# in need of some help with a new b. dubia colony i just picked up (for free :)



## loogielv (Dec 7, 2008)

Hi all, been lurking but haven't had a need to post, until now. I got emailed by a lady that had a few hundred b. dubias and she wanted to know if i'd like to have them. I had been toying with the idea of breeding *something* but when this fell into my lap i had to act fast. I had 2 days to come and get them, which i did. they are now sitting in a dark closet in my kids playroom and my wife will barely speak to me. all worth it if you ask me 

i've been doing as much research as possible ( and many google searches end up on RFUK but with posts up to 3 years old ) but i can't seem to find really up to date information. Theres a new thread every hour or so about roaches in general, and especially b. dubia, and it's really hard to sift through all the information and see if it pertains to what my specific questions are.

if these questions have been answered, please dont hesitate to direct me to the threads where I can expand my knowledge. I'm sorta desperate and figured a nice long post will soften you up. 

My questions:
1) what is the best DIY diet recipe for these little buggers? I heard oatmeal or even sugary cereal (fruit loops., fruity pebbles and such) is good for the roaches, but might be bad for the lizards? i wont buy cricket/roach feed, i'd rather do it myself. i heard dog food, but i wouldn't feed dog food to my lizards, so i probably shouldn't feed it to my lizard feeders either. i know fruits and such, but i just need to know a good diet plan for them.

2) do b. dubia ever escape? i have a nice lid with some tape and screen and stuff, and i know they can't climb, but i'm telling you now, my wife is 8 months pregnant, and wouldn't hesitate to kill me if a roach makes it way into her line of sight. like seriously, i'd be dead. so if one of these has ever escaped on you, please explain the circumstances so i can make sure it doesn't happen to me. death would be immnent. 

3) any tips on sorting the babies/nymphs from the adults? i think keeping the feeders seperate from the breeders is a smart idea and something i will certainly do if it makes sense, but how do people do it easily? 

4) in tips in general for keeping this species happy and healthy until they make my reptiles happy and healthy? 

btw, thank you rfuk members. You truly are a great community. It bothers me that Americans can't help each other out like this. I'm American and up 'til a few months ago, i was ashamed to even admit it. Most Americans wont help, RFUK is my light at the end of a tunnel. There's so much information and so many that are willing to help. It's appreciated over here. I promise.


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## Ben.M (Mar 2, 2008)

loogielv said:


> Hi all, been lurking but haven't had a need to post, until now. I got emailed by a lady that had a few hundred b. dubias and she wanted to know if i'd like to have them. I had been toying with the idea of breeding *something* but when this fell into my lap i had to act fast. I had 2 days to come and get them, which i did. they are now sitting in a dark closet in my kids playroom and my wife will barely speak to me. all worth it if you ask me
> 
> i've been doing as much research as possible ( and many google searches end up on RFUK but with posts up to 3 years old ) but i can't seem to find really up to date information. Theres a new thread every hour or so about roaches in general, and especially b. dubia, and it's really hard to sift through all the information and see if it pertains to what my specific questions are.
> 
> ...


 
Hope this helps m8:2thumb:,

Oh and congrats on the baby:no1:,


Ben.M


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## loogielv (Dec 7, 2008)

Ben.M said:


> Hope this helps m8:2thumb:,
> 
> Oh and congrats on the baby:no1:,
> 
> ...


thanks for the tips, i really appreciate it!

so you haven't had any escapes?


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## arm2010 (Jun 2, 2005)

:welcome: to the forums , I've just got my first batch of dubia's too , at the top of the page is a care guide for livefoods the dubia one is pretty good , with some great photos too.


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## Ben.M (Mar 2, 2008)

loogielv said:


> thanks for the tips, i really appreciate it!
> 
> so you haven't had any escapes?


 
Not of dubias, no i keep them in a large plastic exo terra tank with mesh between the lid and the tank its-self


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## jonnyjr (May 2, 2008)

feed them a veriety of things, i use staple of oats and cerials with left over greens potoatoe peelings, oranges etc etc, they are vermin at the end of the day and will eat pretty much anything, just provide a source of moisture for them and you shouldnt have any problems. I have my breeders and mymphs in seperate tubs, simply becasue i only realy feed the adults and it means i dont have to disturb the other tub, i then just alternate egg boxes between the 2 tubs transfering the myphs from the adults tub, and the now adults from the nymph tub. If they are in a smooth sided tub there is no need for a lid as they cant climb smoth surfaces, but a lid with a fair few holes in it will help to keep the temperature up for them.


