female nymph bodies can appear elongated (like males), and sometimes male bodies can appear rounder (like females). Feeding status, for example, can have these effects.
In short, examine the roach’s abdomen for a small pointy tip similar to a ballpoint pen, or the lack of this feature, which results in a broad, flat final abdominal section. Pointy tip = male, broad and flat end = female.
Mary says
Can I feed Dubia roaches turtle food made from dried shrimp, meal worms, and crickets? I thought the adults were eating the babies and the turtle food would prevent it, but now I think I was wrong. Can it be eaten as is (looks like dried meal worm shells and bug pieces)? Are there issues caused by too much protein?
DRD says
Turtle food is probably okay for Dubia roaches in a general sense, but the duration and quantity you want to feed them this or other similar high-protein foods depends on what you’re doing with your roaches.
In the short run, high-protein foods probably won’t harm your Dubia. However, that may not be true in the long run because they have a unique ability to store protein in their bodies for future use. This is probably because they evolved in protein-scarce environments. As a result, feeding them high-protein foods can overwhelm their ability to excrete the protein, causing it to accumulate in their bodies. In short, it’s best to feed your roaches a diet with moderate amounts of protein.
For more information, please refer to our article on Dubia roaches and their dietary protein requirements.
Arlo says
Can I put my adult Dubia roaches in with my small juvenile insects?
DRD says
Dubia roaches are not usually aggressive toward other insects. They tend to keep to themselves, preferring to spend their time in small spaces where they socialize with other Dubia roaches. We have never seen them attack or otherwise become hostile toward other animals.
That said, always test species compatibility in small ways before committing entirely. Start by housing a few roaches with your other insects, or vice versa. If there are no issues, you can increase the numbers and watch what happens.
Competition for space may cause some animals to behave in unusual and unpredictable ways. Be sure there is plenty of room for all the insects. If you observe any unusual agitation or aggression, it might be best to take that as a sign of incompatibility and separate them.
Kat says
I buy dubia roaches for my beardie and was looking at them earlier. I’m wondering, why do juvenile dubia roaches have hard, flat heads compared to their squishy bodies?
DRD says
Insect body features can be viewed in terms of evolution and the environment in which they evolved. There are no specific reasons why roaches have hard heads beyond a general need for protection, and perhaps their bodies are soft to allow for expansion and contraction with food intake. While Dubia roaches have soft bodies, they do have exoskeletons that give their bodies form and offer some protection from damage and predation.
Japanese dubia breeder says
Thank you! Is there any food that will induce reptile reproduction in Dubia gut loading?
DRD says
This is not our area of expertise, but it seems unlikely that any one food induces breeding in reptiles. Our goal is to keep reptiles and other insectivores happy and healthy by providing nutritious feeder insects, and most of our knowledge and experience is in breeding Dubia roaches. The Dubia roach is a highly gut-loadable feeder insect, so if you discover a food with the effects you seek, Dubia roaches will be an excellent way to deliver it to your animals.
Japanese dubia breeder says
Is there any good feeder Insects or gut loading for breeding reptiles?
DRD says
Yes. Dubia roaches beat other feeder insects on a variety of metrics, including nutrition, which makes them not just suitable as primary feeders for reptile breeding, but preferred in our view. They are also easy to gut load, which makes them even better.
Jay says
Why do my Dubia Roaches look oily, I’ve been feeding them on Bran, Apple, Lettuce, things like that. When they look oily my tarantulas will stay away from them as well. Wondering if I’m doing something wrong.
DRD says
Do the roaches look oily, or are they actually oily? Adult Dubia roaches are relatively smooth and have a shiny appearance, but they are not oily. Dubia roach nymphs are a dull tan or brown color. Under normal conditions, they are not oily and do not look oily.
A few possibilities come to mind: If the roaches are oily, that is not normal, and you should figure out what’s causing it and fix it. It could be diet, or it could be that they are coming into contact with oil. There really aren’t any other possibilities.
If the cause is environmental, remove oil from their environment. If the cause is dietary, eliminate all foods except one known to not cause oily secretions. Apples will work. Feed your roaches only apples until the oily secretions are gone, and then add individual foods back one by one and see what happens.
