Good Roach Box?

[The Wild One]

I’m about to receive a shipment of 200 Dubia roaches, I made this makeshift roach box of stuff I found around the house. The little yellow circle is a food dish with a sponge in the middle for water. So far I will be feeding them apples, carrots, orange cubes, and strawberries, but I need a last type of food to give them I was thinking about spinach or lettuce, or something of that area. They will come with the egg crates so I will put those in there when they arrive. Please share your thoughts!

 

[The Wild One]

I didn’t put the food in there yet bc they will be arriving next week.

 

[Ruthless]

You will need to put the box in a dark place otherwise they will not thrive. They don’t like light it’s would be better if you had a container that is dark to keep light out. You also need some type of heat source. My Dubias eat anything but they love the biodudes bug grub.
https://www.thebiodude.com/products/bug-grub-4-lb

 

[Beman]

Looks good! You want to expand much further on your gutload... Needs to be more leafy greens and less fruit.. Then you will want to rotate these week over week so your not giving the same thing. Since the point of gutloading is transferring those nutrients from the gutload to the insect and then to the cham.

Use this..

 

[The Wild One]

Will do thanks for the help!

 

[JacksJill]

You said "orange cubes" you don't mean the commercial ones do you? Those are a waste money just use foods from the list better and cheaper.

 

[The Wild One]

No i meant orange slices i have no idea what spell check was thinking.

 

[cyberlocc]

You will need to put the box in a dark place otherwise they will not thrive. They don’t like light it’s would be better if you had a container that is dark to keep light out. You also need some type of heat source. My Dubias eat anything but they love the biodudes bug grub.
https://www.thebiodude.com/products/bug-grub-4-lb

Ya I really don't think that is true. I know it's commonly touted as fact, but I feel there is not as much truth as touted.

I don't keep dubias, and only did for a short time and never tested with them. However my Hissers and OHs, have spots to hide from the light, and have lights.

They frequently come out in the light, sometimes just seem to bask in it. Not all of them at once, but there is usually a few out and about at all times.

They are nocturnal, and that's where the "Darkness" thing comes from. The same is often said about geckos and snakes. However there is benefits to realistic cycles to the animals.

It's just a throw in with egg crates and frass only substrate. Do you really think roaches won't thrive with substrate dont thrive as much? They do, it's what they experience in the wild. No substrate is not better for the Roaches, it's easy for the keeper.

 

[Zevil]

Dubia DO need a dark area to thrive and breed. In the wild they are always hiding under the leaf litter. When I first keep dubia, I had them in a clear plastic fish tank and they are always in between the egg crates and wouldn't come out. At night when I had my room lights on, they are still hiding and not out and about eating food. They are simply not breeding that much.

A few months later, I rehouse them in an opaque tub and place under a desk which is in permanent darkness. They become really active, when I check up on them, they are always visible running about the egg crates, mating and eating.

 

[cyberlocc]

Dubia DO need a dark area to thrive and breed. In the wild they are always hiding under the leaf litter. When I first keep dubia, I had them in a clear plastic fish tank and they are always in between the egg crates and wouldn't come out. At night when I had my room lights on, they are still hiding and not out and about eating food. They are simply not breeding that much.

A few months later, I rehouse them in an opaque tub and place under a desk which is in permanent darkness. They become really active, when I check up on them, they are always visible running about the egg crates, mating and eating.

They mate inside of the egg crates, Dark or light doesn't matter they will mostly remain in the egg crates. Also as stated the Darkness doesn't stop them from coming out, they can be spotted in the wild, rare but they do come out.

Like I said IDK I don't keep dubias, but just now when feeding and misting my Hissers, there was 8 sitting out in the light, chilling.

They experience night and day in the wild, whether they choose to hide from it is besides the point, you are removing a choice.

We also have to define thriving here. What is thriving? Is it being of upmost health? Or breeding quickly?

Just as lots of breeders feed Dubias dog food. It's terrible for them, it makes them breed fast sure, however it is not healthy for them, or the Chams we feed them to.

Another good example is dogs, making a dog constantly pump out litters is productive of many dogs, however it's horrible on the dog, it isn't healthy and it isn't natural.

Dubias are not Cave Roaches. They experience day and night in the wild, and that should be provided in captivity, preferably with live plants and substrate. Just because something is nocturnal doesn't mean it should be in Darkness 24/7.

 

[Zevil]

They mate inside of the egg crates, Dark or light doesn't matter they will mostly remain in the egg crates. Also as stated the Darkness doesn't stop them from coming out, they can be spotted in the wild, rare but they do come out.

