# Lobster Vs Turkistan Vs Dubia



## KarlW (Oct 6, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I am getting a little bit confused (sorry :blush about roaches and what i intend to buy.

Everywhere i read, everyone is saying that Dubias are the best one to use, but then ive also read that Lobsters and Turkistans are fairly good.

All i want is a good colony for my beardies, and was wondering if there really is that much difference between the lot.:bash:

The prices for Dubias seem exceptionally expensive, so i am assuming there much be a reason, but arent all 3 species non climbers and non flyers?

Sorry again for my stupidness :2wallbang:

Thanks

Karl


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## Juzza12 (Jun 12, 2008)

Dubias can't climb smooth surfaces but as you said are more expensive. They are the biggest of the 3 but are the slowest to breed.
Lobsters can climb smooth surfaces, turkistans can't. Think these 2 breed at a similar rate. 
Lobsters are live bearers, turkistans lay eggs so you have to be sure that the temp and humidity is right for them to hatch. Sounds like a pain that they lay eggs but i've never seen anyone post on here that they've had problems getting them to hatch.
None of them can fly although any with wings can flutter a little. I haven't kept turkistans but have had dubias and currently have lobsters. I actually prefer the lobsters so sold the dubias.


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## KarlW (Oct 6, 2009)

Why did you prefer the lobsters?

How often do they breed and what sort of setup did you keep them in to stop them escaping?

thanks

Karl


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## Juzza12 (Jun 12, 2008)

KarlW said:


> Why did you prefer the lobsters?
> 
> How often do they breed and what sort of setup did you keep them in to stop them escaping?
> 
> ...


Just because they breed so quickly, not sure how fast it is but i'll try and find the info. My colony has doubled in just a few months though. 
I keep them in a storage tub that i bought from asda. There is a heat mat covering about 1/3 of the tub, a 2 inch layer of vaseline around the top and a pair of tights stretched over the top.


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## KarlW (Oct 6, 2009)

Thanks.

Ive just got something similar for mine, so will be looking into that.

Does the vaseline do a good job?

Would an extremely fine mesh do as good a job as the tights?

Karl


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## Juzza12 (Jun 12, 2008)

Yeah the vaseline does fine as long as it's smeared on the tub well so it's greasy. A fine mesh would work, you could cut a hole out of the middle of the lid and glue the mesh on to that. I find that with plenty of egg crate to hide in, they don't try to climb up the sides that much anyway. There is a breeding guide to turkistans in this section if you want a look too.


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## Pleco07 (Aug 15, 2007)

I used to have a huge colony of Dubias, I personally prefer them as they are bigger and slower so more appropiatly sized for my BD plus he was pretty slow so couldnt catch the others. Dubias cant climb smooth surfaces, the males 'flutter' to the floor but they can properly fly.

I had a lobster colony at one point too, they breed SUPER quick! Mine doubled in number within a week. I didnt like them because they weren't very big and they were too quick for me to catch let alone my BD so I sold them. Lobsters climb smooth surfaces, I never saw them flutter/fly though.

Ive got turkistan now, got a couple of thousand, they're OK. They aren't as quick as lobster. They are to feed my T's but I think my BD would be able to catch these. These can climb smooth surfaces and more often than not (with persistence) get past the band of vaseline...they cant get passed the parcel tape though  I use vaseline with a line of Parcel tape to keep the turks from climbing (altho they are lidded anyway).

Just my experience anyway


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## KarlW (Oct 6, 2009)

I take it the parcel tape is sticky side up to catch them?

I would be very worried about them escaping, as i have promised my leaseholder they wont....

Karl


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## Pleco07 (Aug 15, 2007)

KarlW said:


> I take it the parcel tape is sticky side up to catch them?
> 
> I would be very worried about them escaping, as i have promised my leaseholder they wont....
> 
> Karl


No, stick it to the tank, its super smooth so they cant climb it. If you have it the wrong way up they would stick and die and you would eventually lose them all


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## KarlW (Oct 6, 2009)

Ok, was just checking.

Didnt know how many actually made it taht high, i would rather let 1 or 2 die than let them escape. This is war :bash:


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## Pleco07 (Aug 15, 2007)

KarlW said:


> Ok, was just checking.
> 
> Didnt know how many actually made it taht high, i would rather let 1 or 2 die than let them escape. This is war :bash:


Ive got my turks in a 80ltr storge tub (£6 from Wilkos) its 17" high and they climb to the top, well upto the parcel tape anyway. The tub has a lid tho so they cant actually get out anyway


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## KarlW (Oct 6, 2009)

Can they actually climb across the top of the lid to the mesh?

If ive got Dubias, they wont go that far, hopefully.

Karl


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## Pleco07 (Aug 15, 2007)

KarlW said:


> Can they actually climb across the top of the lid to the mesh?
> 
> If ive got Dubias, they wont go that far, hopefully.
> 
> Karl


Dubias cant climb smooth surfaces at all, so unless u have an old scratched surface box you wont see them climbing


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## KarlW (Oct 6, 2009)

Thats why im going to be using them :2thumb:

Just need to get my colony off the ground and growing.

I dont suppose you know at what age you can determine male/female? (i heard someone mention wings a while ago)

Karl


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## Pleco07 (Aug 15, 2007)

KarlW said:


> Thats why im going to be using them :2thumb:
> 
> Just need to get my colony off the ground and growing.
> 
> ...


Once Dubias reach adulthood, males have wings and females just have these little wing stubs.


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