Secondly, Dubia roaches — particularly larger nymphs — excrete moisture when stressed. It is not oily per se, but it is wet and gives them a shiny appearance. Given that this is a defense mechanism against predation, it would explain why your animals are avoiding them. They are being repelled by the excretions. If this is what’s happening, the solution is to stress the roaches out as little as possible before feeding them off.
We haven’t seen any oily excretions from our roaches in our colonies, so we can only guess what might be happening in yours. If what you see is actually oil, that is not normal, and hopefully, the suggestions above will help you get it sorted out.
Cindy says
Would it be beneficial to remove the wings of males before feeding to my pets? Are those parts considered chiton / ash or are they nutritious? I was considering using them for art projects so ignore the fact that it would be tedious and time consuming. I had a few males jump and flutter out of my bin so I have thought about cutting them off and leaving them to go about their lives wingless but would that cause them pain or other social complications? Freezing to kill them humanely before removing the wings and feeding was also an option I considered.
DRD says
There are other ways to prevent male Dubia roaches from escaping their enclosure. They can only jump about an inch, so a taller bin (or a lid) will prevent breakouts.
Wings are an integral part of Dubia roach courtship, so there will likely be social and other consequences of removing them. Males may not attempt to mate without wings, and females may not engage with wingless males.
Regarding nutrition, Dubia wings are fibrous, as you mentioned, but there are few or no drawbacks to leaving them intact. They are exceptionally delicate and likely take up very little space in an animal’s stomach, considering the entirety of the insect.
Then there is the issue of pain. We know these are feeder insects, and we understand their ultimate fate is in the belly of an insectivore, but we still like to spare them from having body parts removed before they’re eaten. This is an issue of personal preference, and we understand others may feel differently.
If you decide to remove their wings, freezing the roaches first would be the most humane method. Of course, if these are feeders, your animal would have to be willing to eat dead, thawed Dubia roaches. Most animals are probably not inclined to do that.
James says
How do you stop dubia cockroaches from digging without squeezing their heads?
DRD says
We remove frass from our Dubia roach bins before it gets deep enough for the roaches to dig into, so this is not something we have experience with. If digging is a problem for you, we suggest reducing or eliminating the substrate in the enclosure.
Beyond that, any solution to your roaches digging depends on your unique situation and why it’s a problem for you. All things equal, Dubia roaches like to climb, so perhaps add hide space above the ground/substrate for them to crawl into.
Damir D says
Greeting. Some flies have appeared in my colony that I think are destroying my colony. They are about 1 millimeter in size, orange in color and resemble wine flies. Is there any deeper treatment to get rid of these parasites?
DRD says
When flies appear in and around Dubia roach colonies, the cause is usually related to food and/or general cleanliness.
Cleanliness issues in Dubia roach bins are most commonly rooted in the accumulation of roach carcasses and uneaten food. Start by cleaning out your Dubia bins. Pay particular attention to potential sources of unwanted moisture that could lead to rot and attract flies. Clean your colonies well and see if the fly situation improves in a couple days.
Alternatively, something in the food itself may be attracting flies. If this is the case, one solution is to remove all the food you’re currently using and see what happens in a few days. You can go foodless temporarily or feed your roaches something you know won’t attract flies — like dried oats or some vegetable. As a general rule, drier is usually better with respect to avoiding flies.
If this works, you will need to identify and remove whatever ingredient attracts flies or change how you feed your roaches, i.e. changing foods or switching from wet food to dry.
Justin S. says
I had an adult male get out but found him on the wall later. Is it safe to put him back in the colony or do I just toss him outside? I dint know if it would have any negative affect on the others as it’s quite dirty and dusty in the roach room.
DRD says
Whether or not it’s safe to put the roach back in a bin with others depends on your circumstances. All things equal, it’s safe. However, the danger is the roach coming in contact with a hazardous substance and bringing it back into the colony where it might cause harm to other roaches.
If you have no reason to think the roach was exposed to harmful substances, you could quarantine it for a week or two. If it’s still alive and healthy after a few weeks, chances are good it will remain that way and that it didn’t come into contact with anything harmful when it escaped.
Abi says
I’ve just checked on my colony and one of my newly emerged adult females has died. She was alive yesterday and it’s been a number of days since she moulted. Is there any reason this could be? I know roaches sometimes have troubles with moulting, can this continue days after the moult? Thank you.