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## Issa (Oct 13, 2006)

loogielv said:


> Hi all, been lurking but haven't had a need to post, until now. I got emailed by a lady that had a few hundred b. dubias and she wanted to know if i'd like to have them. I had been toying with the idea of breeding *something* but when this fell into my lap i had to act fast. I had 2 days to come and get them, which i did. they are now sitting in a dark closet in my kids playroom and my wife will barely speak to me. all worth it if you ask me
> 
> i've been doing as much research as possible ( and many google searches end up on RFUK but with posts up to 3 years old ) but i can't seem to find really up to date information. Theres a new thread every hour or so about roaches in general, and especially b. dubia, and it's really hard to sift through all the information and see if it pertains to what my specific questions are.
> 
> ...


Hope this helps.


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## loogielv (Dec 7, 2008)

jonnyjr said:


> feed them a veriety of things, i use staple of oats and cerials with left over greens potoatoe peelings, oranges etc etc, they are vermin at the end of the day and will eat pretty much anything, just provide a source of moisture for them and you shouldnt have any problems. I have my breeders and mymphs in seperate tubs, simply becasue i only realy feed the adults and it means i dont have to disturb the other tub, *i then just alternate egg boxes between the 2 tubs transfering the myphs from the adults tub, and the now adults from the nymph tub.* If they are in a smooth sided tub there is no need for a lid as they cant climb smoth surfaces, but a lid with a fair few holes in it will help to keep the temperature up for them.


not sure i follow here. so you have the full grown breeders and their babies in one tub, and another tub w/ nymphs. After the nymphs mature into full grown adults, you then switch the egg boxes. Wont that take the babies AND the adult breeders? or do you just pull them off?


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## loogielv (Dec 7, 2008)

Issa said:


> Hope this helps.


thanks again for the nice replies. I live in a desert land (Las Vegas in Southern Nevada) so humidity is almost non existent, but it does get very hot, and if it rains our humidity gets crazy due to the 110 degree heat. It rarely rains in the summer though. I think i'd be in trouble in they got into the house because they'd live long enough to see some good humidity at some part of the year. 65% or so


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## jonnyjr (May 2, 2008)

loogielv said:


> not sure i follow here. so you have the full grown breeders and their babies in one tub, and another tub w/ nymphs. After the nymphs mature into full grown adults, you then switch the egg boxes. Wont that take the babies AND the adult breeders? or do you just pull them off?



Im sorry i did not make my self clear, i have only adults in one tub, all other sizes in another, the females in the adult tub give birth to many babies a week, so each week i take an egg box from the adults, pick the adults off, but the adults back in their tub and this egg box which now only has babies on it, into the tub with the varying sizes in it. In this tub when i see a nymph that has tunred into an adult i then put it into the adult tub. Hope that is a little clearer :lol2:


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## loogielv (Dec 7, 2008)

jonnyjr said:


> Im sorry i did not make my self clear, i have only adults in one tub, all other sizes in another, the females in the adult tub give birth to many babies a week, so each week i take an egg box from the adults, pick the adults off, but the adults back in their tub and this egg box which now only has babies on it, into the tub with the varying sizes in it. In this tub when i see a nymph that has tunred into an adult i then put it into the adult tub. Hope that is a little clearer :lol2:


yah helps alot! thanks


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## willywonka (Feb 5, 2009)

loogielv said:


> thanks again for the nice replies. I live in a desert land (Las Vegas in Southern Nevada) so humidity is almost non existent, but it does get very hot, and if it rains our humidity gets crazy due to the 110 degree heat. It rarely rains in the summer though. I think i'd be in trouble in they got into the house because they'd live long enough to see some good humidity at some part of the year. 65% or so


Just happen on this site and found your posting. I, too, live in Las Vegas and have had b. dubias for years. I have always kept them in the house with no problems. Occasionally one will escape from my tarantula's cage but I have never had an outbreak in the house. As long as you have a good enough cage or tub and lid you shouldn't worry about escapes. Just make sure that there is a good gap between the highest point in the cage and lid. As far as humidity goes, I wouldn't worry too much about that either. The realitive humidity in your house should be good enough. Good luck with them.


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## Blackmelo (Jan 12, 2009)

the only time I had some dubia escape was when i left a few adults in a 5cm tub and even then it took them a whole day for just 1 to escape lol.

I would recommend dog food. They do eat the occasional dead insect or dead animal they come across so dog food is just another natural part of their diet and is fine to use feeding them to any animal.

I sort out my smaller and bigger ones but I do so over a 50liter tub with a soil civ.

PS: on the bright side, I never once spotted that escaped male, I just occasionally heard him sratching somehwere in the room :whistling2:


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## loogielv (Dec 7, 2008)

lol, both great replies. I started another thread about these guys after I picked em up. Lemme find it...

hurr it is... http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/feeder/237155-post-your-breeder-enclosures.html
willy please give me your vegas insight. I'm glad you're close. I have too many males and perhaps in the future we could work out a trade or something. anyway, thanks for the replies

edit: posted the wrong link. corrected now. it's all mine


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