Starting a roach colony

[ToastyCham]

Hi everyone, I am starting to think about breeding dubia roaches and I am wondering what you need to breed them and how.

Thanks in advance!

 

[GrannyK]

Hi everyone, I am starting to think about breeding dubia roaches and I am wondering what you need to breed them and how.

Thanks in advance!

I use a 5 gal fish tank or a large bin with egg crates and a small hide box, get a few adult males and females. Give them orange peels with their regular gutload and you will have babies in no time. it’s very easy and easy to maintain. Some do Bioactive bottoms with the roaches but I don’t yet.

 

[SteveH]

All I use is a good sized tote and egg crate. I struggled with them actually breeding and was advised to give them a little warmth so I added a CHE.

 

[GrannyK]

All I use is a good sized tote and egg crate. I struggled with them actually breeding and was advised to give them a little warmth so I added a CHE.

Yes! I forgot the heat pad a small reptile one.
I use orange peels Steve, sorry you struggle mine breed like rabbits! lol

 

[Delef3]

Dubies are easy to breed! In addition to the previously mentioned advice, you should have temps up to 90 degrees with a heat mat or seedling pad. They need the heat to induce breeding. My tote reads around 85 (can’t seem to get it higher), and after a month working on this colony, I’ve got hundreds and hundreds of babies right now. Make sure to properly gutload of course. Oranges also seem to be an aphrodisiac of sorts with these little buggers! I personally do not use cleaner insects, etc. but their waste can cause some reactions in people. I notice that every time I have my face close to the inside to feed them, clean, or whatever, I come away with some congestion and fogginess. My kids want to keep the dubies as pets now as well! My 11 yr old son said to me the other day: “So in reality, they are bred to die? Doesn’t seem right.” Whoa.

 

[SteveH]

Yes! I forgot the heat pad a small reptile one.
I use orange peels Steve, sorry you struggle mine breed like rabbits! lol

Ohh after adding the CHE the population has exploded lol

 

[ToastyCham]

Thanks for all the advice! What’s a CHE? I planned on keeping them in the garage and in the summer in California the garage is HOT!

 

[SteveH]

Thanks for all the advice! What’s a CHE? I planned on keeping them in the garage and in the summer in California the garage is HOT!

A CHE is a ceramic heat emitter that's used for many reptiles.

 

[ToastyCham]

Does it matter what age and size the roaches are?

 

[GrannyK]

Does it matter what age and size the roaches are?

You will need adult male and female I think 2 males and 4-8 females is ok to start the colony. You can buy larger ones and just grow them out but that’s a waiting game a bit. I would buy a few adults and a bunch of feeding size to get you started. Dubia.com is great for roaches and other feeders.

 

[ToastyCham]

You will need adult male and female I think 2 males and 4-8 females is ok to start the colony. You can buy larger ones and just grow them out but that’s a waiting game a bit. I would buy a few adults and a bunch of feeding size to get you started. Dubia.com is great for roaches and other feeders.

Yes dubia.com is where I get all my feeders. And I just put orange peels and my usually gutload in with them?

 

[GrannyK]

They are having a sale right now,
I just attached the link to get you to the right store you do not have to use that referral code if you don’t want to. I think their sale is 25% off dubia right now.

Here's a 15% off coupon for your first order at DubiaRoaches.com.
https://i.refs.cc/JLynSvcM?smile_re...sInNtaWxlX2N1c3RvbWVyX2lkIjoxMjQyNTc3NzUwfQ==

 

[GrannyK]

Yes dubia.com is where I get all my feeders. And I just put orange peels and my usually gutload in with them?

Awesome!!! Yes, I do them on the side but I think that would be ok mixed right in.

 

[GrannyK]

They are having a sale right now,
I just attached the link to get you to the right store you do not have to use that referral code if you don’t want to. I think their sale is 25% off dubia right now.

Here's a 15% off coupon for your first order at DubiaRoaches.com.
https://i.refs.cc/JLynSvcM?smile_ref=eyJzbWlsZV9zb3VyY2UiOiJzbWlsZV91aSIsInNtaWxlX21lZGl1bSI6IiIsInNtaWxlX2NhbXBhaWduIjoicmVmZXJyYWxfcHJvZ3JhbSIsInNtaWxlX2N1c3RvbWVyX2lkIjoxMjQyNTc3NzUwfQ==

Disregard, lol you already know the dubia site.

 

[ToastyCham]

Disregard, lol you already know the dubia site.

Thanks anyway

 

[ToastyCham]

I ordered 5 adult males and 5 adult females and 75 mixed. Hopefully I can get them breeding soon

 

[GrannyK]

I ordered 5 adult males and 5 adult females and 75 mixed. Hopefully I can get them breeding soon

Nice! Should be good!!!

 

[ToastyCham]

how do you know when they are actually breeding? Do they give live birth or lay eggs? If they lay eggs how long do they take to hatch?

 

[MissSkittles]

I ordered 5 adult males and 5 adult females and 75 mixed. Hopefully I can get them breeding soon

Usually you want to have more females than males, I think because the males will keep bothering the females to keep breeding. (I think). The ratio is often something like 4-5 females per 1 male. Let them do their thing and if the females start looking a bit beat up and rough, remove a couple of the males.

how do you know when they are actually breeding? Do they give live birth or lay eggs? If they lay eggs how long do they take to hatch?

They do give live birth and it’s pretty cool. There’s some videos on YouTube if you’re interested.

 

[ToastyCham]

Usually you want to have more females than males, I think because the males will keep bothering the females to keep breeding. (I think). The ratio is often something like 4-5 females per 1 male. Let them do their thing and if the females start looking a bit beat up and rough, remove a couple of the males.

They do give live birth and it’s pretty cool. There’s some videos on YouTube if you’re interested.

Thank you MissSkittles! I watched a video and kind of wish I hadn’t