DRD says
In our experience, Dubia roach molting problems are visibly apparent and not usually significant enough to cause death. Tropical insects are fragile — particularly those living in non-tropical environments — and while your roach’s death may be related to molting, there’s no way to make that connection without any visible signs or more information.
Do what you can to provide your roaches with optimum conditions, and watch for related issues in the future. If they continue dying shortly after molting, then you may conclude there is a problem related to molting that needs attention.
Benjamin says
I don’t understand why my flock has a lot of damp dubia cockroach droppings, I don’t give water to drink, only eat fruit and bird bran, why is that?
DRD says
Dubia roaches must consume water to have moist droppings. If you don’t provide them with supplemental water, then the excess moisture is coming from their food. Based on your description, it’s likely coming from the fruit.
You will have to reduce the moisture in their diet if you want their droppings to be drier.
Also, it’s worth noting that frass accumulates moisture in humid environments. The higher the humidity, the less water Dubia roaches need, the more they will expel, and the slower moisture evaporates from their feces.
You may be able to reduce dietary moisture to achieve the dryness you want in their frass. However, at some point, if humidity is high enough, the frass will be moist no matter how dry you make your Dubia’s diet, and the solution will be more frequent bin cleanings. If you have high humidity, you may have to experiment to find the right balance, keeping in mind that part of the solution may be more frequent cleanings.
Aelx says
Are dubia roaches consumers, decomposers, herbivores or producers?
DRD says
As omnivorous insects, Dubia roaches are consumers and decomposers. They scavenge plant and animal matter in the wild and will eat almost anything you feed them in captivity — though we recommend giving them mostly (or exclusively) plants and plant-derived foods.
Ky says
Why are my dubias expelling individual eggs without an ootheca? Are they infertile?
DRD says
What you describe sounds unusual. The only time eggs detach from the ootheca under normal circumstances is when baby roaches emerge. Also, female Dubia sometimes drop their ootheca when they’re stressed. However, in our experience, this happens as a single unit. We’ve never seen a female expel individual eggs.
It’s possible that the female dropped her ootheca at the stage where her nymphs were about to hatch and the eggs were separating, but this is just a guess.
Keep an eye on the female and confirm that the conditions in the bin are correct and the roaches are healthy. With any luck, whatever happened was just a fluke and it won’t be a problem going forward.
Rick says
I am a little confused. In some articles you say replace substrate, in others you say don’t use substrate. Which is it? Should I use it? If so, what should I use?
DRD says
No added substrate. Just frass.
The confusion may lie in the definition of a substrate and the distinction between an external medium introduced into a colony for some reason (like aesthetics or with the belief that it’s beneficial or necessary) versus frass, which is a naturally-occurring substrate that accumulates over time.
People sometimes want to add materials like shredded newspaper or ground coconut shells as substrate in Dubia roach colonies. While you can do this in small enclosures for roach specimens or pets, it’s not practical in large colonies. In fact, it can become a problem.
When people ask about “adding substrate,” this is what they usually mean. And this is what we recommend against — unless it is in the context of pet roaches, specimens, small enclosures, or similar. If you have a few Hissers that you keep as pets and want a substrate for a better display, that is fine, but it will cause problems in a large breeding colony.
Frass, on the other hand, though technically also a substrate, can be beneficial.
JA says
Hello! I keep 3 Dubia cockroaches as pets, they are not feeders. My question is do you think they would like the shreds from my paper shredder as a tank lining to burrow in? I usually line it with paper towel and they tend to burrow underneath.
DRD says
Dubia roaches like darkness and hanging out in small spaces, so they’re likely to appreciate any material that allows them to be surrounded on all sides without becoming trapped. Shredded paper is relatively cheap and easy to replace as needed, so it sounds like a good choice.
Nick says
One of my females has had a dried egg sack sticking out of her rear end. What should I do?
DRD says
When we see that we just leave it alone. It will resolve on its own one way or another, and it seems unlikely that intervening (like manually removing the egg sack) will lead to a better outcome for the roach.
Sofia says
Hey! I’m super confused about this since I can’t find any information on it anywhere, but when I picked up a dubia to give to my beardie I accidentally cut it a bit and it started spilling blue blood! What does this mean?
