Dubias. New theory about breeding.

[Progrmor]

I´ve been thinking alot about my dubias lack of offspring. And I know the cause. I cant provide good heat for them since I dont trust a heat mat and such.
Now I have this idea of putting about 3-5 females and one male in a smaller container with a small peice of egg flats in + food ofc. And let them do their thing and then take out the male and place the females on top of my cham´s lightning (Its pretty hot) and allow them to give birth there, wich should go faster than how it is going right now.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[ridgebax1]

I would be careful putting anything on top of the lights. It could block the ventilation and cause a fire. If you don't trust heat mats, you could get a ceramic heat emitter. That's what I have sitting about 4 or 5 inches above their bins. As far as a heat mat I would not hesitate to use one. They are made to have things sit on top of them so it should not overheat and burn anything. There is also the flexible heat tape.

Another thing I was thinking about, but haven't really looked into it, is using the heat tape made for wrapping around plumbing pipes. It is the same principle as the flex heat tape but I am not sure about cost.

 

[Progrmor]

I would be careful putting anything on top of the lights. It could block the ventilation and cause a fire. If you don't trust heat mats, you could get a ceramic heat emitter. That's what I have sitting about 4 or 5 inches above their bins. As far as a heat mat I would not hesitate to use one. They are made to have things sit on top of them so it should not overheat and burn anything. There is also the flexible heat tape.

Another thing I was thinking about, but haven't really looked into it, is using the heat tape made for wrapping around plumbing pipes. It is the same principle as the flex heat tape but I am not sure about cost.

I will, im not going to put the bin over the vent holes. Between them.

Well, it will just be a ton of work to provide them with something like that. I got them in my basement and there are no electricity down there...

But in theory, would this work with putting them seperatly like I describde?

 

[ridgebax1]

Well I guess if your careful, it should be OK. I'm not sure how long it would take though and you would be limited in having just a few females pregnant, although that would be better than none. Maybe you could figure out some way to rotate them.
As far as breeding goes though I don't know which part of the process is most heat dependent. Copulation, gestation or the birth? Sorry I can't be of more help.

 

[Progrmor]

Well I guess if your careful, it should be OK. I'm not sure how long it would take though and you would be limited in having just a few females pregnant, although that would be better than none. Maybe you could figure out some way to rotate them.
As far as breeding goes though I don't know which part of the process is most heat dependent. Copulation, gestation or the birth? Sorry I can't be of more help.

Okey, thanks. I guess I´ll just have to try this out!

 

[pigglett79]

you should just get some flex watt heat tape and make a heated shelf for your roach bin. Much easier and safer.

 

[nj011908]

Okey, thanks. I guess I´ll just have to try this out!

you dont seem to be looking for opinions on this thread you seem to be searching for one person to say yes. its a bad idea, tape a medium Zilla heat pack with foil tape to the side of a 10 gallon totoe and walla perfecto my friend

 

[ChamMan7]

Honestly that's not really going to work. Copulation is the part that requires heat to trigger. Without warmer temperatures the roaches just aren't going to be in the mood. Incubation does speed up with higher temps of course, but without the heat to begin with your roaches aren't going to do their thing. Your best bet is to get flex watt or a heat emitter. It seems like that's not what you want to hear but that's your best option I think.

 

[fluxlizard]

Get a thermostat for your heat source- that will keep things safe.
I use herpstat. Someone here on the forums found one from zoomed (reptitemp 500) for about US$32 that looked like it would work well.

Thermostats keep your heat source safe. Decent ones like the herpstat have safety features built in (audible alarms, cutoff if malfunction).

It is much easier to breed larger groups of roaches, than smaller groups. Personal observation...

 

[Deevo]

My cham has ate one, maybe two dubias since I got them in June and despite my neglect they have still been breeding on and off lol

 

[Defianceofexistence]

I got a heat pad for my roaches 10 gallon tank, its a zoo-med one I believe...I guess it works lol....I have had them for like 4 months and still no babies...but it doesn't overheat...

 

[nightanole]

Look you only need 3 things for dubia nuk nuk:

1 lots of food
2 80F or higher ( get babies at half the rate at 80 vs 90)
3 do not disturb you put your fingers in the tub every day and disturb them they wont breed\
4 keep it dark

Humidity isnt really a concern since; they make their own, and the food is very moist anyway.

 

[jmwhitel]

I just use an normal heat pad with the cover removed. But I keep it and the roach container on hardwood floors to be safe. They are multiplying like crazy!

 

[nj011908]

Look you only need 3 things for dubia nuk nuk:

1 lots of food
2 80F or higher ( get babies at half the rate at 80 vs 90)
3 do not disturb you put your fingers in the tub every day and disturb them they wont breed\
4 keep it dark

Humidity isnt really a concern since; they make their own, and the food is very moist anyway.

hard time keeping accurate count...

 

[Ninkylou]

I had mine in a closet that had wire shelving and I hung a dome with a ceramic heater over the open Dubia bin. The temps inside were adequate and nothing was directly under or on the heat source that could melt or burn. I sat the bin on the floor and used zip ties to attach the dome light to the shelving above. i don't have it anymore as I decided I didn't want to breed them, so I am not sure if it would improver fertility it did however maintain temps at about 90.

 

[happiness]

I have mine in my closet as well. I put a regular heating pad that I paid about $10-15 on amazon for. It doesn't ever shut off. I leave it on high.(since it's so low to begin with) It's placed right under the tub. It keeps the bottom warm but not HOT.

& I'm happy to say mine have FINALLY had babies a few weeks ago! It was a nice surprise! So far I've seen about 3 batches of babies and hopefully more to come. I put new food in just about everyday and change the old food out about every two days. It took over a month maybe 2 or 3 after seeing a few adults to see some babies..

 

[Tay And A]

I´ve been thinking alot about my dubias lack of offspring. And I know the cause. I cant provide good heat for them since I dont trust a heat mat and such.
Now I have this idea of putting about 3-5 females and one male in a smaller container with a small peice of egg flats in + food ofc. And let them do their thing and then take out the male and place the females on top of my cham´s lightning (Its pretty hot) and allow them to give birth there, wich should go faster than how it is going right now.

Any thoughts on this?

Or take the easy route and buy some heating tape for under the big bin of bugs or you could put a heat lamp above the bin. Like a 40 watt bulb.