Non acting Dubia colony

[fastxturtle]

So I got about 100 mix sized Dubia colony over a week ago and they are not eating much and not active at all. I have them in a 20 gallon gray Rubbermaid tub with heating pad one end and some egg trays. All they do is hide under the egg tray day or night. I get at lease one roach dead and some of them are half eaten. I try to put variety of food in there and they barley touch it. Some are grind up dog food, vegetables, oranges and apple and water jells and they are just getting dried up in there. Is this normal?

 

[KCcham]

Ihave discoids, not dubias, but I think they are similar. My roaches dont really do too much at all. But they do eat a TON! What is the temp at both ends of the container? Do you have any water gel crystals in there for them? Is the tub out of the way and not disturbed often?

 

[dabears51]

Do you have enough egg trays so they can hide? What are your temps? I give the exact same food items as you but i don't grind up the dog food. Roaches will always hide. Its in their nature so don't worry about that.

 

[fastxturtle]

Ihave discoids, not dubias, but I think they are similar. My roaches dont really do too much at all. But they do eat a TON! What is the temp at both ends of the container? Do you have any water gel crystals in there for them? Is the tub out of the way and not disturbed often?

The temp is about 90-100f where the heating pad touches and the air inside is about 75-80. I keep them in my garage so they are not disturbed most of the time. I open the lid to give them food once a day. Yea i have Water crystals and it just dries up. I was thinking that my colony is too small for the tub so I just got about 120 mixed adults so I'm gonna put them in and see how things go.

 

[pssh]

Try putting a fruit paste in a cap of somesort and monitor the food intake. They start eating eachother when they are too crowded, not fed enough, or don't get enough moisture.