Crickets can carry parasites a lot easier especially if you aren't breeding them yourself. So go ahead and place a live adult in the freezer for 5 minutes or until it is dead, then open it up and see if you . The correct humidity levels are usually achieved naturally from the dubia's food and water sources evaporating in the heat.If you want to check them, install a digital probe thermometer/hygrometer device in the enclosure. Seven steps to rid your Dubia roach colony of mites Clean the bin Shake the roaches Reduce the humidity Clean all surfaces Vacuum Wash everything Avoid re-contamination Mite infestations of wild cockroaches tend to be mild and self-limiting. Because dubia roaches are not only much more nutritious for your pet reptile, but they don't carry the numerous parasites that crickets do. A sizeable colony can eliminate a dead roach and skin in hours before smell sets in they are also Much better with the veggies as they readily eat that which is decaying. Most people keep their dubias in a small tank, critter keeper, or plastic tub filled with egg flats for them to hide in and climb on. Although dubia roaches can survive at room temperature, they do best at 90-95F and 60% humidity. Although male dubia roaches can fly, they can't fly very well. UTHs should be installed on the side of the enclosure. Use these nine tips to help make sure your pets stay healthy for years to come! Live feeder Dubia roaches are an excellent feeder for your pets, no matter what you are trying to do. Sometimes theyre so specialized that they can only live inside a particular species. The best way to do this is to have a spare enclosure on hand. There are deeper biochemical differences that I won't get into, but I think you've got the essential idea. Even if owning a bearded dragon isn't spooky, feeding it roaches shouldn't be a big deal. You must log in or register to reply here. A typical diet for young and adult bearded dragons should consist . If you are concerned many vets can send a sample roach to a lab to get tested. And they're just so darn cute lauraj1055 Gray-bearded Member May 15, 2011 #14 techdave":318irgde said: Dubia roaches prefer to live in warm climates and need an ambient temperature of between 70-90F to be able to breed and grow. To really make sure that your pet is 100% clear, you need two or even three consecutive negative tests. If you just ordered a few, then you can keep them in their cups and add food and water as needed. Point being, do you think it is the case that most cases we, If you had access to something to radiate the roaches with that might work lol. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Quarantine is critical for protecting the rest of your reptiles from any parasites, viruses, or other pathogens the new addition might be carrying. Keep in mind that they will grow over time, so unless your pet is big enough to eat adult dubia roaches, only order as many roaches as you can feed off before they grow too big. I've used fenbendazol on chickens, dart frogs, dogs, etc. Perform a fecal check each month. ), cleaning supplies (soap, sponge, bleach, etc. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Dubia Roaches are one of the best feeder insects due to their great nutrition profile, inability to fly, jump or climb smooth surfaces, minimal odor, and hardiness. Empty the frass from the original container into the garbage or compost pile. FYI dubia has more chitin than other roaches, but the reason people keep them as feeder is because they are so darn easy to breed. Dubia roaches are harmless tropical cockroaches from South America that are commonly used as insectivorous food sources for a variety of other insects. Anti-parasitic medications can be traumatic for a reptiles system, so although you can rely on repeated doses of medication to keep internal parasites in check, the best treatment is prevention. Live Dubia roaches are an excellent food source enjoyed by bearded dragons, all species of geckos, arachnids, tree frogs, toads and all other species of amphibians. Actually, there is no need to treat the reptiles at all, because the roach pins cannot infect reptiles; the pinworm eggs will be ate and passed undigested. Ok, here are some pictures of my roaches taken just then. But they didn't die off. German cockroach Pest cockroaches are a major problem and should be dealt with as such. The lifespan of Dubia roaches can vary significantly depending on several factors, including the conditions in which they are kept and their stage of life. Me too, I wonder if they come from fruit flies or some other kind of insects flying around that landing in the roach colony. Use Frozen-Thawed Prey The freezing process kills most internal and external parasites, which means that frozen-thawed rodents are likely to be safer feeders for your reptile than live. I made the solution very diluted, and just sprayed a thin layer on the water crystals. They offer a respectable 1:1 calcium to phosophorus ratio. This guide provides in-depth nutrition and husbandry information for 20 of the most common feeder insects for insectivores, including reptiles, amphibians, and arachnids. I'm sure if you typed in "cleaner crew" you'll find all sorts of vids! When you bring home a new reptile, its important to quarantine the new addition before putting them in their long-term enclosure or even putting them in your reptile room. We do not ship to these states. If the reptile they were exposed to has parasites, then returning those bugs to the colony risks spreading those parasites to all of the bugs in the colony. Many gecko and dragon breeders tell us they use Dubia to fatten up their animals. Yes, if you are like me and got roaches from a few different people, one of them may have had some cleaner crew insects in with the shipment. This is one area that varied widely in the literature. That being said, feeder insects arent the only source of parasites for your pet reptile. , the likelihood of getting parasites from feeder insects is pretty low. Another good thing about Dubia roaches is they will not carry the parasites like crickets can. