Problem with Dubia Roaches?

CamrynTheCham22

CamrynTheCham22

Avid Member
Hello, I have about 145 roaches in a kricket keeper. I do not plan on creating a large colony until my female chameleon lays her eggs. I just bought more roaches, small, and they have a smell. I can only smell it when I stick my nose into their container, but it is definitely present. I have had about 6 of the roaches for a few months. I have one sexually mature male, and the other adults I do not know their sexes because they are not fully grown yet. I think the majority of them are female, but I can' know yet. They are all in the same container. I know that a smell means something is wrong, and it just recently started smelling. I cleaned the container thoroughly, but the smell stayed. Should I separate the larger dubia roaches from the small ones? Or just separate the male . . ? If anyone knows anything about this, please help. Also, for the time being, should I stop feeding them to my female veiled chameleon? The roaches do not appear o be diseased or dying quickly, and my chameleon is healthy and fine.
 
One of those small plastic containers with the 2 tubes? WAYYYYYY too small IMO.
I keep a colony of dubia (and another of orange heads) in I believe 90 quart latched lid containers with very high walls, at Walmart it was under $10. No sense crowding them unless you have space issues.
Larger containers also allow for the use of egg carton or even better I use the 4 cup coffee cup holders from convenience stores which have holes for the to move through. The cardboard gives them some vertical space and also can be discarded when they get dirty. Also provides some insulation and helps keep humidity constant and absorbs water.
 
I would say upgrade to a sterilite/ Tupperware tub. Use clear packing tape and make two rows of tape at the top so they can't climb out. First row right along the rim and then the other an inch or so below that. As mentioned, stick some egg crate or the coffee cup holders in for them to crawl on :).
 
My dubia colony doesn't smell and I have thousands, but they will smell when you bother them. I think it must be a defensive secretion.
If it smells like death, then something is wrong and they are dying.
I use a 10 gallon fish tank with a screen lid.
 
They are not dying, but I think it is just because they are under stress. It smells sharp, like excrement almost. I will upgrade their housing as soon as possible. Thanks for all of the input
 
The Sterilite with the high walls comes with a lid that snaps closed- I've never seen any able to climb even 6 inches and it's a full 2 feet or so to the top so no worries about escapees (though I always keep it snapped closed). There are 4 tiny holes which seems sufficient for gas exchange, though humidity builds up.
 
Tape it :)! My tub takes up the back seat of my Dakota. With high humidity in the tub they can and do climb my walls lol. I actually made my screen hole bigger to help reduce my humidity inside my box. Now they only climb when I open the lid to get some out with no moisture on the walls.

20171107_193417.jpg
 
Mine tolerate high humidity but it is probably not ideal. Mine have been kept in a cold room- 64 or so- but have a heating pad underneath them which raises the temps inside to probably mid 70's. They definitely have bred but have slowed down a lot since the summer. I assume the young ones were fertilized in Aug-Sept. when the temps in that room were high 70's or low 80's.
On a side note I go crazy with gut loading offering a bazillion things to them built on a foundation of Repashy Hyrdoload and a touch of Repashy tortoise food but also have generous amounts of Repashy Superpig (pigments), some of the liquid is coconut water instead of plain water, I use a wide variety of fresh veggies/fruit (mostly leftovers getting old in the fridge but not anything we have tainted with human saliva), Repashy Bugburger, and Josh's frogs roach food and for the orange heads I give them a dash of Mazuri gutload which is super high in animal proteins (fish, blood, etc.). Andee warned me about the protein so I cut way back on it, they get maybe 1/2 teaspoon for 500-750 individuals.
 
Oh I see. They have gotten loose in my cham's cage and they climb the screen walls. I am going to the store today so I might pick up one of those tubs. Hopefully they feel a bit better and don't smell anymore. I will try that gutloading technique because right now I give them the calcium gel and fresh foods such as lettuce, carrots, apples, strawberries, etc.
 
I had checked that out before. Then the warning about the allergy kind of worried me. . . But I will be sure to look at those videos. Thanks!:)
 
I can understand that. It was more in reference to the temp question. I believe they say 90 deg for best breeding if I remember correctly :).
 
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