For those that are familiar with dubias

[GeuysMaum]

I have a question about dubias. When I first ordered them, I was fortunate to get all females. I had ordered 20 to see how things worked out. Now, this order is mixed and I'm getting 100.. I am going to breed now since it was a success. I live in the New Orleans area.. and we have cockroaches. The male dubias look so similiar to our cockroaches down here and it is scary to me, lol. I read online a thousand times that they are flightless. I just wanted to hear from those of you that have dealt with them.. are they really flightless? I want to make sure I can let my guard down with these guys.

 

[Sancho]

I have a question about dubias. When I first ordered them, I was fortunate to get all females. I had ordered 20 to see how things worked out. Now, this order is mixed and I'm getting 100.. I am going to breed now since it was a success. I live in the New Orleans area.. and we have cockroaches. The male dubias look so similiar to our cockroaches down here and it is scary to me, lol. I read online a thousand times that they are flightless. I just wanted to hear from those of you that have dealt with them.. are they really flightless? I want to make sure I can let my guard down with these guys.

I haven't seen any flying and I have roughly 20 adult males. But then again I keep a metal screen top on my dubia's just in case

 

[dodolah]

they are not avid fliers. But, they do fly once in a while.
2 years of keeping them, I have yet seen them fly even once.
But, i usually keep my guard to avoid any escapee.

 

[Sancho]

they are not avid fliers. But, they do fly once in a while.
2 years of keeping them, I have yet seen them fly even once.
But, i usually keep my guard to avoid any escapee.

LOL I was just reading your thread from 07 when you were going to buy dubia's for the first time LOL very funny

 

[dc2ap2]

i have them and the dont really fly its more like the use the wings when falling so the fall is not so bad. i have had a few that have sent me in to a panic when they jumped of my hand and floated away but i have never seen them really fly in a sense

 

[yoza717]

In the 6 month that I had mine, I only had one that tried to fly and that was because it was falling. And even from a the height of 4 ft, he didn't make it too far. In fact one of my chameleons got better distance jumping off my hand when it was young....LOL
But your mileage may vary....I keep mine fat and lazy so I haven't had any escapees yet.

 

[millionsofchameleons]

keep your roach home covered. i had mine in a large bin uncovered and it was large enough they couldnt jump out, but.... i ended up finding a few males wondering around the house. never had another problem since i covered it. and of couse males wont multiply on thier own anyhow.

 

[dodolah]

Here is one interesting video I found..

 

[xanthoman]

the males can flutter about 6-8" but rarely do , i keep mine in the bathroom ,so if there is an escape there is a chance of spotting it if you come across it soon enough, also i put the roach tub in the bathtub (while collecting feeders), so if any escape while collecting feeders, they are contained, thats also a good way to test your container ,they cant get out of a sealed bathtub, so try leaving your container in the (dry) bathtub overnight, with or without the lid , if any have escaped they will be in the tub in the morning, and you know container modification is called for, if not, your good to go , but if you are going to breed you will want to use heat (small under tank heater) and when you use heat they get faster and jump better , so if you use heat then do the bathtub test with heat , wow that vid is scary i have never seen them do that before , but i definitely think a lid is in order

 

[Carlton]

I have seen one male fly in the years I've bred them. There is a pattern. The males start exploring if the colony is short on food or space. My escapes don't last long up here in AK, but my birds are great at catching any they find.

 

[Carlton]

i put the roach tub in the bathtub (while collecting feeders), so if any escape while collecting feeders, they are contained, thats also a good way to test your container

I haven't tested my roach bin in the bathtub...probably because my nightcrawler bin is already in there. Nightcrawlers can and do live up to their name unless you keep a light over them. It's amazing how well they climb any surface. The first time I ordered them my lightbulb burned out in the middle of the night. I woke up to HUNDREDS of worms scattered all over the house. All I could think about while trying to catch them all was how much they cost apiece! Imagine using this as an excuse to be late for work.

 

[Eric Adrignola]

Hey Carlton, how are you?

Dubia do fly mostly when hungry. But they do fly. I've seen them appear someplace they should not be. Like in the cage with some baby veileds... huddled in the corner, trying to pretend they're not there.

 

[PantherVeileD]

funny i was in cabo couple of months ago.. I swore it was a male dubia.. Looks exactly the same.. Flew right on my shoulder as I turn around to see what hit me I saw something black and brown! So I flinged it off me and this roach was flying all over the place.. One end to the other. As he hit the wall to land it made a big smacking sound.. I have never seen a big roach flying around but I witness it.. Wish I had my video camera on me. This was the size of an adult male dubia or even a little bigger.