Dubia Roach Stench

bug.eva

New Member
Recently I picked up some Dubia Roaches, and found out they were actually infested with carpet beetles, maggots and also gnats. I've tried to clean them, I sifted through them, cleaned their bucket, and also replaced their egg crates. But there is this awful smell coming from them. There seems to be a lot dying off, but I thought maybe that was because Ive stressed them out? So I've been taking out the dead bodies but there is still a smell. Does anyone know what the smell could be coming from? Or what i can do to get rid of it.
 
The 'carpet' beetles I'm assuming are probably lesser darkling beetles, which people use as CuC for roaches sometimes. The flies/maggots are probably phorid flies attracted to the dying/dead roaches. Common occurrence when you get a large die off as they love rotting insects/meat. Try to figure out why the roaches are dying and keep removing the dead as fast as possible and that should solve the phorids(which can also bring on a smell if there's a lot).

Not saying this for certain, but seems like the most likely case.
 
Recently I picked up some Dubia Roaches, and found out they were actually infested with carpet beetles, maggots and also gnats. I've tried to clean them, I sifted through them, cleaned their bucket, and also replaced their egg crates. But there is this awful smell coming from them. There seems to be a lot dying off, but I thought maybe that was because Ive stressed them out? So I've been taking out the dead bodies but there is still a smell. Does anyone know what the smell could be coming from? Or what i can do to get rid of it.
Stressing out roaches? o_O IDK.

How humid is the colony? I had an infestation of phorid flies (don't recall any smell, but there may have been 🤷‍♂️ ), and narrowed it down to too much moisture. Drying things out got rid of the phorids, and I've had no problems since.

Cinnamon mixed into the top soil of potted plants gets rid of soil/fungus gnats, but IDK what it might do to dubias or to reptiles that consumed dubias that consumed cinnamon. The archives weren't terribly helpful in this regard.
 
Stressing out roaches? o_O IDK.

How humid is the colony? I had an infestation of phorid flies (don't recall any smell, but there may have been 🤷‍♂️ ), and narrowed it down to too much moisture. Drying things out got rid of the phorids, and I've had no problems since.

Cinnamon mixed into the top soil of potted plants gets rid of soil/fungus gnats, but IDK what it might do to dubias or to reptiles that consumed dubias that consumed cinnamon. The archives weren't terribly helpful in this regard.
Cinnamon in large amounts, cassia cinnamon in particular, can cause liver problems. Seems to be a deterrent for many insects, don't know if it'd be a good idea or not. May be harmless in very small amounts.

Agreed with letting things dry out more, and feed less for a while. Phorids are annoying, but harmless.
 
Dead adults stink to high heaven if the cleaner crew doesnt work fast enough. I can smell em after a day or 2. My only advice is to "turn the soil" to keep it dry, and if its a small colony look for dead ones.
 
The 'carpet' beetles I'm assuming are probably lesser darkling beetles, which people use as CuC for roaches sometimes. The flies/maggots are probably phorid flies attracted to the dying/dead roaches. Common occurrence when you get a large die off as they love rotting insects/meat. Try to figure out why the roaches are dying and keep removing the dead as fast as possible and that should solve the phorids(which can also bring on a smell if there's a lot).

Not saying this for certain, but seems like the most likely case.
 
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Dead adults stink to high heaven if the cleaner crew doesnt work fast enough. I can smell em after a day or 2. My only advice is to "turn the soil" to keep it dry, and if its a small colony look for dead ones.
Yes, I was looking into a cleaner crew but for as of now I do not have one. I just pick out the dead bodies as I see them.
 
Stressing out roaches? o_O IDK.

How humid is the colony? I had an infestation of phorid flies (don't recall any smell, but there may have been 🤷‍♂️ ), and narrowed it down to too much moisture. Drying things out got rid of the phorids, and I've had no problems since.

Cinnamon mixed into the top soil of potted plants gets rid of soil/fungus gnats, but IDK what it might do to dubias or to reptiles that consumed dubias that consumed cinnamon. The archives weren't terribly helpful in this regard.
The colony has not been too humid recently since I have been trying to clean it out. I believe it was the moisture that was making the situation worse.
 
The 'carpet' beetles I'm assuming are probably lesser darkling beetles, which people use as CuC for roaches sometimes. The flies/maggots are probably phorid flies attracted to the dying/dead roaches. Common occurrence when you get a large die off as they love rotting insects/meat. Try to figure out why the roaches are dying and keep removing the dead as fast as possible and that should solve the phorids(which can also bring on a smell if there's a lot).

Not saying this for certain, but seems like the most likely case.
It's not a lesser darkling beetle im sure of that. Thank you for the information about the phorid flies, I did not even think of that!
 
my dubia roaches don't smell.... I have a lid on huge contaier with some holes...I have at least 500
Hey! I just added 500 to my not-so-huge container with screened vents in the top. Was down to a meal's worth for each lizard (2). They smell like... dubias, which you can't really smell unless you take the lid off and stick your face in it.
 
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