DRD says
Blue? That’s strange. Rather than blood, it’s more likely digested food that appeared blue, or perhaps some internal organ. Instead of arteries and veins, Dubia roaches have an open circulatory system, and everything is kind of mixed in together.
Beverly says
Hi, can you feed dubia roaches freshly molted carrots?
DRD says
Dubia roaches generally like starchy or sweet root vegetables like carrots, beets, and potatoes. We feed these to our roaches often – though we’ve never heard of “molted carrots”. Regular carrots are fine. Organic carrots are even better.
Jax says
So my home can get pretty humid and hot during summer. My question is could a dubia roach breed with a regular house roach? I’m asking because I have a small roach infestation and was worried since some of my dubias escaped when I had some for a beardie.
DRD says
Some closely-related tropical roach species can interbreed. For example, several species of hissing cockroaches (there are many) have produced offspring. However, it seems very unlikely (and probably impossible) that a tropical roach like the Dubia could breed with a non-tropical roach like those found in the US.
We’re tempted to say what you describe is impossible, though we can’t quite go that far. Anecdotally, sometimes we find a stray Dubia or two living in our Madagascar Hissing Cockroach colony, but they have never produced offspring. If two unrelated tropical roach species can’t produce offspring, it seems really unlikely that a tropical roach and a North American cockroach, for example, could.
While we can’t say it would never happen, it’s not something we worry about, and it’s not something we’ve seen.
Todd says
Hello I have a question about my colony. Could it affect my dog’s breathing in any way? I’ve had colony for about 2years and never had any problem that we noticed except my beloved Pitbull has developed a kind of gag cough. My wife thinks it’s the colony and I’m at odds with her about it and can’t find anything on that. Please and thanks for any help.
DRD says
Of course, you should see a veterinarian about your dog’s breathing. Hopefully they will have answers and can help with your dog’s health issues.
Unfortunately there’s no easy or obvious answer. We haven’t seen or heard of anything specific like what you describe relating to Dubia roaches and pets. Roaches are known to cause allergies in some people, but this seems to be relatively uncommon. What you describe with your dog seems to be within the realm of possibility, but it’s not something we’ve seen or heard of.
Bobbie says
Is it okay to feed your roach chow dry? I’ve tried mixing it with various amounts of water, and they’re just not all that interested.
Thanks!
DRD says
Yes, you can offer our roach chow dry. However, in our experience, Dubia roaches tend to find it more palatable when it’s at least a little wet.
In addition to water, you can mix in a little sugar or blended fruit like apple or banana to make a thick paste. If they aren’t eating immediately on arrival, try straight fruit like a few apple or banana slices before the roach chow. Shipping is stressful and they may need a day or two to recover.
Kam says
Do you share what ingredients are in your roach chow?
DRD says
We developed our Dubia roach chow for use in our own Dubia production over many years. It has great value for us, so we consider its ingredients a trade secret.
Lexi says
Hello,
I postponed cleaning a bit too long, and now I have all kinds of Dubias, young and adult, hiding amongst a few inches of food skins, fruit pits, stems and frass – a big mess to be honest. Some of it is moist. I know this is not good hygiene. What is the easiest way to drive them out of all that material to facilitate a proper cleanup? They are in and under everything! I have a big tank with a lot of dubias. I grow them to supplement fish food for a backyard aquaponics system. Thank you!
DRD says
Short of picking them out by hand, which unfortunately is necessary sometimes, you can use a sieve type system. This becomes more and more difficult with smaller and smaller roaches, but the idea is to find or make a container with holes in the bottom that will either catch the roaches and allow everything else to fall through, or the opposite. This is often a good way to separate roaches from frass, though again, it can become tedious with very small roaches.
Deb says
My granddaughter has a very young bearded dragon. She was told by the pet store that Dragons should not eat dubia roaches until they are at least juveniles. Is this true? If so at what age should they actually begin to eat dubia roaches? Also is it just a size thing because I did see your advice about sizing the insects no wider than the head or space between the eyes, or is there another reason if baby dragons shouldn’t eat the dubias. Thank you!
