“What size dubia should I feed my bearded dragon (crested gecko, leopard gecko, etc.)?”

If you’re wondering, “what size dubia roaches should I feed my reptile?” Read on. Our easy-to-follow dubia roach size guide breaks down our sizing process and giving you some general suggestions on choosing the right size for your bearded dragon, leopard gecko, crested gecko, and more.
Not Sure What Size Dubia Roaches to Order?
At The Bug Shed, our dubia feeder roaches come in a wide array of sizes (ranging from ¼-3/8″ dubias all the way up to oversize, extra large dubia roach nymphs measuring up to 1 1/4” long. And there are so many sizes in between: our petite 3/8″-1/2″ dubias, the popular mid-sized 1/2″-5/8″ dubias, slightly larger 5/8″-3/4″ dubias, and our robust 3/4″-1″ dubia roaches. How do you know which size dubia is right for your reptile?
No worries. That’s exactly why we wrote this dubia roach size guide. Here are some general things to consider before picking the right size of dubia roaches for your pet.
When it comes to selecting the proper size feeder roaches for your reptile, and you don’t know which size to pick, try this simple process:
- Measure the space between your bearded dragon’s, leopard gecko’s, or crested gecko’s eyes and select something no larger than that (the longest dimension). It’s that simple!
Dubia Roach Size Guide Principles
5 things to keep in mind when selecting roach size:
- Dubia roaches grow quickly and can expand rapidly after molting. So, if you’re dealing with hatchlings or smaller reptiles, consider this fact when selecting your size.
- In general, the smaller the dubia roach- the quicker it will grow!
- When in doubt, go smaller.
- Plan for a slight variation in size with your dubia roaches; this is why we always recommend going a bit smaller if you’re unsure.
- If you find your dubias are too large for your reptile, you can shrink them by restricting water and food for a few days or even a week. This process won’t harm them as dubia roaches are notorious for going up to 2 weeks without water and a month without food. (However it’s MUCH better and more nutritious for your reptile to select a smaller size and properly gut load the insects before feeding.)
Handy Dubia Roach Size Guide for Bearded Dragons, Leopard Geckos, and Crested Geckos

Use this table as a general guide when selecting the right size feeder roaches for your reptile by species.
Please note that this list is ONLY a starting point to help speed up the dubia roach size selection process. These sizes are suggestions to consider, NOT cast-in-stone recommendations. Always measure your actual reptile and if you are unsure, select the smaller size roach.
Reptile Species | Hatchlings | Juveniles | Adults |
Dubias for Bearded Dragons | 1/4″-3/8″ | 3/8″-1/2″ or 1/2″-5/8″ | 5/8″-3/4″ or 3/4″-1″ or oversize |
Dubias for Leopard Geckos | 1/4″-3/8″ | 3/8″-1/2″ or 1/2″-5/8″ | 5/8″-3/4″ |
Dubias for Crested Geckos | 1/4″-3/8″ | 3/8″-1/2″ or 1/2″-5/8″ | 5/8″-3/4″ |
Don’t see your reptile listed? No worries! Simply measure the space between their eyes, as we mentioned above.
Please note that these are general feeder insect size suggestions. For example, a smaller adult gecko may be better off with the 1/2″-5/8″ dubia roaches rather than the larger size listed on the chart.
Still wondering what size dubia roach to order for your reptile?
Selecting the right-sized dubia roaches for your bearded dragon, leopard gecko, or crested gecko is a pretty straightforward process when you use this handy sizing guide. But no worries if you’re still unsure after perusing our dubia roach size guide. We love helping customers solve their reptile feeding problems! if you have any further questions about selecting the proper size feeder roaches for your reptile, don’t hesitate to reach out!
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