Dubia Roach Care

Dubia roaches are the most sought-after feeder insect for reptiles because they are nutritious, come in various sizes, fit reptiles at all stages of life, and are easy to care for. Here, we’ve compiled tips and methods for raising and keeping dubias that work for us. 

Basic information

Dubia roaches are native to South America in tropical climates and have become very popular as feeders in the world of reptiles because of their excellent nutritional value, which includes high protein, low fat, and essential nutrients to the animals. They are easy to feed, cannot fly, and easy to store, as they cannot climb smooth, vertical surfaces, making them popular as a breeder option. With a simple setup and basic care, you can have your own dubia breeder colony in the convenience of your home, supplying you with constant feeders with minimal labor. **Please note that dubia roaches are a common allergen and can cause itchiness when exposed to bare skin and potential asthmatic symptoms when breathing in the dust and frass from their colony over extended periods of time. When handling dubia roaches and cleaning, always use gloves and a facial covering to minimize exposure to the allergens produced by dubia roaches. Keep the enclosure away from daily activity so that you are not facing exposure as often.

Reproduction

First, let's understand the life cycle of the dubia roach. Dubia roaches live for about 2 years, with females generally outliving males. Depending on the conditions, Dubias reach adulthood in approximately 5-6 months and begin breeding almost immediately. They give birth to live young in about 2 months or when ready in an egg capsule containing around 20-30 nymphs (baby roaches) and repeat this every couple of months. Nymphs reach adulthood in about 5 months, so most of a dubia’s life is spent reproducing. It is essential to ensure that your colony has more females than males, as over-saturation of males can result in less production. We recommend maintaining a 1:2 ratio when making a breeder colony, for example, 5 males for 10 females, 10 males for 20 females, 20 males for 40 females, and so on. 

Enclosures

A smooth container is recommended for storing dubia roaches, as this will prevent them from climbing up the sides. Depending on the colony's size, keeping them in a 10 to 30-gallon smooth-sided plastic container is recommended. A 30-gallon container can hold several thousand roaches of various sizes, allowing ample room for breeding. We also recommend using an opaque container to prevent light from entering through the sides of the bin, as this will help with temperature control and activity. Inside the container, we recommend using egg flats vertically or cardboard stacked upright for the roaches to climb and the frass (waste) to fall down to the bottom, making cleaning easier. When using eggflats, alternate them front to back so there is space between the eggflats, allowing more ventilation throughout the enclosure. If you are worried about other insects getting inside, you can use a mesh or screen covering, as this will protect the colony while allowing ample ventilation without causing overheating. Be careful where you store the colony; you do not want moisture getting in and causing mold.

Heating

Heating is crucial for dubias as the enclosure's temperature can affect growth, breeding, and activity. We recommend keeping the enclosures between 80F-90F for better breeding success. If you want to slow the breeding process and keep roaches longer at their current size, you can keep them between 70F-80F. These temperatures can be maintained in multiple ways. Any room in your house that regularly stays in that temperature would be a good place to store. Otherwise, you can use products such as heat mats or infrared bulbs to keep your colony at an optimal temperature.  They can survive temporarily at lower temperatures, but there is the risk of stressing the roaches, which may cause death. 

Substrate

We do not use any substrate in our enclosures as the dubia roaches do not need it. Over time, a fine layer builds on the bottom. This is called frass, which is the waste of dubia roaches. We recommend maintaining this around a thin layer for the nymphs (small roaches) to thrive and prevent too much buildup. A thin layer of frass makes removing dead roaches and old food from the enclosure easier, as leaving those in will cause mold and possibly attract other insects, such as gnats and flies.  Frass can be disposed of safely in the trash. We also recommend that you ensure that any frass left in the bin stays dry, as wet frass can cause mold. Another thing to consider is adding a small colony of buffalo beetles to your enclosure; they will eat up the dead roaches, leaving only a shell behind, which can help prevent mold and attract other insects. This is not essential to your dubia roach colony but is highly recommended based on our experience. 

Lighting

Dubia roaches thrive best in the dark, so minimal or no light is recommended.  Alternatively, you may store them in a dark room with the optimal settings. They do not like the light and will hide further in the egg flats or cardboard within the enclosures, which may cause pileup, stress, and possible death.

Humidity 

Humidity is very important for dubias to thrive and reproduce efficiently. The best humidity range of dubias is around 50%-60% to allow for optimal breeding activity. For storing sizes used as feeders, you can go lower to around 45%-50%. Optimal humidity also aids in molting for dubias. If the dubias are having trouble molting, consider moving the enclosure to a more humid area or giving them a very light misting. Allow to dry thoroughly to ensure the frass on the bottom stays dry. Too much humidity can cause mold growth in the frass and exhibit an ammonia smell, so we recommend not going over 70% humidity. 

Water

Although dubia roaches can go a period of time without water, it is not particularly healthy. Hence, we recommend having something with moisture available in the enclosure at all times if not regularly feeding. Regarding water, dubia roaches are notorious for drowning in even the shallowest bins of water, so using water in a bowl is not advisable. Instead, most people, including ourselves, use water crystals. Water crystals are small plastic polymers that expand into a somewhat solid state of water. Simply hydrate the crystals, and they will become solid enough to be placed in a shallow bowl. The bowl must be placed on a flat part of the enclosure to prevent the dubias from knocking it over and causing a mess. Replace the water crystals every few days to ensure a clean source of hydration. Other methods that have worked for others are moist cloths, paper towels, and sponges. Be careful not to over-hydrate the other items to prevent excessive moisture and mold. 

Food

Various foods can be used to feed your roaches; they are not picky at all. We recommend mixing fresh produce and dry food for a breeder colony. Foods containing moisture can also help with the hydration aspect of breeder colonies. We’ve also found that dubias enjoy foods with higher sugar content, so fruits are a good supplemental food to throw in now and again. A good choice of fruits includes anything tropical, such as mangos and papayas, apples, bananas, pears, and oranges. Sweet potatoes are also a good produce choice for their high sugar content. Vegetables, like carrots and leafy greens, are also acceptable and help supplement a healthy gut, excluding iceberg and romaine because of their lower nutritional value. You should only feed fruits and vegetables moderately, such as one item at a time until it is devoured, and pick out any old, dry, moldy pieces of food to keep the enclosure clean. In addition to fresh produce, we recommend a dry food option to supplement the diet better for breeders. We mix and use our own custom roach chow blend containing high-quality plant-based ingredients. Otherwise, alternative options include wheat, bread, and cereals. We do not recommend feeding anything high in protein as dubia roaches already contain a high amount of protein. Overconsumption and storage of protein in the dubia can cause them to lose their nutritional value, which may cause health problems in themselves and the animals you feed them to.