DRD says
I am not aware of any argument/reason for not feeding Dubia roaches to baby bearded dragons. In my experience, young, growing reptiles do very well on Dubia roaches.
John says
Would a Dubia shed or molt look like a dead Dubia? Do you see what looks like legs on a shed? How do i know If it’s a dead Dubia and not a shed?
Found a bunch of what looked like dead adult female Dubia who were dark black with their little wings except they were all only about 1 inch in length. My colony is 8 months old. Would humidity cause stunted growth? Could they be sheds?
DRD says
Dubia roaches shed their entire outer protective layer when they molt. The discarded “skin” is typically thin, brown in color, and often contains what looks like “legs”.
You can tell a discarded molt from a dead roach by touching it. If it is paper thin, it’s a shed. If it has bulk, it’s likely a dead roach.
Humidity itself is good for Dubia. However, what comes along with humidity in captive roach colonies (mold, bacteria, etc.) can be bad. And low humidity is also bad. Getting humidity right is often a balancing act.
If you have problems like stunted growth and dead roaches in a high humidity environment, you might want to read our article about Dubia roach die-off. It addresses these and related issues directly, and is likely to answer your questions, and more.
Izzy says
Can roaches attack each other? I found a dead adult (maybe juvenile) without it’s head and don’t why it happened. I know it wasn’t an exoskeleton because the inside of it’s body was still there.
DRD says
They sometimes compete for resources, and it’s likely that if they are starving, larger roaches may attack and eat smaller ones.
However, they tend to live in relative harmony when their basic needs are met. It seems likely that you’re seeing a nymph that died for some reason, and whose head was eaten by other roaches. They can be cannibalistic like this sometimes, but usually in an opportunistic way rather than aggressive. Roaches nibbling at other dead roaches is common. Roaches attacking and eating other roaches is not.
Jane R. says
There are tiny little worms in with my Dubia colony. I fed them fresh veggies. What are these tiny worms? Will they hurt my roaches? Are they bad?
DRD says
There’s no way know what they are without more information. Lots of insects are attracted to Dubia roach colonies because they’re dark, warm, moist, and presumably there is plenty of food.
Not all the insects are bad, and some can be beneficial, but presumably you would know if you were using cleaner crews in your colony. It’s probably a good idea to identify them if you didn’t put them in with your roaches intentionally. And if they aren’t there to serve a purpose, you should probably get rid of them to be on the safe side.
Bart says
Is there any way to see if an adult female is pregnant? I know when the ootheca hangs out they need another 30-45 days I believe? I was thinking about color of the back (more shiny or darker) or being more round instead of flat.
DRD says
Pregnant females are often larger and rounder than ones that are not. This doesn’t mean one that appears flat can’t be pregnant, but rather it’s unlikely a full-bodied female is not.
This conclusion is somewhat anecdotal on our part, and is based on some assumptions. Specifically, newly-emerged females are always flat and relatively small. The same is true for females guarding a brood of young, as they do after they give birth.
However, food also causes body elongation, and hunger causes shrinkage, so you have to take these things into account. Can a hungry pregnant female appear flat? Probably. Can a non-pregnant female eat enough to become fat and appear pregnant? Possibly.
Regarding color or sheen, these things could conceivably identify pregnant and non-pregnant females, but it seems unlikely. It’s not something we’ve heard of before or noticed in our colonies.
Nicole says
What should I do if I think American cockroaches have infiltrated my dubia colony and bred? The young roaches look shiny and not the way my dubia look normally.
DRD says
If you’re sure some other cockroach species has bred with your Dubia and you want to put an end to it, start by identifying and resolving the source of the infiltration. You have to do this first or nothing you do after will matter.
Once that’s done, separate the Dubia adults from the nymphs, then the adult females from the males. Keep the females separate for several months, or enough time for them to hatch out any nymphs they may be carrying. You can feed the nymphs off to your animals or let them grow out to see what you’ve got. Again, if you’re sure interbreeding has occurred, feeding them off is probably the safest option.
You can recombine the males and females once you’re sure enough time has passed that the females could not be carrying any of the other species’ young.
Ree says
Why is my dubia roach white? it is not molting because it has been white for more than a week.