Like I said IDK I don't keep dubias, but just now when feeding and misting my Hissers, there was 8 sitting out in the light, chilling.

They experience night and day in the wild, whether they choose to hide from it is besides the point, you are removing a choice.

We also have to define thriving here. What is thriving? Is it being of upmost health? Or breeding quickly?

Just as lots of breeders feed Dubias dog food. It's terrible for them, it makes them breed fast sure, however it is not healthy for them, or the Chams we feed them to.

Another good example is dogs, making a dog constantly pump out litters is productive of many dogs, however it's horrible on the dog, it isn't healthy and it isn't natural.

Dubias are not Cave Roaches. They experience day and night in the wild, and that should be provided in captivity, preferably with live plants and substrate. Just because something is nocturnal doesn't mean it should be in Darkness 24/7.

I do actually keep them for more than a year. Hissers are different from dubia. I'm saying this from experience and firsthand observation, not from making speculations and assumptions.

 

[cyberlocc]

I do actually keep them for more than a year. Hissers are different from dubia. I'm saying this from experience and firsthand observation, not from making speculations and assumptions.

You are making speculations. Did you have 2 Dubia cultures one in light and one in not? And seen how they breed faster? Did you do a necropsy to see which were healthier?

You don't observe the Dubia out in the day, because they are nocturnal. That does not mean starving them from light is better for them. That's not in anyway a scientific statement.

People say the say thing about the Cresties they starve of light, till they get MBD. I had seen a few people referencing a study, in my search of Dubia specific info, stating they breed better when given proper cycles. However the study was not linked.

Then again there is no studies to either way, I have located yet. Stating a nocturnal animals seems more active in Darkness, does not mean they should be voided of light cycles.

Chameleons are active during the day, should I turn the light on 24/7? The Cham will be more active at night if I do. You do realize that is what you are suggesting with the Dubias right?

Chamelons sleep at night, when the lights are out. Dubia sleep during the day, when the lights are on. Nothing more.

Snail's are another good example, Tree snail's are nocturnal. They sleep all day, if you turn the lights out they will become active. So keep them in Darkness right? Except do that for a month and they will die from lack of UVB.

 

[Zevil]

Chameleon =/= Dubia. I am not going to argue with someone with only theoretical knowledge and no practical knowledge. =)

 

[cyberlocc]

Chameleon =/= Dubia. I am not going to argue with someone with only theoretical knowledge and no practical knowledge. =)

Hmm funny I was thinking the same thing.

No not Chameleon =/= Dubia. You have provided zero study, or scientific reasoning for 24/7 darkness, at all.

You think they seem more active, is irrelevant. Especially when there is a logic common sense explanation for that very feat. So because you think they seem more active, that means they breed better, or are healthier?

Your argument has absolutely zero standing at all, outside of opinion. You have the exact same value to your theory as mine, as someone who has not tested this at all.

Sorry, breeding dubias in Darkness and "They seem more Active" was not, and is not what I ever refuted. And your experience, whilst not being a controlled test, or reflecting any of my statements at all, as to health and breeding, is irrelevant.

If B. Dubia wanted or was biologically built to live in 24/7 darkness, they would be cave roaches. They are not, therefore they are not benefiting from. 24/7 darkness, anymore than a Chameleon would benefit from 24/7 light.

In what world do you think you know what's better for them than they do? Because you see them being active in the dark.....

Now if you have a study, I would love to see it. Even one your own. However what you have presented is not a study, and is litteraly meaningless. I am curious to find a study myself, especially as stated, the references I have seen to a study, state that Dubia breed better with proper day and night cycle.

Next would you care to tell me how cardboard Eggcrates, Dogfood, and no substrate is better as well? Even when all 3 are proven to cause death in colonies, sometimes in large scales of all roaches?

 

[GoodKarma19]

No need to get tetchy, gentlemen! It's interesting stuff, though purely theoretical (or at least anecdotal!) on both sides. I'd be very interested in a range of controlled tests comparing different dubia keeping methods (I.e. simulated light cycle/darkness, substrate/no substrate, sterile/bioactive, clear tub/obaque tub, and so on in any combination thereof), if either of you have studies to link to! If not, I wonder if we could arrange an amateur range of tests? @jamest0o0, you're a roach guy. Thoughts?

 

[jagmom98]

I am not an expert on dubias… I have had some for over two years now,(my veiled has probably eaten TWO !) I put them on a heating pad. But only when the veiled lights are on. So they don't have constant heat,but they are doing well. I haven't seen much about the heat aspect. Just wanted to share. Julie