Dubia housing

[Chamifornia]

I ordered dubias off a member here and bought a rubermaid container. Should I put screen on the sides and top for ventilation?. I made a cricket container and cut the sides out and wasnt thinking and cut one side of it already. should I leave it with one side cut ,or cut everyside, or just the top? I need help please! thanks

 

[JohnnyD]

I just cut a large square out of the top screen it in. They breed better with higher humidity. Too much ventilation can lower your humidity level inside your container. They seem to breed better in the dark too. More screen=more light.

 

[Chamifornia]

Since I screwed up and cut one side already should I leave it and use the side as ventilateion instead of the top? Or would that have an affect on the humidity?

 

[pinocchiosmommy]

I think the hole on the side would effect the humidity less then on the top. I would just use that.

 

[suzi]

I keep two holes on each end of the sides. And put some breeding adults in a separate container for 5 days with no holes for ventilation in an incubator than take them out and put them back in the housing container. Personally I find that it smells a lot more with less ventilation. Just another alternative

 

[suzi]

Ignore that lol I thought you were talking about crickets. For my dubia I have holes on each side, and the container sitting on a heating pad and have not had any problems with them breeding

 

[JohnnyD]

Origional question was whether or not to screen in holes on the sides AND the top. One hole either way is enough. There is some info circulating that stresses ventilation but you can lose humdity if you cut away too much of your container. Same idea behind covering three sides of your cham cage to raise humidity.

 

[Chamifornia]

I know to keep them at like 90 but whats the desired humidity and if its too low what to people do to get it up?

 

[fluxlizard]

I keep mine in 50 gallon rubbermaid storage containers. I just leave the lids off and that gives plenty of ventilation, but if I had them in my house instead of my lizard building, I'd just cut the entire center part out of the lid and glue screen to it, leaving only an outer 2 or 3" ring of plastic around the screen.

For humidity, I just make sure they always have some "wet" food available along with the dry. By "wet" I just mean anything with water content like veggies, fruit, or even leftover table scraps like spaghetti noodles or melon rinds or whatever.

Studies have shown that roaches will self- regulate their humidity by clumping up in tight spots and breathing together. The moisture from the breathing does the trick.

Which is why I also tend to start roach colonies with lots of roaches- easier for them to self-regulate humidity...

 

[JohnnyD]

Water gel crystals and fresh fruit/veggies will keep the humidity up. They will survive in low humidity but will not molt or breed as well as they can if theyre kept too dry. I don't recomend spraying them ever though. Too much humidity=mold and mold can kill your colony. I dont keep a humidity guage in my bins. I have too many bins going right now and might go broke buying that many guages. Feel the egg crates. I actually use the feel of my egg crates to judge the humidity. They will become stiff and feel dry if the bin is not humid enough.

 

[JohnnyD]

I second that lots of roaches to start a colony Flux. My bins that produce the best are kept very full.

 

[Chamifornia]

Do you still have to give them water crystals if you are giving them fruit and veggies? Also how much food should I put in for 50 adults and 500 small nymphs? Sorry if thats a dumb question

 

[JohnnyD]

I use the crystals for extra humidity as well as hydration. I make a dry roach food and feed fresh fruits every couple of days. Make sure you don't leave more fruit than they can eat in a day or so. It can mold. The dry food is nice because it doesnt mold. You can put a big pile in the bin, place your water crystal container, and let them do their thing. Pull your feeders a week or so before they meet their maker and feed them only veg and fruits. This gets the high protein food out of them and out of your cham.

 

[fluxlizard]

I have never used water crystals.

I've never found them necessary for any reason and personally I don't like the idea of feeding what my lizard will eat a type of gel (some here make their own from a hardware store product), but I have no rational reason for that preference, it just doesn't feel right to me.

I just always have some food with water content as described available. Like JohnnyD I make a dry food and I always have that available as well. I only feed enough "wet" food that it is gone within 24-48 hours, and I wait until it is pretty much completely gone before feeding fresh. I agree- it will mold if it isn't eaten, and can invite a kind of nuisance mite as well. Especially with the hissers.

I breed lots of roaches and feed lots of lizards sometimes.

So, I know I can comfortably produce plenty without water crystals so I don't see the point at least in my situation. But I don't think there is anything "wrong" with water crystals either.

 

[Chamifornia]

Thanks. Does anyone have any recipes to make their own dry food for them. Would it be cheaper making dry food over buying cricket crack

 

[JohnnyD]

Cricket crack is a fantastic gutload but if you use it as an everyday roach food, you will need lots of $$$$. These bugs eat alot. Cricket Crack is an outstanding product, but for everyday use, these guys grow better with high protein food. Ground dog or cat food is often used.

 

[Leroux2008]

Not that I want to start a dubia colony by any means XD but ive heard like... concerning crickets that dog and cat food is not the best. I did read that you said give them a week to get the protein out but does dog and cat food have any other nutritional aspects besides protein?

 

[JohnnyD]

Yes it does but like crickets, a good gutload like fresh fruits, veggies, or cricket crack is the key to getting nutrients to your cham. There are other high protein sources, fish flakes, boiled egg whites, protein powders, etc, but the roaches will grow faster and start producing faster with a high protein diet. I've tried to raise them on just fruits and veggies and they took forever to become adults.

 

[Leroux2008]

Ahh okay well thats good to know. Ya I feed my crickets cricket crack and veggies.. they LOVE the cricket crack even more than fresh foods. So pretty much as long as your giving them other nutrients everything should make ends meet.

 

[Leroux2008]

Im hoping One day I can deal with these guys. One day!! Until then... Ill just read about them. XD