DRD says
Dubia roaches turn white when they molt, but their new skin darkens within hours, then returns to its usual color within about one day. Seven days is far outside the norm for molting. For reasons unknown, some Dubia are far lighter than others in their colony. This could just be natural variation, or it could indicate a problem with the roach. If your white roach seems healthy and its skin is hard like a shell (rather than soft and squishy like when they molt), it may not be something to worry about. If the roach seems distressed or otherwise unhealthy, the color may indicate some kind of health problem. Whatever the case, your situation sounds unusual.
Jesh says
Are pre-owned dubia colonies safe for my reptiles? I.e. do they have a risk of carrying any diseases, parasites, etc?
DRD says
There’s always a risk when you introduce living things to roach colonies, reptiles, etc. To mitigate risk, consider the source of everything new you bring in. If you’re buying an entire Dubia colony from someone, ask them what their experience was in raising the roaches and why they’re getting rid of them. Also inspect them, and set up the colony with a new bin and new substrate. There’s probably nothing inherently risky about a “used” Dubia colony, but see how you feel after getting answers to the basic questions, and make sure they look healthy. You could also quarantine them for a while and see how that goes.
Georgi says
What can I do to the container to keep the roaches from climbing up onto the lid? The egg cartons don’t go to the top.
DRD says
The best way to prevent Dubia roaches from climbing their enclosure walls is to house them in tubs made of smooth material like plastic or glass. It has to be very smooth. Glass will work. Many plastics will too, but some won’t. Dubia can climb even slightly textured material, like you find with some plastics. A good rule of thumb is if the plastic is so smooth it’s shiny, chances are good the roaches can’t climb it.
Short of buying a new bin, you may be able to prevent them from reaching the top by lining the walls with a roach barrier product or petroleum jelly. However, this tends to be messy and dirty, and probably isn’t the best long-term solution.
Samuel C. says
What’s wrong with this male dubia I have. It’s wings have yellow bubbles on them.
DRD says
We have never seen yellow bubbles on Dubia wings before and could only guess what that might be.
Launa G. says
The screen on my roach colony broke and it’s been infiltrated by German/American roaches. Can they crossbreed? Should I get rid of the whole thing or can I separate them and start my colony over again with a few of the Dubias?
DRD says
The odds are that they probably cannot crossbreed. However, some cockroach species that are closely related can. If you’re unable to find information on the interbreeding potential of these specific species, it might be a good idea to remove all the Dubia females, set them aside on their own for several months, then reintroduce your Dubia males. You can collect any offspring produced during this time and see if they’re fully Dubia, or a mix.
Sara says
Are Dubia legal to have in japan?
DRD says
We don’t ship outside the US, so we’re not really familiar with regulation in other countries unless we happen to hear something by chance. And we haven’t heard anything about Dubia roach regulation one way or the other in Japan.
Denny says
Is it best to remove dead dubias and dirt (from dead roaches) from the environment or just leave it as is?
DRD says
That dirt is called frass, and you can leave some. It may even be beneficial. It becomes a problem when it gets so deep that it interferes with you or your roaches, and when it begins collecting moisture. This could be a very big problem, so it’s a good idea to reduce or remove the frass long before it gets to that point.
person_975 says
How do I stop my dubia roaches from climbing out of their container?
DRD says
You need a container with walls Dubia roaches can’t climb. You may also need a lid. You can read more about housing issues and more in our article about breeding Dubia roaches.
Adam B. says
If they get loose in my tank with bio active substrate, will they burrow into the dirt and grow?
DRD says
Based on your description, there’s nothing to indicate that they wouldn’t grow. However, use caution with substrate. Two potential problems with substrate are that they (1) may contain contaminants that might harm your roaches and they (2) may provide an environment that allows mold, bacteria, and other pathogens to grow. If you use substrate, be sure to clean the enclosure and swap in new substrate often.
cathycritters says
I bought some of your dry roach diet. Can I mix it with water to increase the roaches hydration? I am feeding them off to an adult beardie and my vet said to gut-load with a high calcium cricket food so I thought I would mix the cricket food with the dry roach food and include a few drops of water.
DRD says
Yes, you absolutely can. In fact, we recommend it without reservation in situations like yours, where the roaches are being held short-term as feeders.
Morgan says
If I have my house sprayed for cockroaches, will it hurt my dubia colony?