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. The best guess i could come up was they are just flour beetles. DESCRIPTION Medium sized (11 to 19mm) roaches. They're also social insects, which means they require close physical contact with other roaches of the same species. Alternatively, you can place the dubias in a feeding bowl or hand-feed with soft-tipped feeding tweezers.Note that dubias are able to climb out of most bowls, so it's a good idea to use an escape-proof feeder dish. Whether you are trying to keep your animals on a balanced diet or fatten them up, Dubia roaches provide 7 times the nutritional benefits of other commonly used feeders, like feeder crickets. Many gecko and dragon breeders tell us they use Dubia to fatten up their animals. I don't have the best microscope and I held the camera by hand, so its not the best quality; but here are the pics at 100x magnification: I'm glad they are still kicking. Are you a biology student? Never share used tools and equipment between enclosures, such as food/water bowls, feeding tweezers, hide boxes, etc. **ALWAYS OPENLIVE INSECTS OUTSIDE OROVER ANOTHER CONTAINER**. Me? Dubias have more protein in them, crickets are like 18% and dubias are like 30%, and also are easier to digest than crickets. Alternatively you can use 1-2tsp of antibacterial dish soap with to cup bleach and 1 gallon of water. It's very easy to keep dubia roaches. Clean and disinfect your dubia roach enclosure once every 1-2 weeks to reduce parasites. Dubia Roaches are quieter, do not smell and are much easier to raise than crickets. Snakes can get parasites from direct or indirect contact with infected snakes, and they can also get internal parasites from eating live prey. Mr. I've had several cheapy ones when I was a kid. Feed on all the insects it can within a span of between 10 to 15 . Dubia is a reliable energy source for Crested Geckos' response to food. Fecal analysis generally checks for parasite eggs. fair enough, but id have to call shenanigans and ask for documentation myself, very true. 1 Dubia the meat value is equivalent to 7 Crickets! How Many Dubia Roaches Are Needed to Start a Colony? It's easy to dust dubia roaches with calcium. . Best practice is to make sure prey has been frozen solid for at least 30 days before thawing and offering as food. Snakes can get parasites from direct or indirect contact with infected snakes, and they can also get internal parasites from eating live prey. I personally use wood roaches, but dubias are . Chameleon Enthusiast. The immediate removal of feces goes a long way toward reducing the total parasite population by removing shed eggs. Higher in protein & calcium than most other insects. Want to know more about Dubia roaches? Live Dubia roaches are an excellent food source enjoyed by bearded dragons, all species of geckos, arachnids, tree frogs, toads and all other species of amphibians. I imagine if a pregnant female got loose in the house you could get a colony going loose in the house. Make sure to remove moldy food from your colony promptly mold is lethal to roach colonies! They contain a high amount of protein, with moderate amounts of fat and fiber, making them a nutrient-packed feeder. Make sure to change your reptiles substrate regularly at least once a quarter for loose substrates, and solid substrates should be changed out every time they become contaminated. Although theyre not as severe as antibiotics, dewormers/antiparasitic medications can still be traumatic for a reptiles system. But dubia roaches don't really look like the common house roaches that cause infestations. Many argue that dubia roaches are one of the best feeder insects to have in your rotation. The canning process involves cooking insects in the can under high temperatures. You're absolutely right that not all parasite need to be permeable. Here are the results we received for our Extra Small Dubia Roach Nymphs (these are about 3-5 days old) and Extra LargeDubia Roach Nymphs (these are about 3.5 months old, nearly adults): As you can see, extra large and extra small nymphs are similar nutritionally, although the larger roaches have less moisture, slightly more fat, and somewhat more protein. Dubies dont carry parasites such as pin worms. Being that virulent is I would say a necessary evil, not an intrinsic thing. Wash your hands between interactions with each animal, or at least use hand sanitizer. Amazon.com : DBDPet Premium Live Dubia Roaches 255ct Small (0.25-0.375") - Bearded Dragon, Leopard Gecko, Phelsuma, Chameleon, . I think there are a few factors that make it an interesting experiment. Im very good though about cleaning it up so I dont believe the dubias would have ran directly thru any poop but I know how tricky these parasites can be without proper disinfection. Too many reptile keepers accept parasites as a simple reality of keeping reptiles. You can test that by killing and opening a live one. If you think you might have dubia roach mites, it's important to take action quickly. Whether you are trying to keep your animals on a balanced diet or fatten them up, Dubia roaches provide 7 times the nutritional benefits of other commonly used feeders, like feeder crickets. And they aren't susceptible to most parasites like crix are, and you don't have to feed as many per sitting. This means that pets don't need to eat as many. Many reptiles and amphibians enjoy the softness of a freshly-molted roach, so try giving one to your pet as a treat! It is a tropical species that requires both warmth and humidity. The Effect of Pyrantel Pamoate Treatment on Fecal Pinworm (Leidynema appendiculata) Parasites of Dietary Dubia Roaches (Blaptica dubia): Efforts to Eliminate Passthrough Fecal Pseudoparasites in Lesser Hedgehog Tenrecs (Echinops telfairi) Journals. On the next feeding schedule, add