I continue to see Dubia Roaches dying in my colony.

happiness

happiness

New Member
Today I watched a roach on its back, squirming around.. I tried to flip it over but it kicked itself back on its back. I checked on it about 6 hours later and it wasn't moving at all. Another one was like this too so I threw it in my tarantula tank.. hoping it would move enough to get eaten but it didn't move and now its dead as well. There is ANOTHER one that has been in the same place for a while.. I was hoping it wasn't dead. I looked at it closely and could see where it was trying to molt but I guess it didn't.. this one was dead as well.

How can I prevent this and have it so all my roaches molt without dying? :(
 
I have no idea what the humidity is. :x I just have them in a 18 gallon container, stacked with egg crates and the lid has a screen in it. They get fruits, vegs, roach chow, water crystals and Flukers Calcium quencher (<-- hope this is okay!)
 
Are they kept warm? They like temps in to 90's-100 especially if you want them to breed. I use flex watt heat tape and have it under the bin.
 
what is in the roach chow? is it grain based? is it high protein?
why the quencher? they should get all the moisture they need from the veg and fruit?
how often do you clean out the bin? are the egg crates damp?
are there mites?
how old are they?
what are the temps?
 
pigglett79 said:
Are they kept warm? They like temps in to 90's-100 especially if you want them to breed. I use flex watt heat tape and have it under the bin.
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I have a heating pad that is under 30% of the tub. Is this not enough? I can place the heating pad all the way under the tub but I figured the crickets would like some warmth too. The crickets seem to huddle right where the heating pad hits their own tub. :D

Roach chow is 24% Protein, "natural blend", not sure what it is made out of but it was from midwestdubia. :cool:

I have the quencher there just in case they need it. I put some orange slices in their cage tonight.

I haven't cleaned out the bin since I got them (about 3 weeks now? maybe?) .. I read somewhere that they like the frass that they make and it is bad to clean the cage often? (is this correct?)

Egg crates are dry.

I don't think there are mites. o_o

I have about 50 small size left, maybe less.. since I've been feeding them to my chameleon and 50ish mostly almost adult size. I have a few that are adult size, maybe 2 males and several females.

What would I use for temps? Should I buy another Zoomed temp/humidity gauge?
 
I dont use a temperature gauge or a humidity gauge for them. I do have a heat gun that I used to make sure the heat tape was an OK temp and that is it. I feed them fruits and veggies along with A LOT of my home made dry gut load. they go more crazy for the dry mix than the fruits and veggies. If you are seeing adults dying that may be normal. I get some adults dying periodically, and that could be just due to age. I clean out the bin about once a month or so ish, depending on how much free time I have, it can be bi monthly. I only heat about half the bin, I keep the food at the front where the heat is not. They breed like crazy. In fact if you need more adults, just let me know and you pay shipping, and you get them.
 
pigglett79 said:
I dont use a temperature gauge or a humidity gauge for them. I do have a heat gun that I used to make sure the heat tape was an OK temp and that is it. I feed them fruits and veggies along with A LOT of my home made dry gut load. they go more crazy for the dry mix than the fruits and veggies. If you are seeing adults dying that may be normal. I get some adults dying periodically, and that could be just due to age. I clean out the bin about once a month or so ish, depending on how much free time I have, it can be bi monthly. I only heat about half the bin, I keep the food at the front where the heat is not. They breed like crazy. In fact if you need more adults, just let me know and you pay shipping, and you get them.
Click to expand...

Wow thanks! That is so nice of you! :)
I was thinking that I only had 50 some near adult dubias and if they all died.. well I wouldn't have a colony. Now I won't be so worried about it :D

The one that died today and the one I threw into my tarantula tank weren't adults yet, they were big but not adults. Should I spray inside the bin daily for moisture? I need to invest in a temp gun.
 
happiness said:
Wow thanks! That is so nice of you! :)
I was thinking that I only had 50 some near adult dubias and if they all died.. well I wouldn't have a colony. Now I won't be so worried about it :D

The one that died today and the one I threw into my tarantula tank weren't adults yet, they were big but not adults. Should I spray inside the bin daily for moisture? I need to invest in a temp gun.
Click to expand...

I have never sprayed inside. The fruits and veggies seem to provide enough humidity. If you are using a commercial heat mat you probably dont need a temp gun. Although they are pretty cheap at home depot. You might just be seeing some natural die off and it will likely slow down. Let me know if it gets bad and I will send you more.
 
Am I the only one here that finds this hilariously ironic? People are having trouble breeding cockroaches. They are also having talking about the ideal food and enviroment conditions for cockroaches. Last time I checked cockroaches could survive a nuclear blast, live for several months with a severed head and eat anything they can digest. What happened? :p
 
Eggimations said:
Am I the only one here that finds this hilariously ironic? People are having trouble breeding cockroaches. They are also having talking about the ideal food and enviroment conditions for cockroaches. Last time I checked cockroaches could survive a nuclear blast, live for several months with a severed head and eat anything they can digest. What happened? :p
Click to expand...

These are a tropical species of cockroaches and they need heat and humidity to breed.
 
pigglett79 said:
I have never sprayed inside. The fruits and veggies seem to provide enough humidity. If you are using a commercial heat mat you probably dont need a temp gun. Although they are pretty cheap at home depot. You might just be seeing some natural die off and it will likely slow down. Let me know if it gets bad and I will send you more.
Click to expand...


Thank you!! I really appreciate this. :) I would love to repay you one day for your kind gesture.
 
happiness said:
I have a heating pad that is under 30% of the tub. Is this not enough?
Click to expand...
should be, assuming its nice and warm at the heating pad area :)

Roach chow is 24% Protein, "natural blend", not sure what it is made out of ...
Click to expand...
that's too high. and you really want to know what the ingredients are. Something high in bran, for example, can cause die-off.

I haven't cleaned out the bin since I got them (about 3 weeks now? maybe?)
Click to expand...
oh that's fine. I clean mine out every month or two :)

Egg crates are dry. I don't think there are mites.
Click to expand...
good. and good.
 
Eggimations said:
Am I the only one here that finds this hilariously ironic? People are having trouble breeding cockroaches. They are also having talking about the ideal food and enviroment conditions for cockroaches. Last time I checked cockroaches could survive a nuclear blast, live for several months with a severed head and eat anything they can digest. What happened? :p
Click to expand...


the german cockroach is hardier than a tropical dubia roach :)

interestingly, the Confused Flour Beetle (grain beetle) outlive roaches when exposed to radiation
 
I keep mine in a largeish black container I bought from the Container store. Because it lives by the patio door, a cold breeze is always blowing through the holes I drilled. So I bought them a Flex tape mat which i stuck under the top 25% of the bin. I wish I had bought a bigger one now! They love it. I put the eggcrates in that corner, and they all hang out there. The temperature at the bottom is 90 degrees. I also put some cardboard between the mat and the carpet just in case. I was very nervous about heating at first, but now I realize just how safe those things are.
No breeding yet, but I'm hoping they will in the next month or two, or I will have to order more small/ medium ones!
The tiny ones i got all huddle inside the eggcrate hollows and the adults sit on top of them. I like to think that they're keeping them warm.
 
@ Sandra
Just out of curiosity, at what point do you say you have a mite problem? I can see very fine white mites on the eggcrates in my dubia colony, but only a few, like one per egg "holster," maybe a bit more, but certainly not overrunning the colony as far as I can tell.

Thanks,
Leland
 
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