DRD says
Good question. If an exterminator fumigates or fogs your house, your Dubia roaches will probably not survive. If they just spray the exterior, such as around the foundation and doors, your Dubia might be OK. However, this is just a guess. For a definitive answer, ask the exterminator! They will know much more, as the answer may depend on the mode (which chemicals) and method (how they apply those chemicals) used.
Angie says
I ordered a small starter colony and it is not small! I need to get rid of some of the medium sized ones. I feel weird killing them even though they are food for my gecko. I’ve advertised on Craigslist. Any suggestions?
DRD says
Just a suggestion, but you could hold on to the larger Dubia roaches, let them transform into adults, then use their offspring as food for your geckos.
Christina B. says
Does it affect their nutritional value to freeze the roaches?
DRD says
Interesting question.
Probably, but just a little. Freezing Dubia roaches is likely much like freezing other “food” items. Frozen food does decay and lose nutrients over time, but much slower than at room temperature and slower than refrigeration. Freezing is probably the best option for keeping dead roaches “fresh”…or at least as fresh as possible.
Bryan says
How long are you guys usually out of stock of Dubias for?
DRD says
As short a time as possible. If what you want is currently out of stock, consider signing up for email notification when it’s back in stock. To do this, click “add to cart” on the product page, and if it’s out of stock you’ll see a message asking if you want to notified when it’s back in stock. Enter your email address and you’re good to go.
Sydney says
How many dubia roaches can you keep in a 20 gallon tank?
DRD says
That depends on how you set it up and what size roaches you keep. A very rough estimate would be 200 to 300 adults, assuming plenty of egg crates or other harborage that creates surface area and more places for them to hide. The more surface area you create, the more roaches you can house in a given space.
BhaktiBellaLuce says
I have a 20 gallon tank and when I upped my colony to 200 from 100, they were too crowded even with hide places and many died off. I stick to ordering 100 young adults/nymphs so I have plenty to feed off and as a bonus I get babies along the way which is growing the colony.
Justin says
Are Dubia roaches legal in Louisiana?
DRD says
As far as we know, the only two states that regulate Dubia roach importation are Florida and Hawaii.
Isabel says
I’ve heard that Dubias are illegal in Canada, is there any source directly from the Canadian government on this?
DRD says
UPDATE:
Canada does appear to allow the importation of certain tropical cockroaches both with and without a permit.
There seems to be some positive movement here, and I added your question (and answer) to our FAQ list.
Clo says
I just took a look at my colony and the adult male wings seem to have this white crust on them and they seem to look smaller i know this is not good.
Another i seen dead roaches or exos Could it be molted skin? Give me some advice so i better care my colony
DRD says
Wings may become deformed from fighting, malnutrition, low humidity, or damage during molting. Regarding a white crust, that doesn’t ring a bell at all.
Jenelle says
I got an oil diffuser and I also love eucalyptus. Without thinking about it, I’ve had eucalyptus scented stuff going on in my house for weeks, and never thought about the fact that it’s used as an insect repellent. How bad is this for my colony? They obviously can’t go anywhere, but can it make them sick/kill them, or prevent them from breeding?
DRD says
Eucalyptus is pretty powerful and might affect Dubia roaches, but to be meaningful, you’d probably have to spray eucalyptus extract or oil directly on the roaches. It seems unlikely that just the aroma would be enough to slow reproduction or harm them in any other way.
Some insects live in and around eucalyptus trees. Some even live in their bark, so it’s not universally repelling. Keep an eye on the situation because anything is possible, but don’t worry unless you see signs of trouble in the colony.
Angelia K. says
Can you tell the age of Dubai roaches with color or by how they look? If so, can you elaborate? Have a lot of males and was hoping to feed my lizards just the older ones. Thanks in Advance!
DRD says
The answer is probably “sometimes.” It’s not always obvious, but the following may help you do better than choosing randomly.
Both male and female Dubia roaches are smaller when young, growing larger with age. Males tend to accumulate wing damage over time, either by fighting or general wear and tear — although young males can have wing damage too.
Regarding color, the answer is probably no. Dubia roaches tend to be more black or black and off-white or yellow when young, developing orange or rust-colored accents as they age. However, this isn’t always the case. There are young Dubia with orange accents and black or nearly black adults. Color might only be useful for estimating age in combination with the other factors above.