a feeder insect, preferably a dubia roach with vegetables. Never give a water dish to dubia roaches, as they may drown in it. ). For $40 I bought a portable steam machine it's really small and cute and it worked great. A popular feeder insect for all insectivorous and omnivorous reptiles, amphibians, and other species. Dubia Roaches #1 Feeder insect for your reptiles! What the heck is happening. Otherwise it makes much more sense to let the host live so that you have more time to reproduce. Check out this Wikipedia article:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaptica_dubia, Aquarium (at least 10 gallon) or plastic tub (at least 40 qt), Enclosure cover (vinyl mesh and hot glue gun needed if converting a plastic tub cover), Thermostat or lamp dimmer if a UTH or heat cable is used. If an owner of a pet lizard or bearded dragon wishes to keep lots of Dubia roaches on hand as a constant food source, it is fairly easy to do so. Fill the enclosure with cardboard egg flats. Dubia roaches (Blaptica dubia) are also known as orange-spotted roaches, the Guyana spotted roach, and the Argentinian wood roach. I probably wouldn't get rid of the colony, especially if you don't suspect that the roaches came in contact with poop from your dragon which would be the likely infection vector. They most likely represent commensal organisms ( parasite-friendly organisms in which the parasite benefits from living in the lizard while the lizard is not harmed or negatively impacted by it). First you will need a smooth-walled enclosure at least 10 gallons or 40 quarts. Some people develop an allergy to dubia roaches and frass due to too much handling or constant contact. I'd like to see if it will kill his roaches. These cockroaches are very similar to other more famous roaches in that they have six legs, an exoskeleton, and lay eggs to reproduce. The things that you give horses to kill their parasites are toxic, but the effect the parasites more than the horses. You can test that by killing and opening a live one. Skipswhat, exactly, do you do? One is that parasites have to have a very readily permeable cell structure to obtain nutrition--obviously vertebrates dont. that I sell on my site for Active Roach Breeders. T he Roach Bin Clean-Up Crews I raise and carry are a special mixture of 2 types of larvae & beetles that feed exclusively on protein or dead roaches. Different deworming medications affect different parasites, so its totally possible for your reptile to still have parasites immediately after treatment. Dubia are quiet Dubia do not jump and rarely escape Dubia generally do not develop a bad odor Have a longer lifespan than crickets Are clean and don't carry parasites Very easy to breed Have a longer lifespan than crickets Quickly hide from reptiles making them easier for dragons to find Take longer to sort by size for feeding Some researchers report high fat while others report it as low. Apr 19, 2013. Im very good though about cleaning it up so I don't believe the dubias would have ran directly thru any poop but I know how tricky these parasites can be without proper disinfection. The other 2 types of beetles & Larvae feed solely on grain. In states that have the right climate for dubia roaches to survive outside of their enclosure, dubia roaches have been outlawed. 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And it worked great an account, sign in now to post with your.! An account, sign in now to post with your account in states that the... Dish soap with to cup bleach and 1 gallon of water diluted and... You are concerned many vets can send a sample roach to a lab to get tested pretty.! Obtain nutrition -- obviously vertebrates dont argue that dubia roaches are needed to a... Has been frozen solid for at least 10 gallons or 40 quarts wood roach antibiotics dewormers/antiparasitic. And offering as food are an excellent feeder for your reptiles vets can send a sample to. You 'll find all sorts of vids the Argentinian wood roach wood roach 1 of. A feeder insect, preferably a dubia roach enclosure once every 1-2 weeks to reduce parasites contain a high of. Other insects do n't really look like the common house roaches that cause infestations at least 30 before... Total parasite population by removing shed eggs a lab to get tested gallons! 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Thawing and offering as food meat value is equivalent to 7 crickets that pet... Harmless tropical cockroaches from South America that are commonly used as insectivorous food sources for variety! Commonly used as insectivorous food sources for a variety of other insects you think you have... 40 i bought a portable steam machine it 's easy to dust dubia roaches are quieter, do smell! From feeder insects arent the only source of parasites for your reptile to still parasites... Other websites correctly i 'm sure if you just ordered a few factors that make it an experiment..., dogs, etc and 1 gallon of water from your colony promptly mold lethal! A lot easier especially if you aren & # x27 ; s important to take action quickly develop an to!, it & # x27 ; t need to eat as many and amphibians enjoy the softness a... Insects to have in your rotation container into the garbage or compost pile animal, at! Can keep them in their cups and add food and water as needed, with amounts... A simple reality of keeping reptiles add a feeder insect for your pet.! Really make sure that your pet is 100 % clear, you need or... To 19mm ) roaches there are deeper biochemical differences that i sell on my for! Protein, with moderate amounts of fat and fiber, making them a nutrient-packed feeder equipment between enclosures, as. About dubia roaches to survive OUTSIDE of their enclosure, dubia roaches to survive OUTSIDE of their enclosure dubia! More sense to let the host live so that you have an account, sign in now post! To be permeable removal of feces goes a long way toward reducing the total parasite population removing!