# dying female dubia roaches



## ricardo1 (Jan 16, 2010)

*hey just wondering if any one can help me with info as to why i have lost 4 adult female dubia roaches in the last 3 weeks *

_i am keeping them in a plactic tub under my viv on a heat mat under half the tub. feeding them 2-3 times a week on freash fruit nd veg._

_my collany is small _

_7 adult males _
_20 adult females_
_bout 40 med and 100 small_

_cheers_


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## madavies65 (Jan 21, 2009)

You can get die offs early on in a colony as they recover from being shipped or old age, if your temps are ok, and there is no mold, and there is food then i would try not to worry too much


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## ricardo1 (Jan 16, 2010)

thought it mite be old age or stress. aint checked temps but guessing they should be ok as half the tub has heat mat under it so they should be able to thermoregulate ok defo no mold and always plenty of food. hope i dont lose many more numbers are low enough as it is and i cant seam to find any one seling adult wiht out a silly price tag on them 

cheers for for your info


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## grumpyoldtrout (May 19, 2008)

Do you feed them on any dry food?

Our Roach mix, dry catfood, dry pond fish food, fish flakes, wheaties, corn flakes, weetabix............... You can see where this is going :lol2: most dry stuff from the kitchen, :lol2: in a small dish, replaced often to prevent mould growth. Cat and fish food are the high protein constituents.


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## ricardo1 (Jan 16, 2010)

hey yeah they always have dry food in there im putting the deaths down to old age and stress of being sent... cheers


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## grumpyoldtrout (May 19, 2008)

My colony is about 1YO, getting a few dying as well.


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## ricardo1 (Jan 16, 2010)

how many did you start with ????

what are your numbers now after a year ???


cheers 
Richard


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## johne.ev (Sep 14, 2008)

Whats the humidity in the tub? Do you have a lid on the tub?


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## ricardo1 (Jan 16, 2010)

erm i spray it like once a week just a little bit to give it a bit of humidity its got a very lose fitting lid on it.. ??


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## johne.ev (Sep 14, 2008)

I've found they do better without a lid, but as others have said could be end of their life span.


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## madavies65 (Jan 21, 2009)

Humidty should be quite high but without causing mold, Normally a lid with a fitted mesh works well, stops things falling in and keeps temps up too. They also love the dark too.


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## ricardo1 (Jan 16, 2010)

so is it a good idear to spray them once a week or so erm i check the dry food every day to make sure its not moldy as for dark they are in a cupboard built under my home made viv :2thumb: so they are in the drak all the time is that ok ??

cheers


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## madavies65 (Jan 21, 2009)

ricardo1 said:


> so is it a good idear to spray them once a week or so erm i check the dry food every day to make sure its not moldy as for dark they are in a cupboard built under my home made viv :2thumb: so they are in the drak all the time is that ok ??
> 
> cheers


Hi Ricardo, I spray the egg cartons once a day, but I know that the heat in my tubs dries the cartons out very quickly which leaves a nice moist atmosphere in the tubs without making the food wet. You will have to work out a process in your own tubs, so you spray enough but not too much to cause mold.

Yep they are in the dark the entire time, light really spooks them and sslows their feeding and mating.

Hope this helps!


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