So to answer your question, you would probably feed off older roaches if you chose the larger, slower, more orange males with tattered wings.
Sandra says
When I first started breeding Dubai’s I came across someone selling a white powder that was suppose increase productivity.
I believe it did help but I don’t know who I got it from or what it was. Do you know anything about it?
DRD says
We haven’t heard of any white powder that increases (or is alleged to increase) Dubia roach fertility. The only white powder we know of is supplemental calcium, but this is for dusting or gut-loading insects before feeding them off. It wouldn’t affect Dubia productivity.
Tina says
I’ve noticed that my baby roaches shell is pinkish red. Is this harmful?
DRD says
Dubia roaches are typically tan to brown. They turn white when they molt. Pink or red would indeed be a very unusual color for a nymph. Adult Dubia do have orange spots (as they are also known as the “orange spotted cockroach”), but nymph color does not tend to vary from the usual tan-brown.
Regarding whether or not the color change signals something harmful: There are no common (or uncommon) roach diseases or disorders with pink or red color as a symptom.
Clay C. says
Can I feed raw potatoes to my Dubia colony? Also, lemons are citrus. Are there issues with feeding lemons? Thanks.
DRD says
Dubia roaches do very well on sweet potatoes. We haven’t tried feeding them regular white potatoes, but if they eat them then they’re probably OK. Same with lemons. The only issue with lemon is that it could cause stomach upset in animals that eat a roach gutloaded with it.
Chris says
Is starting a colony for feeders worth the time, trouble, and money to feed only 1 bearded dragon? Also if the answer is yes and I wanted to to start a colony with only one male and one female should I plan on not feeding from the colony for many many months? I would have a mixture of roaches of various sizes with the two that are ready for breeding.
DRD says
Here are some potential issues: (1) Starting a Dubia colony involves up-front costs and ongoing costs in terms of money, time, and effort. (2) After the colony gets going, at some point it will provide more Dubia feeders than a single bearded dragon can eat.
Whether or not it’s worth it is up to you to decide, but for just one animal, we lean toward the answer being no.
Regarding time, it will take months to get from one male and one female to feeder sustainability.
Jaime K. says
what are some colors they can range from?
DRD says
Excellent question. We added the answer to our FAQ list.
Cynthia says
Are dubia roaches legal to own in Washington State?
DRD says
As far as we know, Dubia roaches are legal in every state except Hawaii and Florida. Washington state would not be in danger of Dubia roach infestation because its climate wouldn’t allow it, so there’s no reason to ban them. You can always check with the WA state Department of Agriculture for a definitive answer.
Nancy says
Excellent information, thank you! I have one question relating to your answer to “Is there anything I shouldn’t feed Dubia roaches?”
I recently read an article by Allen Repashy detailing some research he and others have done on the effect of too much protein in the diet of Dubia roaches, such as when they are fed dog or cat food. His research indicates that a high protein diet can lead to the build up of uric acid in the bodies of roaches, which in turn can lead to gout in reptiles they are fed to. What is your opinion on this?
DRD says
We haven’t seen or heard of gout in reptiles from feeding Dubia roaches that were themselves fed a high protein diet.
Roaches evolved protein sparing mechanisms in response to a natural diet that was often low in protein. As a result, they don’t need much to survive. In fact, if you feed roaches too much protein, you can kill them. For reference, something like dog food is probably fine while cat food, which is very high in protein, may be pushing the limits.
While the gout in reptiles hypothesis is interesting, we haven’t heard of this actually occurring in people’s animals. We always recommend feeding Dubia roaches a balanced diet because they are already a high protein insect. There’s really no need to fill them up with even more. And as the article you mention suggests, there are possible risks.
For those interested, you can read more in our article about Dubia roaches and excess dietary protein.
Tim S. says
Will adult dubia roaches attack and kill the smaller ones? Can I keep big full size roaches and very small roaches together?
DRD says
Adult and juvenile Dubia roaches can be kept together in most circumstances. The one exception is in the case of starvation. As long as the roaches are fed regularly, they will remain social and won’t bother each other. However, if they are not fed and begin to starve, larger roaches will prey on the smaller ones.