4 Reasons Why Dubia Roaches Are Better for Your Pets

In the feeder insect market, Dubia Roaches has been emerging as the go-to option for pet owners. People who keep reptiles as pets have been switching from their regular feeder insects to Dubia roaches. These hardy critters, called orange-spotted cockroach or Guyana spotted roach in some areas, exhibit the signs of being a superior feeder insect for pet reptiles, amphibians, and tarantulas.

What really stands out with these insects is that they are easier to manage because you can easily breed it at home. Breeding insects isn’t always easy. There can be many issues that people might not think of before starting such a project. Nutrition, cleanliness, containment, and longevity are serious things to consider.

Nutrition

For pet reptiles, this insect is proving to be better than other feeder insects in today’s market. The nutritional requirements for reptiles vary, depending on what type they are. Carnivorous reptiles require 30% to 50% of crude protein daily. Omnivorous reptiles need 20% to 25% of crude protein, while the herbivorous ones need about 18% to 22%. It’s also good to know that these roaches will satisfy a big chunk of your pet’s Calcium needs.

The fat content isn’t too high compared to other insects, unlike mealworms and superworms. The main idea is to provide your pets with a high-protein and low-fat diet to keep them lean, mean, and happy. These insects also have one third the amount of chitin compared to crickets; this makes them easier to digest.

Cleanliness

Dubia Roaches are very clean feeder insects. They have virtually no odor when kept clean. The recommended amount of time to clean their container regularly is every two weeks. They also do not smell bad when they die, which is vital when you want to breed them in your house.

Unlike other insects, these roaches avoid eating their waste droppings or that of other animals; this alone makes them one of the cleanest insects around. It’s very easy to feed them. The Dubia Roach is a frugivore. They prefer fruits and grains and usually avoid high-protein sources like meat. This fact contributes greatly to its clean and odorless existence. Eating their own kind is almost unheard of in their community. Therefore, it’s very unlikely for your colony to be eaten from within.

Containment

This type of roach cannot fly. Adult males have fully-developed wings but lack the muscles required for sustained flight. It’s very rare to see them flying. Their lack of ability to fly makes them very easy to contain even in containers that aren’t covered.

Even when using containers with no cover, these insects won’t give you many problems. It’s also almost impossible for them to climb smooth vertical surfaces. Unlike other roaches, they don’t have a developed arolium, which makes it very hard to climb these surfaces. However, nymphs have been known to climb surfaces made of silicone and the side of plastic containers, so try to avoid using these.

Longevity and Breeding

A typical Dubia Roach can last one to two years, depending on how well you take care of it. Compared to crickets, they have a longer lifespan, which makes it easier for you to breed them in large numbers. Crickets only last for only 8 to 10 weeks.

Keeping them in a cool, humid place is absolutely necessary. The ideal temperature of their habitat should be 30 to 35 degrees. Dubia Roaches will not breed in temperatures below 20 degrees. They can tolerate lower humidity than any other roach species, but they can’t molt successfully if the water in the air is very low. It’s suggested to mist their containers with water three times daily to keep them happy.

A typical Dubia Roach pregnancy can last from 48-64 days, depending on the environmental conditions. That’s why it’s essential to maintain optimal habitat conditions. The females hatch the eggs inside them and can produce 20-35 nymphs at one time. The nymphs will need 4-6 months to mature, undergoing seven instars or molting periods in the process. A colony of 500 of these insects can easily grow to a couple of thousand in a few months.

One of the main complaints from people who use crickets is the noise they produce. Keeping a large number of these insects may affect your sleep cycle negatively. Compare this to Dubia Roaches, who don’t produce any detectable noise. Your pet reptiles might not mind the noise, but surely, the pet owners would.

When it comes to feeder insects, Dubia Roaches are advantageous to both the pets and owners. As the old saying goes, “Your pets are what they eat.”